Raising money for charity can be invaluable for businesses, not only does it enable them to provide financial support to a worthwhile cause, it also makes employees feel good, and increases the emotional attachment to the business. Getting your whole team on board is a great way to spread motivation, as you’ll all be working towards achieving the same goal. If you aren’t sure on how to get started, then being creative with your approach is a great first step. There are so many innovative ways for businesses to make money for charities! In this article, we’ve whittled down some of the best ideas for you to try!
Sponsor a sporting event
It’s always entertaining putting members of your staff to their paces in a physical challenge, making it a popular choice for business charity events. The added element of competition makes for a lot of fun, all while bringing staff together to tackle an extremely beneficial challenge. Staff from The Seaton Lane Inn, who run restaurants in Seaham, embodied this by committing to the Great North Run. Staff not only committed to the mammoth half marathon event but went the extra mile and raised more than £2,000 for NE Youth, a local adolescent charity provides support to disadvantaged young people in the North East, and the effort from staff members contributed to the provision of the services that they are able to offer. Paul Brown from Inn Collection said, ‘It was a brilliant experience, the day was amazing and knowing that we were running for such a great cause kept us all going’.
Why not add to the challenge by entering your team into a muddy run or a colour run (a challenging course which makes participants look like they’ve been engulfed by a rainbow). Or, if you really want to put them to the test then opt for a Total Wipe-Out style event and set up an office and customer fundraiser to support your team. From cycling to five-a-side football and swimming, there’s plenty of sporting scope when it comes to fundraisers — so get active in the name of a great cause!
Get baking!
Not everyone can replicate the baking finesse of Mary Berry or Delia Smith, but any effort will go a long way when the proceeds are dedicated to helping the work of a charitable organisation. A charity bake sale is a brilliant way to enjoy some tasty treats, and it’s one of the most accessible ways for businesses to raise money for charities. The prolific cancer charity MacMillan holds its annual event, the ‘World’s Biggest Coffee Morning’, and many businesses across the nation don an apron the night before, cooking up some delicious bakes ready to be unveiled in the canteen the following day. Held every September, the event is a key part of many office calendars and it has been ever since it began back in 1990. The learning disability charity Mencap holds its ‘Big Tea Party’ , a similar event that your business should certainly get involved in.
Social events
Social events as a fundraiser are really taking off, and it has become a way to truly celebrate the talent of the local area. If you’re looking for an innovative way to support charity, then why not consider holding a social evening or event? Get local acts on board such as singers, local bands and stand-up comedians, and give everyone a night full of entertainment. This kind of event will allow your business to provide a platform for local charities, and by simply asking for a contribution fee you could be handing over a lot of invaluable support. Depending on the size of your event, you could look into the potential of further sponsorship, tying local names into the event creating an evening which is bound to leverage a great deal of support for your organisation(s) of choice!
Another great spin on this idea could be to hold your own inter-office Come Dine With Me. Split your team into four groups of four, and ask everyone to donate a set amount — the winner from each group at the end of the week will get £100 and the rest of the money will be donated to your chosen charity! Get your participants to document their efforts in the style of the tongue-in-cheek commentary of the popular show, making sure that any kitchen disasters are shared in the office. With a bit of creativity, you can come up with some great social activities to help your next fundraising efforts along!
Follow these tips and make your next office fundraiser memorable and think outside of the box, all while raising money with your entire team for a brilliant cause.