Getting Started. Fundraising should be fun and easy. Here are a few tips to get you on your way

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2 Getting Started Fundraising should be fun and easy. Here are a few tips to get you on your way Decide what you would like to do Think of something that won t take up too much of your time and that you will enjoy. Often the best and most successful events are the simplest with realistic targets. Try to keep your costs to a minimum and decide on a realistic target for each event. Tell people and follow the 4 W s! What are you doing? When is it happening? Where the venue is? Why you are doing it? Use Your Networks! Do you have a part time job? Ask your company if they can match the amount of funds you receive from your sponsors. Use your personal contacts! Ask friends and relatives to help organise your event and to sponsor you. Get your local area involved! Ask your local pub or restaurant to hold a VSO collection box for you, or see if they would be interested in hosting your event. Spread the Word Promoting the event is key to your success advertise your event through your workplace, on facebook, or in your local sports club. VSO can create posters for you to distribute to local businesses. Contact your local paper or radio station to raise awareness. Don t be afraid to ask anyone you met about prizes or support. Some businesses will donate prizes, venues, or sponsor you. Check your are Legal and Safe You may need a licence or local council permission for some events; street collections, raffles, etc.. VSO can provide a letter of authority confirming that you are fundraising on our behalf. Check the legal bit of this booklet for more information

3 Fundraising Ideas There are lots of ways in which you can raise money for VSO. Below are just a few ideas to get you inspired! Fundraising on Your Own Have a cake sale at work. Set up a stall near reception, or go around your office floors around 3pm when your colleagues start getting the late afternoon tummy rumbles! You will be surprised how successful this is. Plan a karaoke, quiz or open mike night in your local pub you can approach local businesses to donate prizes Get people to donate their skills and time and organise an auction of promises Challenge yourself and ask for sponsorship in return. You could let your sponsors determine the length of your challenge i.e. if you raise 30 you will run 30 miles, if you raise 300 you will cycle 30 miles! Ask Santa for a donation! Instead of asking for Christmas presents ask family and friends to give you a donation at Christmas Fundraising as a Group You do not need to do everything on your own. It is a lot more fun to get your friends involved. Why not make a bet with them and give up something you love for a month? Organise a bag pack with friends at your local shopping centre Get together with friends and hold a Come Dine with Me competition by asking everyone for a donation to take part Have a themed party with friends and colleagues and charge an entrance fee Hold a Taste the World event with your friends and family. Experience authentic VSO recipes and raise funds at the same time. For more info please visit

4 Working out a Plan Although every fundraising event requires its own set of planning and preparation, there are some basic steps you can take before, during and after each event to ensure it is a success! Before the Event Booking a Venue When booking a venue for your event, always consider the following steps: 1. Is the venue easy to access? Think about the location for your guests. 2. Does it have parking? 3. Plan big! How many people can the venue accommodate? 4. Does the venue have a sound system I can use? Is there a microphone I can borrow? 5. Will I have the whole venue designated to myself or will I have to share it with others? 6. Will the venue provide staff such as bar staff & security? 7. Can I take a percentage of the bar takings or organise deals on drinks and food for your guests? (If you don t ask you never know!) Always approach the venue as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Make sure the venue know it is an event for charity. They will often give you free venue hire and give you discounts or prizes to ensure your event is a success. Always mention VSO s registered charity number for official purposes. This confirms VSO s status as a legal charitable organisation in Ireland CHY15048 Promoting your Event Make use of all communication channels you have available to you: local media, business, workplace, friends and family Promote online. Send s to all your contacts and use Facebook and Twitter to let people know the details Tell VSO about your event so we can promote on our website and social networking pages

5 During the Event Selling tickets Start selling tickets in advance rather than at the door. This way you will know how many people are attending. If you want to sell tickets on the door make sure you know how many tickets you have sold and how many you have left to sell. Be reasonable make sure your ticket prices reflect the night. You can always boost your income on the night by staging a raffle Always arrive at the event early so you can organise a float and decorate the venue. VSO can provide posters, t-shirts, and collection buckets for every event you stage. After the event First give yourself a huge pat on the back! Count up your sponsorship money It is best to get someone to help you with this. Thank all your attendees and let them know how much you raised. If you receive sponsorship or prizes from local businesses let them know how your event went Thank the venue as you may want to use them again in the future Tell VSO about your event and send us the photos. We would be happy to share your story with others!

