14
Jun
2016
A question about : CH & NFP: Fundraising, raffles & Generally usefule sites
Since this board has now been around for a while, I’ve asked the Board Guide if we can have a few stickies, and Bridie has agreed! I was simply going to suggest which ones to ‘stick’, but then I found some of the really early (and I think terribly useful!) ones had disappeared altogether, so I’m starting some new threads with useful links in instead! In some cases I’m just highlighting an original MSE post, but if it contained several useful links, I’m sometimes repeating them for speed and convenience (and in the hope that if old posts are culled again, the links won’t be lost for ever…) And this is with thanks to Pablo Money who got charities a slot on the board originally!
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In Fundraising courses in London I waffled on about approaches to fundraising, and also mentioned The Institute of Fundraising, which is probably more suitable for ‘professional’ fundraisers than local bodies wanting smaller amounts, but could be useful.
I also flagged up The Media Trust, which has very good (free) online guides on PR and press, Marketing, Design, Online media, and Video. If you are planning a big event, you definitely want to look at this.
What I failed to mention that time was that if you're into serious fundraising you should try to find a local copy of the FunderFinder software, which helps you to match money available with what you want it for. Then you just have to start making the applications ...
... which can be a very daunting prospect. So if you are new to making applications for grants - or even just writing begging letters - then the FREE Funderfinder software is an essential tool! There are two downloadable Windows only software programs available, one called Apply Yourselves (helps to write a grant application), and the other Budget Yourselves (helps a voluntary organisation or community group write a budget). Excellent for newcomers to this field!
Now one popular and fairly easy way of raising money is through raffles. AFAIK, if you only sell tickets on the day, you don't have to register with the local authority. If you pre-sell, it's a lot more complicated, you have to register, and have certain information on the tickets etc etc etc. This has been talked about before, but it was a long time ago, not on the Charities Board (I think it was I wanna and started with getting raffle tickets printed), and I'm not an expert. However in CH: Are We Law-Breaking? we have a more recent discussion of things like raffles with cash prizes (aka 500 Clubs etc) and their legal status. Hopefully some kind and knowledgeable person will give us the full facts about raffles. But before you decide to do one at an event, just check that the venue is happy: if you are hiring a church hall you may find that they're not.
Best answers:
- Since this board has now been around for a while, I’ve asked the Board Guide if we can have a few stickies, and Bridie has agreed! I was simply going to suggest which ones to ‘stick’, but then I found some of the really early (and I think terribly useful!) ones had disappeared altogether, so I’m starting some new threads with useful links in instead! In some cases I’m just highlighting an original MSE post, but if it contained several useful links, I’m sometimes repeating them for speed and convenience (and in the hope that if old posts are culled again, the links won’t be lost for ever…) And this is with thanks to Pablo Money who got charities a slot on the board originally!
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The Inland Revenue has a section devoted to charities - essential reference, but especially useful for The Gift Aid Toolkit - downloadable free guide to how to get the most out of Gift Aid, including the widely recognised ‘giftaid it’ logo
The Charities Aid Foundation has a dedicated site for E-fundraising and some people like to give through special CAF cheques, so you need to know about them before you get sent one!
IT for Charities – very comprehensive site for all things charity related to IT! Includes links for: Databases, Other Software, Hardware (including free or low cost recycled kit), Internet Resources, IT Services, Other Resources, Technology Reports, Product Reviews. (I'm told this is rather out of date!)
InKind Direct - there is an annual registration fee, and they then send out a catalogue each month stuffed full of surplus to requirements or slightly substandard stationery, household and office equipment, clothes, toiletries … which you can order for a nominal handling fee – anything from Ј5 upwards, depending on size. You CANNOT sell, barter or trade these goods, so no use for raffle prizes, and the packs can be rather large for small groups, but worth considering if you need regular supplies of such things.
NFP Techno – free newsletter available from Conference House which is a bit more specialist than you may like, but sometimes turns up a gem of useful info!
Independent Examiners - sign up for their free email bulletin of particular interest to trustees and administrators of charities (and highly readable!)
Sandy Adirondack – for free updates on employment issues in the voluntary sector – and lots more useful links from that website.
National Council for Voluntary Organisations - if you use volunteers. Also find your local CVS (Council for Voluntary Services) – it may have a completely different name in your area but local library may know who it is. In Scotland it’s Work With Us.
