Fundraising ideas

Guess the baby photo game

Commitment level: All in a day’s work!

Quick summary: Get as many colleagues as possible to contribute a photo of themselves as a baby (or small child). Everyone pays £1 to guess who’s who. Prizes optional.

Bonus options: This game works either in real life (put the pictures up on a wall or board if everyone works in the same place) or virtually if you compile them together in an email or slideshow. Can’t get your colleague’s baby photos? Use celebrity baby photos instead. 

Make it a success: Useful tips on how to run a baby photo guessing contest. 

Fine colleagues for using work jargon

Commitment level: Simple and fun. Could also improve your working life.

Quick summary: Agree with your colleagues that everyone will contribute an agreed amount to the charity box when they use an annoying office buzzword for the next month (or however long you want). People can either pay as they go, or someone keeps a tally and everyone pays up at the end of the agreed period.

Bonus options: Jargon not a thing in your workplace? Or you want to add more challenge? How about fines for being late for a meeting, or salty language at work, or whatever it is people do in your workplace that they probably shouldn’t?

Make it a success: Don’t forget to agree your definitions first, such as exactly how many minutes counts as late to a meeting. For what counts as work jargon, you could use this guide from Techtarget to awful corporate jargon you can’t escape. Or Forbes’ list of the most annoying pretentious and useless business jargon is less recent, but still good. Or come up with your own (short) list of the buzz phrases in your workplace - you can ask everyone for suggestions. 

Convert leftover travel cash

Commitment level: Quick and easy

Quick summary: Leftover travel money? Change it back and donate it at a local travel exchange bureau, bank, Post Office or online currency exchange.

Bonus options: Online exchanger Leftover Currency will even change foreign coins, and they can donate the money straight to us, with a 5% charity top-up. It doesn’t charge fees, there’s no minimum amount, and you don’t even have to sort the currency. Just fill in the form and post it in. It’s rated 5 stars on Trustpilot. They take British money too, so if you’ve got loose change lying around that you never use, donate that at the same time to add to your impact.

Make it a success: Visit our page on leftovercurrency.com to find out how to donate your travel cash straight to us, with a 5% top-up. 

Dye your hair (or shave your head)   

Commitment level: An hour of your time, or less.

Quick summary: Do something drastic to your hair. Ask for donations beforehand as well as on the day.

Bonus options: Really pushed for time? Choose a temporary colour spray that will take you moments to apply. Ready to go bold? Get a radical new haircut. Or a head shave (if you have clippers at home, you might not even need to go to the hairdresser or barber).

Make it a success: This one is pretty straightforward, but these pointers on using social media for fundraising are worth a read. Or these tips are for you if you’re not on social media. 

Set up an online fundraiser for your special day

Commitment level: Super-quick to do. 

Quick summary: Ask loved ones for donations instead of gifts. Good for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings or Christmas.

Bonus options: You don’t have to organise a party or celebration for this one, but if you’re planning to anyway, it can help your fundraising even more. Or to amplify your efforts, could you agree with friends or family members that you’ll all give donations instead of gifts for each other at birthdays or Christmas?

Make it a success: These ideas from GoFundMe and Justgiving on how to set up a fundraising page might come in useful. 

Throw a party 

Commitment level: Small scale or spectacular - you decide!

Quick summary: Create excitement and celebrate with others by having a party. It could be a birthday, anniversary, something seasonal (Valentine’s Day/ Pancake Day/ summer/ Christmas) or just an excuse to raise funds for a great cause. 

Bonus options: Doing it in summer? What about a barbecue or garden party? Want to go big? Throw a street party. Or a gala dinner if you’re feeling fancy!

Make it a success: Find out all you need to know about organising a street party or a gala dinner. Bear in mind you’ll need to give the council lots of notice if you want to close the road for a street party. 

Scavenger hunt

Commitment level: Medium to high - it’s up to you how big you want to make it.

Quick summary: Organise a game where players compete to see who can gather the most items or answer questions about the local surroundings from a list you devise. You can add in extra challenges too. It’s usually outdoors, or you could plan an indoor variation. People compete in teams or individually. Raise funds by selling tickets, or ask for donations.

Bonus options: Got a mix of ages? You could have mixed teams of adults and kids, or do separate hunts for each if you’re feeling ambitious. Don’t want to put in too much effort? A treasure hunt can be a bit easier to organise. Make extra cash by selling refreshments (if your location is suitable).

Make it a success: Try these tips on running a treasure hunt or a scavenger hunt or get this step by step guide to organising a scavenger hunt.. 

Break a world record

Commitment level: Possibly more than you think. But you’ll have fun trying, right? 

Quick summary: Get people to sponsor you to take on a world record. The wackier the better. Could you beat the fastest time to find the alphabet from a tin of alphabet spaghetti (2 mins 8 secs)?1 Or the longest flight of a rubber band (30 metres)?2 Or the most Smarties eaten in one minute blindfolded using chopsticks (25)?3 You could even go down in history!

Bonus options: Unlock people power by making your record attempt a group effort. Or take on more than one record?

Make it a success: Guinness World Records has lots of useful tips for how to get started, as well as how to get your record certified. And even if you don’t break the record, the money you’ll raise means you’ll already be a winner. 

Board game tournament 

Commitment level: Medium to epic

Quick summary: Organise a games night and sell tickets or ask for donations. You can keep it small and host it in your home, or go bigger in a local venue.

Bonus options: Do you want to keep it simple? Stick to one game. Or rev it up? Have a range of games, and charge for food and drink options (or ask for additional donations). You could have a raffle as well. Is Dungeons and Dragons popular with people in your life? Why not host a DnD tournament?

