When putting on an event to raise money for your club, put yourself in the buyer's shoes and ask, 'Would I donate money or time to this?' Family events are likely to be well attended because children drag their parents along, and equally, if children are performing, you can expect a good turnout of proud relatives and friends to watch.
In general you will also need to assume that the people you are aiming at know nothing about your club, so you will have to make it clear what funds are going towards in posters and leaflets.
Don't forget to sell your good points to the punters such as disabled access or vegetarian food, and remember the criticism of the Millennium Dome - if one has to queue, it must be worth queuing for! Try to give people something enjoyable to do while queuing, preferably with the opportunity to spend.
AUCTION OF PROMISES
One of my favourite fundraising events is the 'promise auction'. However, this is not for the faint hearted as it involves a lot of planning that needs to start months before the event. John Sanders, our local estate agent, was the auctioneer at my first promise auction. Not only did he advise on the logistics of running an auction and sell lots, but he also thoroughly entertained us - the unfortunate local vicar successfully bid for McDonalds vouchers at the beginning of the evening and was targeted for the rest of it! 'Lot 61, a hair cut and blow wave; who will start the bidding?' John boomed across the room. 'Well vicar, how about a haircut on the way to McDonalds?' The poor man didn't have a hope of escape.
One tip to reduce your workload for such an auction is to consider joining forces with a charity, such as the Save the Children Fund so that you can share the organisation and profit and also increase attendance figures; another idea is to combine it with an event you know will be well attended.
An auction of promises is run on similar lines to a conventional auction. People and businesses pledge a promise, goods or services. They fill in a form so there is a commitment and the promise is then auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Surprise auction: To add a bit of fun, keep four popular lots in unmarked envelopes. Tell people that the next lot is one of four but you don't know which it is. People then make blind bids and get a surprise at the end.
Don't tell them what each lot is until all four have been bought.
Tips: * Send out request letters well in advance, especially to football clubs.
* Include in the catalogue a postal bid form and a list of rules.
* Arrange between yourselves who will be brave enough to start the bidding - once the bidding starts, others will follow.
* Put the lots on show around the room for previewing, labelled with their number lot. Think about security. As each lot is sold the clerk makes a note of the name of the bidder and a steward should pass them a slip to be exchanged at the cashiers' desk.
* Decide if you want a reserve on any of the lots. It is hurtful if your cake, which cost 4 to make, is sold for 1. It also guides people where to start bidding.
* Decide in advance what to do with unsold lots. One option is for the auctioneer to include them with the following lot.
* When designing the catalogue, use children's drawings rather than clip art.
* Ask an auctioneer to come to the event, and for advice on running the evening. Look after him/her with plenty of coffee - it is thirsty work, and present a thank you gift. Some don't make a charge.
* Decide in advance where to store the money. You may want to use a night safe.
* Start on time.
* Remember to say what the proceeds will be spent on and try to invite contributors back to see the result.
For sample terms and conditions plus a sample postal bid form see my book, Raising Funds: Every Penny Counts (details below).
Suggested pledges:
When asking potential donors to make a pledge, give them a suggestion list:
* Family theatre tickets
* One home-made cake
* One week in a holiday cottage
* A room decorated
* Tour of the local fire station
* Ticket to horse races
* Free meal at a pub
* Ladies hair set (not Friday or Saturday)
* Knitted item to order (you provide the yarn)
* Preparation of will
* Child's birthday cake
* Tour around the House of Commons with local MP for eight persons
* A morning with a local DJ on a live radio programme
* Basketful of ironing (best seller) SPONSORED EVENTS
Tips:
* Choose a novel activity or give children the choice of a number of good ones.
* Set a date and give out sponsorship forms well in advance, preferably before a school holiday when pupils may see relatives.
* Sponsorship forms should state clearly what the money is being raised for. Leave space for an official stamp or the organiser's signature. Gift aid - extra money from a donor's income tax paid by the Inland Revenue - can apply to sponsored events, see www.thegivingcampaign.org.ukor Out of School 14 November 2002).
* Children should be told verbally, and on printed material, not to approach strangers for money. To go knocking from door-to-door asking for money is illegal.
* Children should be encouraged to discuss fully with their parents a list of whom they may approach.
* If sponsorship forms are numbered they can be entered in a lucky draw.
* Publish a realistic date by when all sponsorship money should have been paid in. After this date a reminder can be sent out.
Sponsorship ideas:
* Eating grapes with boxing gloves on
* Playing hopscotch
* Eating jelly with chopsticks
* The number of jumps in a set time
* Money for every large bag of litter collected from the local community.
* Sponsorship for every half hour of music practice.
* For each person fitted into a phone box
* Piggyback rides - competitors could wear fancy dress for which prizes for the best are also offered.
* Pool marathon - players pot as many balls as possible in a given time.
* Sponsorship for every minute's silence.
* Sing everything in an operatic voice for a day MATCHED GIVING
'Matched giving' is a scheme operated by some companies, whereby employees'
donations are matched by the company, pound for pound. This can double your income. With so much emphasis on community involvement, now is a good time to approach companies. Each year, large chain stores such as Sainsburys, Tesco, Sommerfield, McDonalds and banks, such as Lloyds TSB and Barclays plc, raise huge amounts of money for good causes. Ask to see a copy of the Community Affairs Programme if you have a large store or branch in your area.
Also contact:
* The Charities Aid Foundation, tel 01732 520000 www.cafonline.org
* The Directory of Social Change has a range of publications that list larger companies and how to contact them, tel 020 7209 5151 www.dsc.org.uk
* If you are a registered charity and you ask each employed donor to fill in a Gift Aid declaration, their gift can be worth a further 28 per cent.
See www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/charities or Out of School 14 November 2002.
OTHER IDEAS
Cake-making contest - children and parents enter and pay an entry fee.
Experts judge the cakes, which are then sold off.
Crossword/wordsearch competition - families buy the competition to do at home. The winner is drawn from a hat and wins a prize.
Festival and seasonal meals - how many can you think of? Chinese New Year, Diwali, Easter egg races, Harvest suppers.
Fete - how many variants can you think of? Try working through the alphabet; baby show, car boot sale, fashion show, flower festival...
Fruit and vegetable sculpture - entrants pay to make models from fruit and vegetables; the best wins a prize.
Janey Hewitt is author of 'Raising Funds: Every Penny Counts'. Send a cheque for 4.95 to L J Hewitt, 17, Monument lane, Lickey, Rednal, Birmingham, B45 9QQ.
Income from foreign currency
With the introduction of the euro, there should be plenty of spare foreign coins around. Although these coins and notes are not worth very much to individuals, if you collect them and pay them into the club's bank account, the aggregate amount is not to be sneezed at. In addition, this can be treated as a normal collection, and can attract Gift Aid (see below).
Health and safety for events
* Fire exits need to be well marked and accessible. Do not be tempted to block the exit, thinking if there is a fire, you can quickly move a table or chairs.
* Check in plenty of time if you require an entertainment licence (sometimes you can operate under the umbrella of the organisation you are hiring your premises from).
* Check if you require a licence to sell alcohol; consider asking a bar to come in and sell drinks, or invite people to bring their own drinks.
