Fundraising for an Individual Cause

If you're planning on raising some cash for a family member, friend or even yourself, there are a number of ways you can do so as well as a number of issues you should consider. Below are some ideas for personal fundraising as well as some of the legal aspects of going it alone for your fundraising campaign.

Look for the Easy Option

Before you start involving yourself in the lengthy process of organising an entire fundraising campaign, you should always make yourself aware of any existing charities, trusts or foundations who may be able to help you first. Many existing organisations have grants or money set aside to help individuals who need it. There are over 200,000 charities in the UK and using a website such as Guidestar will help you search for the one that best suits your needs. This way you don't have to set up anything in your own name and will also have the backing of an organisation that has experience and contacts in their area.

What Organisations can I set up to Raise Funds?

If you're planning to organise a registered charity to raise funds, you must set it up for 'public benefit'. In England and Wales, a registered charity will only be considered if it benefits a 'significant segment of the public' or a 'group'. This means that to register a charity and benefit from the advantages in doing so, you must provide documents showing your intention to provide money for a large group. If you don't want to do this, you can raise funds in other ways. You can set up a private trust which has a named beneficiary to whom the funds you raise will be going. Normally to do this, you need to set up a separate bank account and seeking the help of a lawyer can be worthwhile here to ensure you're abiding by the regulations for governing trusts. You can also set up an 'unincorporated body' where a group a people are working together to raise funds for a communal cause. If you want to make this legal, you can outline a 'Memorandum of Association' that defines your objectives and obligations to your fundraising procedure.

Different Methods of Individual Fundraising

There are a variety of other ways that you can carry out your fundraising appeal. Some of the best methods are those that have been in place for some time such as static collection boxes, door to door collections, raffles, sponsored events and public appeals through publicity. If you plan to run a door to door campaign, it is a good idea to contact your local council to explain the situation first. This covers you for a variety of reasons and also it means they're aware of where you are for issues of safety. You should let the charity that you're collecting for know of your intentions also. They may not be happy with having someone collect on a door to door basis, so run it past them first to check they agree. If you have a collection box to use either in door to door campaigns or static collection box areas, make sure it's securely sealed. Have the name, address and registered number of the charity or beneficiary of the money on it also. This adds to the authenticity and people are generally more willing to give money if they believe the collections for an authentic cause. Always make sure you count the money in the presence of someone else. This keeps you right with the charity and with the bank and saves any mistakes being realised too late in the future. You may also need a license to collect money in the streets and an ID badge is often required, so please check with your local authority before starting your collection. Stay on the right side of the law and your fundraising can make a huge difference to someone in need.

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