Fundraise with us | Getting started

Narrow it down by thinking about things you like doing, or a challenge you’d like to set for yourself.

What would impress or inspire people enough to sponsor you?

Research: is there something tried and tested that you could sculpt into your own unique event? Could you boost income by incorporating other mini fundraisers - like a raffle or tombola? Can someone help you with this?

• Think about when - is there a preferable season to host your event? What time of day would be better?
• Would a weekend see more people support you? Put your idea out there and see the response you get before finalising a date. Think weather/school holidays/avoiding clashing with other events in the area too!
• Where - are you able to host the event yourself or do you need to book a venue?
• Who could you approach for sponsorship? Other than friends and family, are there any local businesses that might support you? Would your employer match fund you?
• Allow plenty of time - to pull off a great event and raise lots of money, you need to give yourself enough lead up time. Some events will take longer to organise than others, and don’t forget you need to drum up interest - you may need to sell tickets or train.  And don’t forget, it takes time to gather sponsorship too. Writing a timeline can really help get organised - always allow more time than you think you’ll need!
• Download your Fundraising Planner (pdf) it's a great way to start jotting down ideas 

Do consider contacting us if you feel a bit stuck and would like some advice.
 

Again, a bit of research might help to see what is realistic. Having a target can really help encourage people to give - especially if you’re clear about what you're raising money for and why! 

Download our Wilder Cumbria Target Thermometer poster to help keep you on track

The best way to receive sponsorship is via your very own JustGiving page. 

Wherever possible, we want to encourage supporters to donate online. If you are choosing to do a fundraiser for us, please consider setting up a JustGiving page to accept donations. This is currently by far the most preferable method for us in terms of receiving funds. Not only is it the most cost-effective (there is considerably less admin required on our part which saves a great deal of time), it also allows us to collect gift aid from anyone wishing to take advantage of the scheme (which adds 25% to the donation), and it provides an easy way for supporters to provide their information, should they wish to continue hearing from us.

All that said, if there are people wanting to support you who don’t use the internet and only want to give you a cash donation, we do have a Donation form that you can download and print off.

Remember: you don’t need to be doing a challenge event to request sponsorship; you may be hosting a coffee morning and people can’t make the event, but want to contribute to the funding pot and a personalised JustGiving page all about your event and reasons for doing it, is a great way for people to do this.

Print out our poster template and populate it with all the details of your event.

Don't forget to include important information such as venue, date and time! If you're only going to be able to accept cash donations at the event itself, make sure this is clear on the poster so people can come prepared. You could also copy a link of your online sponsorship page on the poster, or a QR code, which you can generate via your JustGiving page. That way, people can still donate even if they can't make the event itself - or they can donate their entry online prior to the event.

Put posters up on noticeboards in your local community, and further afield if you feel you can attract more people (ask permission if in a public place, and remember to remove when the event is over). Email all your contacts with details about your event and your sponsorship page. 

Tag us in your social media posts @cumbriawildlife on X   Cumbria Wildlife Trust on Facebook  cumbriawildlifetrust on Instagram   @cumbriawildlifetrust on YouTube - this is another great way to spread the word as well as raising awareness for a cause you support.

We'd also love to hear from you!  Tell us about your fundraising.

Don’t forget to keep your supporters up to speed with how your prep is going - especially if your event involves training for a challenge. Consider sharing photos and anecdotes in the run up to the day, and of the event itself.

Photo permissions - always ask permission if you're taking photographs. You'll need permission from a parent or guardian if photographing anyone under the age of 18, or for anyone considered vulnerable. Please note - we'll assume that you've obtained permission for us to publish any photos you send us (this may mean on Facebook/other social media or in printed literature such as our magazine), so please ensure you do this.

If your event is in one location, why not consider decorating the space with our specially branded bunting and/or our tent cards which can be folded and placed on tables to encourage people to donate.

And, when event day arrives, remember to soak in the atmosphere and enjoy it!

Once you’ve completed your fundraising, it’s time to collect pledges, thank people and transfer your raised funds to Cumbria Wildlife Trust.  And finally - give yourself a massive pat on the back for doing such a fantastic thing for wildlife!

You'll find us registered on JustGiving, simply click on their ‘Fundraise for us’ button and follow the instructions from there. If you haven’t used JustGiving before, you'll be prompted to set up an account, but this is easy and only takes a few minutes.

You're of course free to use a different online platform, but as we’re registered with JustGiving, this is the one we currently recommend.
It’s worth setting up a QR code that you can put on posters, tent cards, or wherever else you fancy - this can link people directly with your sponsorship page and means people can donate on the move. You can easily set this up on JustGiving:
- Either add */qrcode* to your page's URL
- or login to your JustGiving account, click on ‘edit profile’ and your QR code will appear half way down the page. Simply right click to copy and save as an image, and you’re away! 

