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How to fundraise

For

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This guide was written by Kelly Bowden and Anjali Nundy and acknowledges the assistance

of many others across the organisation in its production.

It is part of a series of guides written to support the work of Oxfam Groups across Canada in

their education, campaigning and fundraising efforts to create a world free from poverty.

Content in this publication may be used free of charge for the purposes of advocacy,

campaigning, education, and research, provided that the source is acknowledged in full.

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You’ve done an amazing thing in signing up to be a part of CHANGE

and the Gender Justice Summit. You’re going to be a part of life

changing work happening around the world through campaigning,

education and fundraising with your Oxfam group. But first, you

need to work out how you’re going to get yourself to the Summit!

We’ve made this booklet to help bring out your inner fundraiser and

get you on your way to a mega fundraising plan. It’s simple: have a

look through the booklet, find the things you and your friends

would like to do and get planning.

The best bit of advice we have is not to put it off. Get started today

and you’ll start seeing the dollars rolling in, giving you energy to

keep going.

Good luck!

Kelly and Anjali

Oxfam CHANGE Summit Team

Hello. Thank you for Taking this

challenge. Challenge!

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Need a few ideas?

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Let’s get Going!

Set your fundraising goal

Know your message

Engage your network: Get individual support

Make it happen: Run an event

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set your Fundraising

$250 $75 $20 $30

$50

$140

$20 $40

$50

$500

Registration

Summit cost, including Gala

attendance!

travel

Cost of your plane or bus

ticket

Transport in ottawa

Bus rides, taxis and travel

to and from the airport

Meals and snacks

Meals while travelling plus

drinks and goodies

Personal costs

A little extra in case you

forget your tooth brush,

or go out for late night

snacks one evening

outside of ontario ontario

$750 $425 TOTAL TOTAL

goal

Take a look at the estimates above to get an idea of how much to

fundraise for your participation in the Summits

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An important element of fundraising is being clear about what

you are asking people to support. As you fundraise to get to

CHANGE the answer is simple:

people are giving money to support you.

We’ve outlined some key messages for you and sent each

participant a letter of support – showing that Oxfam is proud

to have you be a part of this year’s CHANGE Summit. Use the letter

when asking someone to donate to show Oxfam supports you in

your journey to CHANGE.

know your message

IMPORTANT NOTE!

A donation given to an individual attending Oxfam’s CHANGE

Summit is NOT eligible for a tax receipt.

The gift of support is going directly to you (the individual) who

is being sponsoring. Therefore, the donation is NOT a donation to

Oxfam Canada.

Because of this, donors must know that Oxfam is not responsible

for the expenditure of their donation.

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Our goal is to

create a better future

where women and men, boys

and girls are equal .

I’ve made a commitment to join

Oxfam Canada and

a team of fifty young leaders

from across our country to

participate in Oxfam’s National

CHANGE Summit. The CHANGE Summit will

prepare me to work

as an advocate

for women’s rights.

I will gain leadership skills,

knowledge on issues of social

justice and the

chance to meet with

Oxfam’s international

partners.

Your support

will help me reach my fundraising

target to join this movement. Your

donation will

will pay a portion of my travel

and accommodation expenses.

“I hope to be able to

better understand the

problems in today's

world, what solutions

Oxfam proposes… and

what my actions can do to

make change in the

world”

- 2013 CHANGE participant

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The majority of

people don’t give

money to causes;

they give money to

people who have

causes.

Your network is the first, and easiest, place to

look when starting to fundraise. Identify

people you know who may be interested in

supporting you and approach them.

Don’t get discouraged by being told no,

you have nothing to lose but a lot to

gain - so just ask!

When you ask someone for money, you are offering them an

opportunity to invest in your issue and to help make positive

change.

Top five people to ask for support

1. Your family

2. Your neighbors

3. Your teachers, coaches or

mentors

4. Your community organization,

church or sports team

members

5. Your co-workers

Think of the people or groups that would be supportive of you

joining Oxfam’s work. Not everyone can help you financially, but

they may be willing to support you in other ways: with volunteer

time, contacts, expertise or donating a space for an event.

Engage your network

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Make it happen Choose your event

Pick an idea that will help you reach

your goal. Are you aiming to raise $50 or

$500? Choose an event that uses

resources you have and your existing

network, that way the cost of the event

will be low.

Make your budget

How much does everything to host the

event cost? How much are you aiming to

make? Use these numbers to help

calculate how much tickets should be

or items should be sold for.

Choose a date, time and place

Discuss options and then select! Make

sure your event date doesn’t clash with

any other big events your friends, family

and colleagues will be attending or

watching.

Do promotion

Include your purpose in your promotion

work as well as the date, time and details

of the event. People will want to know

what the money is being raised for.

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Keep promoting!

Some good promo methods include sending

emails, Facebook events, making posters

and getting your event details into local

publications and radio.

Run the event

and take lots of photos!

We love seeing great examples of

fundraising so please send us your

photos and you could appear on our

website!

Follow-up

The people who helped you get to

CHANGE (either by attending your

event or helping to organize) should

be thanked. Be creative in your

thank-yous! Try personalized

letters, cards, emails, social media

shout-outs or share photos of

yourself at the event. Anything that

shows your gratitude and makes

people feel appreciated is great.

Count the cash

Make sure you count the money at

the end of your event! Although you

will be keeping the money to

support your travel and costs to

attend CHANGE, Oxfam loves to

know about your fundraising

successes – we’d love to know how

much your event made, so send us

a quick note!

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Sometimes the most difficult part of fundraising is coming up with

an idea! To help get your creative juices flowing, use some of the

ideas presented in this fundraising guide and have look at what

others have done.

Get inspired

CLOTHES SWAP

Get your friends together with all those clothes you

never wear anymore have a clothes swap! Get everyone

to bring along some clothes and make a donation for

attending- then get busy swapping! You could provide

drinks and snacks for extra donations too. You’ll

fundraise lots of money and your friends will go away

with a bargain. Everyone’s happy!

Get Hairy

People are willing to pay to

see their friends shave their

heads, grow beards and dye

their hair pink ! Willing

Chung-Saan Kong raised

$940 for Oxfam from a

sponsored head shave.

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Good luck!

And see you at