Fundraising on an International Scale as an Individual

If you decide to become involved in fundraising, there is no need for you to stay local if you’d prefer to venture further a field. Many individuals are getting involved in fundraising on an international scale with considerable success. There are a number of reasons why international fundraising can be a worthwhile move and there are a variety of ways to get involved with it.

Economic Change and Global Fundraising

There are a number of reasons why international fundraising is becoming more appealing to both the individual and the organisation. As an individual, access to previously closed markets has improved through the advancement of technology. It is extremely easy to find out information about countries and their fundraising projects on the other side of the world if you need to simply by using the Internet. As the world get ‘smaller’ and people are interacting globally on a more regular basis, the opportunities for individuals in international fundraising increase. There are a number of areas in the world that are now open to fundraising that previously were more difficult to obtain funds from:

• Austral-Asian Countries – Places like Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and in general China and Indian are opening up new areas for fundraising as their economy continues to grow
• South America – Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and other countries in that area are undergoing stable economic growth and therefore are potential new areas for individuals to get involved in fundraising

These countries are often handpicked by larger organisations as the next stop for potential fundraising and therefore as an individual you should be educating yourself on these areas and seeing how you can benefit your own causes there.

Local or Global Fundraising as an Individual

If you’re committed to fundraising you may find that you start off in a local area. There are a number of reasons why people do this, but primarily it’s ease of access and the ability to see your fundraising cash put to good use. If you don’t feel that need to see things hands on, international fundraising may prove to be more rewarding and there’s always the opportunity of visiting an area that your cash has helped. This in itself can be extremely satisfying, especially in an area that is so completely different from your own.

Ways of Getting Involved in International Fundraising

There are a number of ways that individuals can be involved in international fundraising. You don’t need to be part of a huge ongoing organisation if you don’t wish to, although that option is available. Whether you decide to sponsor a child in another country, donate money to a worthwhile cause in another part of the world, or actively participate in gathering funds, everything helps when it comes to raising cash for an important charity. There are excellent organisations that can help you if you’re aiming to take part in international fundraising:

• Resource Alliance – A great source that focuses on fundraising worldwide
• Uk Fundraising – Excellent information on international fundraising as well as local fundraising
• Professional Fundraising – Have a great section on international fundraising

As well as these organisations, other dedicated fundraising associations are able to provide individuals with more information on international fundraising and how they can help. Traditional favourites like Save the Children, World Vision and UNICEF are all eager to have new fundraisers as part of their team.