Make it a success: These are handy tips for organising a board games night or organising a Dungeons and Dragons tournament. 

Water fight

Commitment level: Splashing out

Quick summary: Get people together for a fun fight with water pistols or water balloons. Great for adults and kids alike. Best played outside, preferably in the summer months.

Bonus options: Could you run a range of water-based games for extra fun? Or prizes for the winners? What about separate contests for adults and kids? Do you want to add a theme (and maybe prizes for the best costume - make sure everyone knows they’re going to get wet)?

Make it a success: Netmums has lots of info on holding a water fight, including suggested rules and ideas for games. Or try these different ideas for water games. Just be wary of holding a water fight in a public place like a park - you don’t want to be soaking an innocent passer-by. 

Sell old toys

Commitment level: Not too much  

Quick summary: Get your child to decide which toys they don’t need any more. Sell them to friends, family or neighbours to raise funds to bring change in sight for people who are blind and vision impaired. You can keep it simple with a stall outside your home (get your children to help run it). Or a local nearly new sale might bring more customers. Or sell on Facebook or eBay. 

Bonus options: Want to go bigger? Organise your own event, and invite friends along. Add children’s books into the mix, or sell those instead. Or host a toy swap event (with donations at the door, or for each swap made). Could you get together with other families to organise a clothes or uniform sale or swap, or perhaps costumes ahead of Halloween?  

Make it a success: MoneySavingExpert has a guide to selling on Facebook and eBay. Or find out how to run a school uniform swap. This mum’s blog has useful tips for selling at a children’s nearly new sale.

School concert

Commitment level: Pretty big (but so are the rewards)

Quick summary: Plan a school concert where the kids are the stars. Sell tickets to parents and/or the wider community. 

Bonus options: Music not your school’s thing? Anything that gives children a chance to shine (and that proud parents will pay to watch) will work. It could be a talent show, a sports day, or a quirky sports challenge like an egg and spoon race or a tug-of-war. Remember that parents can be even more competitive than kids, so add opportunities for them to take part for extra fundraising fun.

Make it a success: Get organised ahead of time with this practical school concert planning checklist. These brilliant tips for organising a school concert are aimed at music teachers but will be useful for any organisers. Or use this step-by-step guide to organising a school talent show or tips for a successful sports day. 

Non-uniform day

Commitment level: Not too big 

Quick summary: Kids (or their parents) make a donation in exchange for taking part. 

Bonus options: Make it a bit different by doing a fancy dress day, coloured hair day, fancy hat day, “wear your clothes backwards” day or pyjama day.

Make it a success: Make sure to give people plenty of notice. Get advice on holding a non-uniform day from the PTA website. 

Silent disco

Commitment level: Medium to large (depends on the number of people involved)

Quick summary: Sell tickets in advance. A silent disco is more fun, less noise, because the kids are wearing headphones. Usually you have a choice of music channels that they can switch between. 

Bonus options: Not keen on a silent disco? Run a regular disco instead. Or go glam with a prom night.

Make it a success: These are some handy pointers for silent disco as a fundraiser or tips on hosting a silent disco (from a company that supplies the equipment. 

An epic run, walk, bike ride or swim

Commitment level: This is serious.

Quick summary: Choose something that feels meaningful to you, whether it’s a run, walk, bike ride or swim. Ideally it will feel challenging, not impossible. You don’t have to be super-fit - if you’ve never done something like this before, that will make it even more unforgettable. You’ll need time to train, and a bit of determination - but you’ll have a great cause to motivate you.  

Bonus options: Could you do it with friends or colleagues? You’ll get extra motivation that way, as well as a much bigger total sponsorship pot. Really want to ramp up the challenge? You’ll likely get extra sponsorship, as well as a better chance of local media coverage, if you can take on a whole series (7 marathons in 7 days, or similar).

Make it a success: We’ve got all the training tips you’ll need to get you to the finish line. Contact our fundraising experts Ruth and Jo to get started by emailing events@fightforsight.org.uk

An adrenaline challenge  

Commitment level: Sky-high

Quick summary: Take on a challenge to thrill you, and will also inspire people to sponsor you - a skydive, bungee jump, wing walk, or fire walk. You don’t need any previous experience.  

Bonus options: Could you take on more than one challenge? What about a challenge that feels extra-difficult - like a bungee jump or wing walk if you’re afraid of heights? You’ll have double the sense of achievement, and hopefully, people will be more generous with sponsorship too.

Make it a success: If you skydive for us, we’ve got more skydiving information to help you, as well as a trusted skydive partner. Whatever your challenge, you’ll get unlimited support from our dedicated team.   

A trek that’s out of this world

Commitment level: As big as the adventure

Quick summary: If you’ve got big fundraising ambitions, there are supported fundraising treks all over the world - from the Great Wall of China to Macchu Picchu. Where could your imagination take you? 

Bonus options: Do you want to scale new heights? Why not take on a landmark peak - you could summit Mt Toubkal (the highest point in North Africa at 4,167m); or the highest peaks in mainland Spain; or do the Everest base camp trek. Rather stay in the UK? Add extra challenge by doing a night-time trek of Ben Nevis or Snowdon. 

Make it a success: Charity Challenge, Global Adventure Challenges and Choose a Challenge are some of the companies that organise adventures where you can raise money at the same time. Whoever you travel with, wherever you head to, We’ll be with you every step of the way. Contact Ruth and Jo to get share you plans and tap into our support and expertise.