VolResource - self-described as ‘Relevant, useful and quick information for charity, voluntary, community organisations of any size or type’.
I know there are more, Pablo highlighted another one for getting goods in kind but I can't remember what it was so do add what you find, please! - Community Website Builder - This allows registered UK charities, non-profit making organisations and volunteer led groups or organisations to build and maintain their own website free of charge.
Features include: - free website hosting
- free website address ending in .ik.com
- free technical support by email.
- There is discussion and info on the "Techie Board" about getting your own website, including free ones. See Techie Board - FAQ's - Own Website
- Specifically near Paisley, taken from the InKind Direct June Newsletter:
In Kind Direct’s first retail style operation has opened at The Community Warehouse in Paisley. Now charities can see the goods for themselves before taking them away in exactly the quantities they need.
The Community Warehouse is a joint initiative between In Kind Direct, Kibble Education and Care, one of our long time partner charities and the social enterprise Green-Works.
Apart from being able to ‘shop’ for In Kind Direct products – although partners will continue to receive the monthly catalogue – The Community Warehouse will offer office furniture refurbished by Green-Works and available at greatly discounted prices.
The Community Warehouse is open by appointment - to arrange a visit please call Lynsey Johnston on 0141 842 3333 or email lynsey.johnston@kibble.org. More info on www.thecommunitywarehouse.co.uk - A bit late for school fairs this summer, but you'll be planning for Christmas before you know it!
There are various firms selling fundraising bits and bobs plus the paraphernalia you need for any 'event'. The following are not recommendations: just the ones I can remember the names of!
Charnwood Catalogue 0800 881 8822 enquiries@charnwood-catalogue.co.uk
As well as 'stuff', they have a range of free infosheets, plus a bookstore of Quick Guides at Ј8: Overseas Challenges, Fundraising from Grantmakers, Special Events and Fundraising from Charities.
Peeks 01202 489 489 info@peeks.co.uk
Website has a Calendar of Events if you want to do 'themed' or seasonal fundraising, and they offer an email news service as well.
Sure there's others but can't think of them right now. - InKind Direct have now introduced a flat rate annual registration fee of Ј50 (previously it was dependent on your annual income).
There are also some subsided registration fees. Have a look at the site to see if you are eligible. - InKind Direct are now offering to send a very nice tin of biscuits to any charity responsible for another charity signing up. If that doesn't tempt you - and indeed, why should it? - let me add that at Ј50 per year flat rate, I'd be surprised if you didn't save money if you use any of the consumables they offer, and if your charity uses toiletries or toys, you could save a lot! (That's based on my quick skim of the catalogue thinking "That looks nice, but we won't use it.") There's a fair bit of office stationery in there as well.
As well as special rates for charities in some areas, they can also offer money-off vouchers to the first 50 new charities signing up this year! And they have a retail outlet in Paisley.
Go look at their website, and if you're tempted and wish to give us the credit for it, please send me a PM so I can tell you which charity I work for! - https://www.fig.org.uk/
- My friend works for Cystic Fibrosis and they just got a deal with luup www.luup.com for payments. LUUP lets you pay, send and receive money with text message...great for fundraising. They also chip in on the donation everytime someone signs up for LUUP
- The online resources available from VOSCUR, our CVS just keep growing. Here's some of what's available:
- Opening a Bank/Building Society Account
- Role of a Treasurer
- Financial Procedures
- What is a Constitution?
- A Model Constitution
- The Role of a Chairperson
- What is a Trustee?
- The Role of the Board
- Performance Improvement Policy
- The law and laws are complicated for registered and unregistered charities- get in touch with your Local Stategic Partnership- usually at Local council offices - and ask who the support organisation is for Community and Voluntary sector. The reason I give this advice is they are paid to support the fundraisers from raffle laws to fairs or to grant applications, thats their core business and the ODPM uses them as the signpost for Community and Voluntary activity.Constitutions, protocols and meeting rules as well as bank accounts or kick-start funding... they are there to help.
