Community fundraising is an opportunity to raise awareness of your cause, engage new audiences and supporters, as well as raising funds. For smaller organisations, it can be very beneficial to maximise local opportunities for fundraising through your local community, activities, and linked press and promotion.

Voluntary organisations can use a wide range of tools to support community fundraising, including challenge events, auctions, lotteries and raffles. There are a wealth of opportunities to bring people together to raise funds, from coffee mornings and cake sales to car boot sales, fashion shows, fetes and quiz nights. Sponsored events are a popular way to engage supporters, who can take part in a fun event or challenge and to help raise funds through their networks.

Work with your supporters and volunteers to find ideas for events and activities that will work for your organisation. As community fundraising activities can take a lot of time, energy and planning, it is very important that you balance your activities and events with the amount of time and assistance you have available to your organisation.

A focussed fundraising appeal can be an excellent way to raise funds for your cause, which can also be timed with key events through the year, such as Christmas. It is important that your appeal has a clear aim and focus, with clear messaging to maximise your chances of success.

You should keep accurate records of activities undertaken and donations raised, within the Data Protection rules, for your reporting and to inform future planning.

Best practise guidance and information can be found at the following links:

Fundraising Regulator - Code of Fundraising Practice

Charity fundraising appeals: appeal wording and record keeping - GOV.UK

Chartered Institute of Fundraising - Outdoor UK challenge events

Chartered Institute of Fundraising - Event fundraising

Chartered Institute of Fundraising - Auctions

Chartered Institute of Fundraising - Lotteries and raffles

Chartered Institute of Fundraising - Ensuring the success of charity lotteries for the future

Charity Excellence- Christmas fundraising ideas for charities campaigns events

Examples of successful fundraising appeals during Covid

Over the Covid period, organisations were forced to quickly adapt to changing circumstances, community needs and funding pressures. Read about some successful campaigns over this period

Chartered Institute of Fundraising - Lockdown Legends - three case studies from the Supporter Experience Special Interest Group