Donating to charity and looking to do some good for a cause that you care about is undeniably a meaningful way to spend your time but sometimes, there are certain factors that can limit the amount that you feel you are able to do. Whether it is a lack of time or limited funds, problems like these can quickly sap levels of motivation and make you feel as though your efforts won’t make a difference, which, of course, is simply not true.
So, if you are feeling this way, here are some top tips and creative ideas to help you get the most out of your fundraising efforts and charitable goals – no matter how tight your budget!
Pick the Right Cause
Although the work of every charity and organisation will be doing good in the world, it’s important to pick one that you care about. After all, if you are actively working to support something that you are passionate about, you are bound to become more motivated to raise as much money as possible! Whether it is a charity supplying clean, safe water, a local organisation helping the homeless or an animal welfare group, it’s important to feel a connection to your chosen cause. If you can’t decide who to support, put all your shortlisted charities into a hat and draw one out, or alternatively, you could try a ‘charity of the year’ to benefit from your annual fundraising efforts, before switching to a different organisation the following year.
Recruit the Right People
“Teamwork makes the dream work” – it might be cliché, but it’s also true. Recruiting like-minded, dedicated people to assist you with your cause is a great way to keep motivated throughout the duration of your fundraiser. Plus, the extra help with planning and preparation is sure to help you out too! Similarly, when you are working with a limited budget, it’s important to target the right people to ask for support and donations. Where possible, try to seek out people who are both influential and passionate about your cause in order to maximise the positive effect.
Using a website like GoFundMe is a great way to get added support and bring in donations. They are free to join and offer you support if and when you need it.
Preparation is Key
If you are fully prepared for any eventualities that may arise, you will avoid the potential cost associated with addressing any last-minute issues. Make sure that you do plenty of planning and preparation in order to spread the cost and ensure the greatest possible chance of success for your fundraiser.
Uniqueness, Creativity and Innovation
If you are working on a tight budget, you need your idea to stand out from the crowd. Get your thinking cap on and do your best to come up with an idea that is creative and unique – don’t be afraid of thinking outside the box! Often, the most innovative ideas will draw the most interest and if you are lucky, your idea will also be a relatively cheap one to pull off. If you are struggling for inspiration, gather a group of family members and close friends together and have a brainstorming session, bouncing ideas off one another and working to develop a new idea that works for everyone.
Promotion
Don’t be scared of promoting your fundraiser – it doesn’t have to be a time-consuming, costly experience! In today’s digital world, social media can be just as useful a tool as word of mouth when it comes to promotion, and best of all – it’s free! Send messages and post images, videos and reminders of your fundraiser, encouraging as many people as possible to get involved. However, a word of warning – be wary of spamming people with news of your charitable endeavour, as this may lead to people becoming sick of seeing your updates and could reduce the benefit of the activity.
Hopefully, you will now be motivated enough to get started on putting together some ideas for your next fundraising event. A limited budget should not be a barrier between you and your charitable goals, so instead, try to see it as a challenge and do what you can to turn the situation to your advantage.
This being said, the most important thing is to have fun while you are fundraising. Take the opportunity to support a cause you care about and raise some money for charity with a smile on your face – after all, is there a better feeling than selflessly showcasing your generosity?
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