YOUR GUIDE TO FUNDRAISING
LYNDA CAIN
Your Guide to Fundraising..
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for wanting to raise funds for Hounds For Heroes. There are many different ways you can do this; from
organising a sponsored event, running in an organised marathon, to making cakes for a coffee morning and asking for
donations. This guide will give you all the necessary information to help make your event enjoyable, safe and above
all successful.
Our advice is to pick a method that you are happy to undertake, that will not overtake your life, and that you will
enjoy doing.
All you need is an idea to get you going....
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Your Guide to Fundraising..
PLANNING YOUR EVENT
OK, so you’ve decided to hold your own event, but you’ve never done this before. It can be daunting to hold your
first event, but if you follow the points below you will find it all comes together to make a success for you and
Hounds For Heroes.
PLANNING
a. Talk to friends and relatives who may be able to give your advice in your planning. More heads are
always better than one.
b. Consider working out a basic budget, detailing expected costs and expected income.
c. Consider any legal requirements for your event
d. Consider what insurances you might need
WHERE TO HOLD IT?
a. Choose a suitable venue: Make sure the venue is large enough (or even small enough). Think about
using local community resources such as a church hall, or community centre. Many venue owners
don’t charge hire fees for charitable events, so remember to state what you are hiring the venue for.
b. Book the venue early, popular sites get booked up months in advance.
c. Check that the venue is accessible by road and has adequate parking facilities. Also ensure that it
can be accessed by public transport, and that accommodations have or can be made for disabled
access.
WHEN TO HOLD IT?
a. Check your calendar for public holidays, peak vacation times, popular sporting events or charity
events. Make sure your date does not clash with these, it will affect attendance
b. Try to hold your event toward the beginning to middle of a month, most people get paid at the end
of the month and may be more likely to contribute after they’ve just been paid.
c. Does the date you have chosen give you enough time to organise it and advertise it.
d. Is the time of year suitable for the event, people won’t want to do a sponsored walk in the middle of
winter.
HOLDING YOUR EVENT
WHO TO INVITE OR INCLUDE IN THE EVENT?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Invite everyone you know,
Ask friends to pass on invitations
Use social media to pass the word
If the event requires tickets, sell them in advance it ensures people turn up.
Ask everyone you know for sponsorship if it is a sponsored event.
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Your Guide to Fundraising..
f.
Don’t be afraid to approach local companies for sponsorship, many give to worthwhile charities
PUTTING PLANS INTO ACTION
a. Consider asking people to become part of a team of helpers, many hands make light work. Work
out what needs to be done and assign specific tasks to people and make them responsible.
b. Stick to your budget. The success of your event will be determined by how you manage your
budgets
c. Remember to ask for donations of services, or items from local companies. Their donation is tax
deductable and a benefit to them also. It costs nothing to ask.
d. Advertise your event in local newspapers, on local radio, on local news or on community notice
boards. Make sure your event has been logged on our website.
e. We can supply promotional material to assist you in advertising your event including branded
collection boxes or buckets, posters and information leaflets. If you need something specific please
contact our fundraising section
KEEPING IT LEGAL
OK, so you’ve planned your event, you’ve found a venue and you’ve got your date, but how do you know you are
doing it all right.
This section of our fundraisers pack will give you all the information you need to make sure you are legal, you have
considered all eventualities and above all how to raise funds safely for Hounds For Heroes. Whilst we appreciate
your efforts on our behalf, Hounds For Heroes are not responsible for organising, supervising or hosting your
fundraising activity. All activities and participation are at the organisers’ and participants’ own risk.
Hounds For Heroes does not accept responsibility or liability for any loss or damage, or for death or personal injury,
arising out of any fundraising activity, including liability as a result of negligence (except death or personal injury
caused by Hounds For Heroes negligence).
FUNDRAISER STATUS (WHAT DOES IT MEAN?)
a. Hounds For Heroes does not authorise you to act as an agent for or on our behalf. Please make
sure your fundraising material does not suggest that you represent us. Make sure you ask for our in
support of logos.
b. If you are a business, the law may require you to have a Fundraising Agreement with us. Please
contact us to check.
c. Please do not talk about Hounds For Heroes policies or stance on any issues. Any queries should
be referred to us. We will give you information handouts to pass on in case of query.
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
a. We don’t advise you to collect money in public places or door to door. If you choose to do so,
please check with your local authority to check if you’ll need a licence. Please also notify us so that
we can give you an ID so that people know you are sincere.
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Your Guide to Fundraising..
FOOD AND ALCOHOL
a. Selling alcohol as part of your event will require a temporary licence. You will need to apply for this at
your local magistrates court at least one month in advance. You can however, offer alcohol as long as
you do not charge for it without getting a licence.
b. If you want to sell or offer food to the public, check with your local environmental health department to
see what food safety laws will apply to your event.
COMPETITIONS
a. If you are planning a lottery (such as a raffle, tombola or sweepstake), you should be aware that there
are strict laws and rules about what you can do. Please check with the appropriate authorities to
ensure you stay legal.
EQUAL ACCESS?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Please ensure your consider access rights for all.
Think whether someone in a wheelchair could access your venue
Is your literature available in another format if people require
Check with the Equality and Human Rights Commission for more details
CHILDREN AND FUNDRAISING
a. If children (under 16) are involved in fundraising in any way, please make sure they have permission from
their parent or guardian, and are supervised by a responsible adult.
b. It is illegal for children to participate in public collections.
c. Children should never approach strangers about fundraisers
d. Never leave your children unsupervised during an event or fundraising activity
INSURANCE
a. Please make sure you have suitable insurance cover, these are some of the things you need to think
about
i. Public Liability Cover
ii. Damage to property owned, hired or borrowed
iii. Event Cancellation insurance
iv. Travel Insurance
v. Cover to meet any contractual conditions
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KEEPING IT SAFE
CONDUCT A RISK ASSESSMENT
a. Hounds For Heroes recommend that you conduct a risk assessment to ensure that you have proper
plans for the safety of all participants of our event or activity. You can find out further information
at the Health and Safety Executive.
b. Ensure you have thought about risks such as fire, and emergency evacuation procedures.