6 Fundraising Online The internet has made everyday tasks easier and faster. The same is true for fundraising. You can now send a personal message and gather cash at the click of a button, leaving you more time to plan your fundraising activities. VSO has teamed up with the Irish online fundraising service MyCharity.ie. It uses a simple stepby-step method that allows you to create a web page about you, your activity, and the work of VSO. You can include a photo, an online sponsorship form and a calculator to keep track of progress. The great thing about My Charity is that the money comes straight to VSO. To get started go to Facebook is a great way to tell your friends about what you are doing. Setting up an event page or group page is easy and quick to do. Invite all your friends and send them regular updates about your challenge and how you are getting on. You can also link your Facebook page with your MyCharity.ie fundraising page. Twitter can be used to share your MyCharity.ie page. Tweet about what you are doing and why people should sponsor you. Ask followers to re-tweet your link (Keep your link short, so that it is easily retweetable) Why not mention us in your to get your page link out there. LinkedIn targets business users which might help you to secure a large donation or prize. Start a group or conversation on LinkedIn relating to the cause and your fundraising plans. Invite all your followers to join.

7 Stuff you Need to Know Collections Public Collections Street collections in a public place require a permit from the Gardai. VSO can apply for this on your behalf generally 4-6 weeks before your planned date. All collectors must be over 16, wear an identification badge and carry a certificate from VSO. You need to clearly state who and what you are collecting for and use official VSO collection buckets. Private Collections If collecting on private property, always seek permission from the owner, especially if you plan on collecting through pubs or restaurants. Raffles Always state the price of the tickets Please ensure you do not use duplicate ticket books Make sure you have change organised for sellers If possible conduct your draw at the event to avoid confusion Licensing Laws If you wish to sell alcohol at an event it must be licensed If you need to apply for a license or bar extension please work in partnership with your venue Public buildings such as a GAA club or community centre will probably have a license so please comply with the terms previously agreed Bag Packs Bag packs must be organised with the retailer prior to the event Ensure all your collectors are wearing VSO t-shirts and bibs Brief your helpers beforehand ask them to be courteous and friendly with the customers Ask for support in transferring the collected buckets to a safe place when the day is finished Be Vigilant It is better to be safe than sorry. Always visit a venue when you are holding an event and check out the safety procedures. If you feel you will be dealing with a large sum of money ask about the safety deposit box at the venue or ensure you are accompanied by friends when leaving the premises. Keep an eye out on the day and use your common sense.

8 Paying in Your Funds There are five easy ways to transfer your funds to VSO. Always ensure there are at least two people present when you are counting cash following an event or collection. By Post If you wish to send in your funds by post by way of a cheque please make the cheque payable to VSO and send to: VSO Ireland Dawson Street Dublin 2 By Credit Transfer You can lodge funds directly to the VSO account at any AIB branch around the country. Please contact a member of the fundraising team for further details. By Phone You can call us on and make a payment via a credit card or laser card VSO Website Making a donation online is an easy way to make a one off payment. All you have to do is go to and follow the one off payment instructions My Charity MyCharity is the most effective way to collect donations people can sponsor you by credit card or debit card from anywhere around the world. All donations made through MyCharity come directly to VSO

9 Where VSO can Help VSO will be on hand every step of the way to offer fundraising advice and support. We can offer a one to one fundraising consultation and also provide details of where your donation goes and provide information on some of our beneficiaries who are supported by the funds you raise. Useful Websites Fundraising General Sell and Donate to VSO Set up a Blog Support in Your Local Community (Find your local GAA club) (enlist the support of your local TD) For any other fundraising enquiries please visit or call us on

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