Volunteer Fundraising And Fundraising Ideas...
If you don't find the fundraising information you need, please ask us, and we will do our very best to get you what you want!
This guide is intended to give you ideas on how fundraising can help you meet your volunteering overseas costs - and get your community closely involved with your bid to join a volunteer project overseas.
Don’t forget, providing you let your sponsors know exactly what you are intending to do with raised funds there is nothing stopping you fundraising enough money to not only cover your volunteer placement fee, but also your flights and living expenses, and very hopefully still have some left over to make direct donations to the project itself.
1. Introduction – why fundraise and how to get started
2. Fundraising Ideas – strategies, tips and handy hints
3. Fundraising Events Ideas – Societies, trusts and fundraising events
Once you have read this fundraising guide and reserved a place on a volunteer project overseas, if you have a specific fundraising or other query please contact us, we maybe able to help you – especially with online fundraising (providing you are on a verifiable bona-find volunteer program).
DISCLAIMER
When fundraising for a volunteer overseas program, you MUST have booked your program and gotten your place validated by the project or organization; otherwise, your fundraising may be considered invalid and illegal.
1. An Introduction to Successful Fundraising
Why Fundraise?
- opens volunteering opportunities up to more people – by fundraising, you can make a greater impact on the lives of communities around the world.
- it not only covers your expenses, but also serves to raise awareness about the project you are about to join and its wider needs.
- lets the people in your life know about the work you will be doing, drawing friends and family together around a good cause.
- fundraising is also a valuable skill that contributes to any CV/Resume in addition to giving you a good personal experience.
What to fundraise for?
- placement fee
- flights
- equipment/resources (both for yourself, and the project)
- inoculations/vaccinations
- visa costs
- living expenses.
How to Get Started with your Fundraising
1. The first thing you need is a goal. How much money do you need to raise in order to make your volunteer overseas project a reality?
- take travel and living costs into account as well as your placement fee
- think about how much time you have to raise the money – realism is important
2. Think carefully about your reasons for volunteering
- write them down and keep them in mind throughout your fundraising
- a real passion for making a difference to another community/eco-system will inspire
others to donate to your cause
3. Make a list of everyone you know – friends, family, work colleagues
- fundraising is all about your network, think “who can help me out?”
- this group will be far more than a source of funds - they will also be there for fundraising ideas, and for support in tougher times
4. Calculate roughly how much you need from each donor to achieve your goal
- by assessing the support you have, you can calculate roughly how much you need
from each donor to achieve your goal
- this allows you to ask for specific donations, which gives your donors a benchmark
and makes your fundraising more effective
5. Brainstorm with your network
- use your close friends and family to work out how best to raise money from the rest of your community.
- the more people you get bouncing fundraising ideas of each other, the better.
7. Professionalism is important
- maintain a smart, professional appearance in all your fundraising activities and
Documents.
- once you have booked, ask the organization or project if you can use their official logos and images.
- try not to use personal email addresses like “hotmale@hotmail.com”, create a more
professional one to use instead. If you can, an organization or project email address is perfect (this also keeps things transparent).
8. Plan ahead!
- use the time you have wisely – as long as you have is as long as you need
- the more you plan, generally, the more you will raise
- there will also be many rejections along the way, so be prepared for set-backs