Each year, Deafblind UK has to raise £3 million through voluntary donations to support people who are deafblind. Every penny you raise makes a huge difference to the lives of people living with sight and hearing loss.
Your fantastic fundraising means that we can provide practical and emotional support for thousands of deafblind people across the UK each year. So, here’s a few hints and tips to make the most of your fundraising efforts.
Take your fundraising online – It’s a great idea to open a JustGiving page to accept online donation for your challenge. Not only is it a great way to reach those friends, family members and colleagues that you don’t see on a daily basis, but it’s quick and secure and cuts out the hassle of handling lots of cash and cheques as the money comes straight to Deafblind UK!
The more traditional approach – Some people may prefer to sponsor you via a traditional paper sponsorship form. We all have hectic lives and, sometimes, being able to have a form in front of them is the very thing that reminds your friends to support you.
Shout about it – You’re doing a wonderful thing! You’re taking on a huge personal challenge and helping to support thousands of people living with deafblindness across the UK while you do it! But, how are people going to know you’re fundraising for Deafblind UK if you don’t tell them? Social media is a great tool for spreading the word about your fundraising, it lets you share your story and your JustGiving page! Why not ask others to share your page to help you reach more people? Hearing all about your training, fundraising, and preparations will inspire, and remind, people to support you. Be proud, be enthusiastic – it’s contagious!
Make it tangible – A great way to help your sponsors see how their contribution will make a difference is to show them what their donation could pay for. Here are some examples:
- £10 could pay for someone to receive a year’s printed subscription to our deafblind-friendly magazine, Open Hand
- £20 could pay for a one-hour technical support session, helping someone to reconnect with the world
- £40 could pay for two months of weekly befriending calls to give someone much-needed companionship
- £50 could give someone a counselling session with our trained therapists, to help them process their sight and hearing loss
Set yourself a target – Setting yourself a target can help bring a focus to your fundraising; you may choose to set your sights on raising enough to pay for 6, 12 or even 24 months of befriending calls for example. Whatever you decide, you’ll be surprised how many of your friends and family will rally behind your challenge to help you achieve your goal!
Gift Aid! – Did you know that you can increase the amount of a sponsor’s donation by 25% at no extra cost to them? Any UK tax payer can tick the Gift Aid box for the extra contribution to be added from the government. £10 can turn into £12.50, and £50 can turn into £62.50! It’s easy to see how much of a difference that can make to the people we support so remind your sponsors to tick the Gift Aid box if they’re eligible. It’s a no-brainer!
The ‘see, I told you I’d do it!’ stage – Did you know that about 20% of sponsorship is donated after an event? Remember to do one last ask around just after you’ve completed your challenge. You might be surprised by a few late donations!
Say thank you! – Saying thank you is one of the most important parts of your fundraising! Be sure to say thank you to each of your generous supporters, whether it’s a phone call, a text, or a shout out on social media. If your sponsors use JustGiving, ask them to leave their name when they donate so that you can properly thank them. A thank you goes a long way!