EVENT SUPERVISION
a. Hounds For Heroes recommend that you think about whether your event requires supervision, and
if so ensure that you provide suitable supervisors and marshals, and that they wear suitable clothing
that makes then stand out. This may mean you will need to provide high visibility jackets or such
like.
MEDICAL SUPERVISION
a. Hounds For Heroes recommend that you think about whether your event requires medical
supervision, and if so ensure that you provide you contact either your local St Johns Ambulance or
your local Red Cross. It may be that your event just requires a first aid box. Your risk assessment
planning will give you an indication of this.
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FINANCIAL AWARENESS
All your hardwork, and the hard work that Hounds For Heroes do could be at risk if you do not keep correct
financial records of the income and expenses of your event.
This section of our fundraisers pack will give you some advice on being financially aware, and how to record your
income and expenses, and will tell you about Gift Aid.
EXPENSES
a. Expenses are costs incurred in setting up and publicising an event. You should keep a record of all
money you spend setting up the event. You are allowed to take these costs from the proceeds of
you event, but make sure you keep the receipts.
b. Personal costs incurred in setting up the event such as insurance, transport, telephone costs can be
taken from the proceeds. If in any doubt about the amount you can claim for particular things
please contact [email protected]
c. Also make sure your costs do not exceed what you will make, otherwise no-one will benefit, believe
me when people want to spend £500 getting leaflets made up, it takes a lot to get that back.
d. You must ensure you only take costs from your proceeds, you must not make a profit from these
costs, that would constitute you receiving a fee from fundraising and means that you will be treated
as a professional fundraiser and you will require us to give your written permission.
MANAGING INCOME
a. Make sure that you keep a record of all income that you receive. Think about buying a cash record
book from your local stationers.
b. If you are running a stall, or selling merchandise of some description, ensure you have enough small
change. Remember some people may have just been to the bank and only have large denomination
notes on them.
c. Make sure that a responsible person is in charge of collecting and banking the money. Consider
purchasing a lockable cash box to store money in.
d. It makes good financial sense to have two people counting and handling money at one time, that way
no-one can be accused of underhanded behaviour.
e. Consider buying receipt books so that people are able to have a record of their purchase.
f. Lastly make sure you have lots of plastic coin bags, and try to bank money as soon as possible after
the event.
GIFT AID
a. The Gift Aid scheme was introduced by the government in April 2000. It allows for the tax on
donations made by UK Tax Payers to be reclaimed by the charity.
a. However, a donation is literally a donation. The person must not receive anything in return. So
ticket sales for an event cannot be deemed a donation.
b. Hounds For Heroes will claim back tax at the basic rate, equivalent to 25p for every £1 donated.
c. Gift Aid Declaration “I would like to help Hounds For Heroes to reclaim the tax on my donation. I
have paid UK Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax equal to the tax that will be reclaimed.”
d. Ensure if you hold a sponsored event your sponsorship form has a tick box that people can use to
declare this.
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PAYING HOUNDS FOR HEROES YOUR FUNDRAISING MONEY
a. Whatever, and however you have raised funds, don’t forget to send it to us.
b. Do not send cash in the post!
c. Please try to send it to us within two weeks of the event.
By Cheque/Postal Order
Print off the Pay Form, keep the cash you’ve collected and send us a cheque or postal order for the value,
made payable to Hounds For Heroes,
Send it to
Hounds For Heroes
Unit 2b, Rookery Farm Buildings
Ramsdean
Hants
GU32 1RU
Also remember to send any Gift Aid forms.
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HOUNDS FOR HEROES - DOCUMENTATION
Hounds For Heroes have created a series of documentation that you can use. If you wish to use your own
documentation please forward to [email protected] for approval. If you require any of the below
documentation send a request to Lynda Cain, our fundraising trustee and she’ll email you the files.
1.
Posters
2.
Leaflets
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3.
Forms
Hounds For Heroes
Hounds For Heroes
Sponsorship Form
Event Organisers Form
Together We Can
Please complete the following details of your planned fundraising event and return to:
Hounds For Heroes, Unit 2b, Rookery Farm Buildings, Ramdean, Hants GU32 1RU
Organiser’s Name:
Post Code:
Email:
Day
Name Of Event:
Event Date and
Time:
Organiser’s Address:
Contact No’s:
Together We Can
Evening
Name of person being
sponsored:
Address
(incl postcode):
Contact Number:
Online Donation Link:
Name of Event
Date of Event
Please help to raise money for Hounds For Heroes. Your contribution will help to provide specially trained
assistance dogs for injured and disabled servicemen and women of the UK Armed Forces and Civilian Emergency
Services, thus enabling them to enjoy a more active and independent life.
Time of Event
Event Address
If you are a tax payer and would like Hounds For Heroes to reclaim the tax on your
donation at no extra cost to you, please sign the Gift Aid box next to your details.
THANK YOU!
NAME
ADDRESS
Postcode
TOTAL
£
PAID
£
Gift
Aid
JustGiving Link:
Our web site www.houndsforheroes.com contains downloadable sponsor forms and
advertising posters.
However, if you would like further support or development of custom requests, please
indicate on the continuation form.
4.
Logos
5.
Banners, Collection Tins and Buckets, Merchandise
If you need collection tins and buckets for your event, please send a request to
[email protected] . We may also be able to loan banners and give you selected merchandise
on a sale and return basis for your event, again please send a request to [email protected]
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