It’s amazing how much a target can motivate people to give (and sometimes a person will give more than once). Think carefully about how much your target should be. It's good to aim high, but setting yourself too big a task can become overwhelming and can kill your motivation.

It might be an idea to sound a few trusted friends and family members out before setting your target - tell them you're considering a fundraiser and ask them how much they might consider sponsoring you if you were to go ahead. Totting up these amounts could really help you decide on the most realistic target to set yourself. 

On your giving page, leave comments ‘on’. Again, if people leave messages of support, it’s not only nice for others to see them, but it may just persuade someone to donate.

Keep adding any offline pledges or donations you've received, to your online page.
 

Don’t be tempted to only use the preformatted text. Include information about why you're doing what you're doing to help nature. Include photos of your fundraising efforts (this might include training for your event or showing photos of the delicious cakes you plan to have on sale. You get the idea!)

Keep your page fresh with updates and new photos, and remember to keep thanking people for their amazing support.

Let your enthusiasm for the cause and your fundraising shine through in any communications you make; this will rub off on people and they'll be more likely to give (or feel like they want to give more).

Link your fundraising page to all your social media pages (if you have them) to make sure it gets the exposure it deserves.

If the majority of people you know are active Facebook or Instagram users (and these are platforms you use yourself of course), you might want to consider setting up a Facebook Fundraiser or an Instagram Fundraiser instead of a JustGiving page. Ask people to share it, and incorporate all the same tips above.

WhatsApp is another great way to share your online giving page and other information about your event.

If the donations seem a bit slow to get off the mark, don’t panic! Ask people to share your page and tell others about the fantastic thing you're doing for Cumbria's wildlife and wild places. 

Depending on how long you're fundraising for, you will inevitably see slumps in donations to your page. This is to be expected. It's also worth remembering that sometimes people simple aren't in a position to donate money to charity and even a few £s is too much of a stretch. See the next section on ways to maximise sponsorship opportunities, which could help get you closer to your target. 

However much you raise, just know we're immensely grateful to you.

Whether that’s via social media, speaking with friends or colleagues or emailing all your contacts, the more you get the word out there, the better! A great time to share is when you've reached a milestone - either in your challenge, or in your fundraising. Always consider refreshing your page before doing another mass-share - people like to see fresh content and are more likely to feel motivated to donate. 

Get people talking about your fantastic fundraiser. Always ask others to share your page too - the number of people to see your page will multiply over night!

Journalists are always looking for good news stories. Get in touch if you want a quote from us (but please give us plenty of notice to ensure someone is available to provide you with what you need).

Many local magazines and newspapers also list community events free of charge. Local radio stations are always interested in good news stories too.

Ask them if they'd like to donate a prize or loan you some equipment or a venue. You may be surprised how much involving a business can benefit your fundraiser, and it’s beneficial to them too!

The same goes for friends who may not be in a position to sponsor you. Are there other ways they may be able to help? Perhaps they're a dab hand at table dressing or just happen to be an excellent prop builder or photographer - could they help promote your event more?

Consider asking your employer to match fund your sponsorship. They may agree to double anything you make! They might ask for a little something in return, which could involve mentioning them as a supporter in some of your promotion. Win win!

Both match-funding and signing up for a payroll giving scheme are great ways for your employer to demonstrate corporate social responsibility (nothing wrong with dropping that into a conversation!).

Once you have your employers attention, you could ask them to sign up to payroll giving.

This won't contribute directly to your fundraising pot, but it’s a fantastic way for people to donate to charity (and we're always grateful to people like you, who help raise awareness about ways to support wildlife).

A donation via payroll giving gets deducted from an employee's pay BEFORE tax (making it tax-free to the giver).

Don’t be shy about asking people to sponsor you; you're doing something amazing for a fantastic charity. The worst people can do is say no (and be prepared for a few people doing just that!).

If you think there’s a chance they might change their mind (people often do!), mention your online page - they can look at this in their own time and may well choose to donate (which is another reason for making it engaging and personal).

If someone sponsors you via your online page and wishes to gift aid their donation, all they need do is click the gift aid box and it will be automatically credited to Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s account.

Guidance on up to date legislation, or how to apply for a license or permit for things such as a street collection, or to sell alcohol, serve food, play music, screen a film, host a raffle or stage an event at a public venue, can be found on the Fundraising Regulator website. Simply search for ‘Events’ and you'll find a set of guidelines to help you keep your event legal. Another good site to visit if you’re planning to prepare/serve food is food.gov.uk

TIP! Whatever your activity, if you're hosting a public event, it's worth contacting your local authority early on in your planning - they'll be able to offer you advice and potentially supply you with the licenses you require. They'll also appreciate knowing if a lot of people are likely to be at a particular location on a certain date.  Head to your local authority web page.