- https://www.governmentfunding.org.uk/Default.aspx
Registration to governmentfunding.org.uk is entirely free and will create a personalised profile which will allow you to:
Receive email alerts on new and update grant schemes
Apply online for grant schemes relevant to you
Include your organisations details and search our Directory of Users
Post messages on our bulletin board
Save specific grant searches and information - FOR GRANT SEEKERS
https://www.communityfoundations.org....nt_seekers.php
For grant seekers
This section is for people who want to apply for funding from a UK community foundation. All grant-making is done by local community foundations - Community Foundation Network’s national office does not make grants or handle grant applications. Here we answer:
What do community foundations fund?Do community foundations accept applications from individuals?What are community foundations unlikely to fund?Where do I find my nearest community foundation?Do I apply direct to the community foundation?Do all community foundations make grants?If our project receives a grant, what obligations do we have to the community foundation?WHAT DO COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS FUND?
All members of CFN subscribe to some common aims and all share a vision about community-based philanthropy. They support local causes and community activity through grants to local groups and organisations.
Within these broad objectives there is some variation between foundations. Some foundations have criteria with a focus on social need and opportunity while others have more specific themes, generally reviewed every three years. Some community foundations have a large number of funds from which to make grants. They will either advise you on the most appropriate fund to apply to, or have a common application form for all their funds. The grants adviser at your local community foundation is there to help you through the application process, so don’t hesitate to contact them.
Lasting value describes some typical grant-making programmes, and gives examples of projects that have received funding through a community foundation.
DO COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS?
Only a few community foundations have funds available to help individuals, and then only for people who meet precise criteria, for example, a fund specifically for young people leaving care. In general the emphasis is on grants to community groups and projects.
WHAT ARE COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS UNLIKELY TO FUND?
Each community foundation covers a specific area of the UK and will not normally be able to support work outside its area. They will want to be sure that any application from a national charity for local work is firmly rooted in their area. They are unlikely to donate to major capital appeals, or to consider standard appeal letters. Most would also rule out projects and services with an exclusively religious purpose. They could not support any work with a party political content. Each community foundation makes its grant-making policy publicly available, so don’t hesitate to contact the one in your area.
WHERE DO I FIND MY NEAREST COMMUNITY FOUNDATION?
Use Finding community foundations which gives you full contact details and a link direct to the community foundation’s own website, if available. Most community foundation websites have a section for grant applicants, explaining local criteria and procedures. If they do not have a website, contact them by phone, email or letter for details of their grants programmes. There are about 60 community foundations, covering all of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and most parts of England. Most English community foundations cover a whole county, though some operate in smaller areas. For community foundations in other countries, see ‘The wider community foundation movement’ in the Links section. Community foundations exist in several European countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA.
DO I APPLY DIRECT TO THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION?
Yes, all applications need to be made to a local foundation – we do not handle any grant applications here at CFN’s national office. Each community foundation has its own grant-making policy, criteria and time-scales for dealing with grant applications, drawn up to reflect its community’s priorities.
DO ALL COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS MAKE GRANTS?
The network comprises Members (established community foundations) and Associates (aspiring community foundations). All Members and many Associates run grant programmes; some Associates who are still at a very early stage of development may not have started to make any grants yet. Community foundations are a relatively new concept in the UK and it can take time to build up enough funds for a grant-making programme.
IF OUR PROJECT RECEIVES A GRANT, WHAT OBLIGATIONS DO WE HAVE TO THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION?
While it varies from one community foundation to another, most will ask funded projects to report back on how funds have been spent and what has been achieved.
Remember that community foundations welcome applications and will do all they can to assist. If you feel you meet the broad criteria outlined above, please contact your local community foundation regarding its grant-making programme.