Bear in mind, most events taking place on private land only require permission from the land owner/person in charge of the property/business and don’t actually require a license (but it’s always worth checking everything early on). 
Whatever you’re choosing to undertake, please ensure you visit these sites and follow their suggested links as rules regularly change and legislation gets updated.  

EXTRA TIP! Raffles are a funny one. The rule for many years has been that provided the raffle is drawn within 24 hours, old style ‘cloakroom tickets’ can be used. For raffles lasting longer than this, a license is required, along with printed, numbered tickets displaying legal information.  Again, check out the latest requirements at fundraisingregulator.org.uk

It's important when fundraising for us that you make it clear in any advertising, or to anyone supporting the event, that you're fundraising ‘in aid’ of Cumbria Wildlife Trust. Your event is not in any way representing the charity or being organised by it.

That said, you're invariably linked with Cumbria Wildlife Trust by the very fact you're fundraising for us (thank you!) - please be aware however, that anyone doing anything viewed as potentially detrimental to the charity’s reputation, will be asked to stop their activity immediately.

Whilst raising money on our behalf, by law you're technically the trustee of funds and therefore responsible for ensuring any sponsorship and donations from your activity are paid in full to Cumbria Wildlife Trust.  It's essential that you're completely transparent with your intentions and you must make potential donors aware if any of the funds being generated will not be paid to the charity (e.g. if they're being used to cover any costs linked with your activity).

TIP! We certainly don’t want to put you off hosting a fundraising event, and more often than not, acquiring permissions / licenses is straightforward, but these things can take time (sometimes months) to be approved, so we’d always advise looking at these types of things at the very start of your planning.

Certain rules apply for fundraising involving children and young people and vary between countries. Please familiarise yourself with these on the Fundraising Regulator's website.

Make sure children (anyone under 18 years old) are properly supervised at all times and have permission from a parent or guardian to take part. Adults looking after children should have a current Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check. See the Disclosure & Barring Service page on the Government’s website for more information.

If you're reading this, are under 18 and planning an event, please make sure your parent / guardian is happy with your plans and has read through these fundraising webpages.

Please remember that it's your responsibility to obtain the right level of insurance to cover your event. We, as a charity, are not liable for any activity or event undertaken by you.

For any event involving the general public, you'll need to budget for liability insurance (available from any insurance company). Check any venue you might be hiring has it too, and that it’s appropriate for the type of event you're hosting.

More advice can be found here.

If you’re planning a public event, head to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website where you'll find advice on running an event safely (type this into the main search bar on their website) - you'll find further links to help you delve more deeply into things you might need to know, such as rules and advice around hospitality and catering.

It’s important to carry out a risk assessment - this is a way of identifying potential hazards. Most risks can be reduced with a little adjustment. For example trip hazards, one of the most common causes of accidents,  can be remedied with some good quality tape or matting. 

Another useful website is food.gov.uk - check out their section on providing food at charity events.

St John’s Ambulance is a great website to visit when planning an event. They'll usually only attend very large scale events, however, they provide a lot of advice for events of all sizes - definitely worth a read!

If your event requires obtaining personal information (e.g. names/addresses of emergency contacts for participants or people helping out at your event), you need to comply with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and make sure these are stored securely at all times and dispose of them once the event is over. 

Photo permissions - always ask permission if you're taking photographs. You'll need permission from a parent or guardian if photographing anyone under the age of 18, or for anyone considered vulnerable.

Please note - we'll assume that you've obtained permission for us to publish any photos you send us (this may mean on Facebook/other social media or in printed literature such as our magazine), so please ensure you do this.

Ensure you have enough First Aiders (along with First Aid Kits) to respond to any incidents. Display clear signage alerting people to where to find a First Aider should they need one.

For larger scale events it's worth contacting St John’s Ambulance. Do this well in advance - they'll be able to offer advice and may even be available to attend your event. Head to the Health and Safety Executive website for more advice.

So you’ve worked tirelessly for weeks (or probably months) getting your event just perfect, but then the venue falls through or your main act cancels last minute...or the most likely one - the heavens choose to open. Do you have a plan B? It’s definitely worth thinking about a worse-case scenario plan.

· Go digital (as much as possible). Recycle any paper flyers and try not to print out more than you need.

· Think about going plastic-free or banning single-use plastics; use washable plates, cups and cutlery or consider buying sustainably sourced, biodegradable disposables if access to water is going to be difficult. You could even encourage people to bring their own.

· Keep it local if hiring a catering company/ordering food for the event and use companies that promote sustainable practices.

· Make sure you consider the environmental impact of your fundraising activities. Avoid using anything that can be harmful to nature, such as balloons, lanterns or fireworks.

· Always ensure you have enough people to help clear up any rubbish after the event and provide plenty of bins (preferably recyclable ones)

· If travel is involved, think about how you, or your participants/supporters can get to and from your event in as green a way as possible. If public transport is out, think about car sharing to help reduce carbon emissions.