Finding UK community foundations
Click on your chosen community foundation for full contact details and a link to their website, where available:
Members are established community foundationsAssociates are aspiring community foundationsAffiliates are community foundations outside the UK, CFN's partner organisations in the UK, or other UK grant-makers that share CFN's commitment to local communitiesMembers
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation
Berkshire Community Foundation
Birmingham Foundation
Buckinghamshire Foundation
Capital Community Foundation
Community Foundation for Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole
Community Foundation for Calderdale
Community Foundation for Greater Manchester
Community Foundation for Merseyside
Community Foundation for Northern Ireland
Community Foundation for Shropshire and Telford
Community Foundation for Wiltshire and Swindon
Community Foundation in Wales
Community Foundation Network
Community Foundation serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland
Cornwall Community Foundation
County Durham Foundation (includes Darlington)
Craven Trust (covers Keighley, Sedbergh, Grassington, Barnoldswick and the Trough of Bowland)
Craven Trust (covers Keighley, Sedburgh, Grassington, Barnoldswick and the Trough of Bowland)
Cumbria Community Foundation
Dacorum Community Trust
Derbyshire Community Foundation
Devon Community Foundation
Essex Community Foundation
Fermanagh Trust
Gloucestershire Community Foundation
Heart of England Community Foundation (covers Coventry & Warwickshire)
Herefordshire Community Foundation
Hertfordshire Community Foundation
Kent Community Foundation
Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Community Foundation
Lincolnshire Community Foundation
Milton Keynes Community Foundation
Norfolk Community Foundation
Northamptonshire Community Foundation
Nottinghamshire Community Foundation
Oxfordshire Community Foundation
Quartet Community Foundation (covers Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset)
Scottish Community Foundation
Solihull Community Foundation
Somerset Community Foundation
South Yorkshire Community Foundation
St Katharine & Shadwell Trust
Stevenage Community Trust
Surrey Community Foundation
Tees Valley Community Foundation
Thames Community Foundation
Associates
Cambridgeshire Community Foundation
Community Foundation for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight
Community Foundation for Wakefield District
Leeds Community Foundation
London North East Community Foundation
North West London Community Foundation
Staffordshire Community Foundation Steering Committee
Suffolk Foundation
Sussex Community Foundation
Worcestershire Community Foundation
York and North Yorkshire Community Foundation
Affiliates
Community Foundation for Ireland
Community Foundation for South Sinai
European Foundation Centre
Melbourne Community Foundation
The Birmingham Airport Community Trust Fund - Does anyone know a good place to buy draw/raffle tickets from (the kind that can carry your own logo not the cloakroom ones). I have looked at many and they seem quite expensive.
Any recommendations for reasonable ones would be appreciated. Thanks.. - It might be worth searching this board, as I think it's come up before. To my mind it's a slightly specialised area, because all the tickets have to be individually numbered and have a counterfoil, so that might be where the cost comes in. A company used to doing these would also make sure all the 'legal' information was on there - who the raffle is registered with etc. I think they usually include their own details so if you have any tickets lurking in your purse I presume you've contacted whoever printed them?
- Here are some money saving websites for charities:
CASH-ONLINE
This site aims to provide people with the basic financial skills needed to run successful charities and voluntary organisations. CASH-ONLINE is published by Community Accountancy Self Help.
Community Money Matters is their comprehensive guide to financial management and accounting for small charities and community organisations available as a PDF download
www.cash-online.org.uk
The Institute of Fundraising has (surprise, surprise) information on fundraising for charities at:
www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/informationaboutfundraising/forfundr...
and this site too:
How2fundraise is the most comprehensive, FREE online resource for the UK's 16 million volunteer fundraisers, from the Institute of Fundraising.
www.how2fundraise.org
VolResource Email Newsletter
A weekly email newsletter is produced by VolResource giving current news and information with a practical focus to help you:
keep on top of relevant regulations, admin matters; be up-to-date with news around management issues, sector developments, government initiatives and other relevant items;
Free to those active in voluntary organisations in the UK, whether a worker, manager, trustee or volunteer. There is much more on their site as well.
www.voluntarynews.org.uk/lists/
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How to fundraise
https://www.resource-alliance.org/resources/71.asp
Guides to assist with your fundraising.
How to write a fundraising proposal (46Kb) - DOWNLOAD
Tips on how to get started in local fundraising (226Kb) - DOWNLOAD
How to organise events to raise money by Michael Norton (331Kb) - DOWNLOAD
How to find funders (37Kb) - DOWNLOAD
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Larry
www.tfsr.org - MOVING THREADS FOR BETTER RESPONSES
Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to the Small Biz & Charity Organisers board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email abuse@moneysavingexpert.com.
A useful list, which I've merged into our sticky over there on Raffles, Fundraising and Generally Useful Sites. - Thanks to Twig1, I have re-found the home of the Gift Aid Toolkit.
It is now on this site along with model declarations, and lots of other useful stuff I haven't had time to investigate yet!
New fundraisers should hurry along and take a look!
I've updated the links here, but I'm sure you'll find more: probably particularly worth looking at Funding and Finance and Resources.
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