Photo: Chris Economides & Mai Marley    A few weeks back, I had the absolute pleasure of visiting one of the Localgiving groups in Wales, Barry Beavers Disabled Swimming club. The purpose of the visit was to hear more about the club’s fundraising aims, the amazing work it does in the community and to help the team make the most of its Localgiving account. Barry Beavers was founded 40 years ago and provides qualified instruction using the Halliwick Concept in reaching swimming therapy to disabled swimmers of all ages and disabilities. The club is certainly making a huge impact in the community as it continues to grow and it now has a team of 20+ volunteers and 75 swimmers. Therefore it has been essential that Barry Beavers has had success with its online fundraising to ensure its future financial sustainability. The club joined Localgiving in 2017 and so far has benefitted from four Magic Little Grants and ongoing fundraising support. It has used its main project page for regular donations and has benefitted from support from the Wales Programme; to set up crowdfunding appeals which have attracted match funding.  Barry Beavers Chair, Chris Economides, showed enormous pride and passion when he spoke about why the club is so successful “to put it simply, everyone gets along so well. We welcome all disabled swimmers into our community and our two main aims are simple: water safety and happiness. Swimmers can attend the club for leisure, fun; to compete in the galas or a combination of all those things and one of the huge benefits swimmers get is the strong sense of belonging and to feel connected during these uncertain and often isolating times is so important”. One of the trustees, Mai Marley added “getting together during Covid-19 has been tough but we have come back stronger. The people involved are gorgeous and I have made many friends having been here since 2017. Gala days are the best days ever as competitions are a great way of building people’s self-esteem and we have a lot of fun along the way!” The club incorporates fun and games into their lessons so that everyone feels included and can benefit from being in the water. The lessons are open to all children and adults in the area who have a disability or long-term health condition and alongside the swim sessions, water therapy is also offered. When asked about the support the club has received from Localgiving, Chris said: “Localgiving has proved a great benefit to Barry Beavers. The staff at Localgiving are always available to give help and advice on funding initiatives. Barry Beavers has been able to receive substantial funding due to our membership – it is well worth joining”. Barry Beavers is just one of the 450 not for profit groups that Localgiving has supported in Wales benefitting from: a year’s free membership, grants, match funding and mentoring in how to crowdfund. If your group is in Wales and would like free, digital fundraising advice, please email: amy@localgiving.org. To find out more about Barry Beavers Disabled Swimming club, to offer some time as a volunteer or to make a donation to the club, click here.

Over the course of the pandemic, access to green spaces has become increasingly important. People are recognising the benefits of connecting with nature, growing their own food and the positive impact being in the great outdoors has on your mental well-being. Sadly, according to data from The Office of National Statistics, 1 in 8 households in the UK did not have access to a garden during the pandemic; with people from ethnic minorities being even more adversely affected and black people in particular are four times less likely to have access to a garden. This growing disparity has prompted a rise in the number of community gardens being created across the UK and they are looking fantastic just like Erw Dewi/Dewi’s acre in St. Davids, Pembrokeshire. EcoDewi, a community environmental group focused on the St Davids Peninsula, joined the Crowdfund Wales Programme back in March to raise some much needed cash for their new community garden – Erw Dewi. Jeremy Wadia (Co-founder) approached Localgiving as he had little previous experience of online fundraising but had a clear vision for a disused plot of land by St Davids Cathedral which they had started to cultivate. Working in collaboration with the Cathedral, the group had 3 clear aims to raise money for: building a potting shed, producing a wildlife pond to increase biodiversity and transforming some land with a large laurel bush into a jungle play area for children. All in all some fantastic ideas, but they couldn’t do it without more money in the pot and the time and commitment of local volunteers. The target that EcoDewi set was £2000 hoping that they would raise £1750 independently and then unlock their matchfunding grant of £250 along the way. After joining the programme, the first thing they did was talk through how it would all work and make sure that there was time and resource in place to promote the appeal. The page had to stand out from the competition and really connect with the community. Jeremy decided to produce a short video to add to the appeal page, describing the work that needed to be done and specifically what the money raised would go towards. The next thing we discussed was how to make the best use of both personal and professional networks to promote the campaign and to reach out to donors. Jeremy decided that a longer running time would work better to allow for some events that were taking place where he could actively promote the project and where there was already buy-in. They smashed their target and the appeal is now closed but it has moved across to a project page so that they can continue to keep their generous donors up to date with news about the garden and they can also upload new photos to show how things are progressing. Along the way, EcoDewi was awarded a Magic Little Grant, distributed by Localgiving and funded by the players of People’s Postcode Lottery but it was decided early on that this money would not specifically go towards the garden but would encourage people to take part in additional activities to further enhance biodiversity in the area. The cause chosen was their Mini Meadows project which aims to encourage local residents and organisations to reduce grass mowing regimes and allow areas to grow and develop into small wildflower meadows. As part of this project, EcoDewi gives participants a recycled wooden blue heart, inspired by the Blue Campaign’s effort to re-wild Britain’s gardens. The Magic Little Grant covered the marketing and materials needed to get this off the ground across the St. Davids Peninsula. So far so good for EcoDewi, having raised a total of £3,438 and now promoting regular donations to ensure their work is funded into the future. To find out more about the Crowdfund Wales Programme, click here.          

One of the Crowdfund Wales Programme’s newest members, Cardiff and Vale Scouts, has used a blended approach to their fundraising to raise much needed cash. Area Commissioner Julian Jordan approached Localgiving as he was keen to start to raise money online but realised that for the first appeal, the sum would be high as it was focussed on a refurbishment of the toilets on the Jubilee Camp Site. The grand total that the group is hoping to raise is £20,000 which they thought would be difficult through online fundraising alone. What was important from the outset however was that all the money raised was in one place and that the ask was specific and set across a limited period of time not only to create a sense of urgency but also so that the fundraiser did not become too onerous a task to monitor and manage. By using a blended approach and adding off-line donations, it is easy to monitor the progress of a campaign and to make it completely transparent for the public. The text on appeals can be changed throughout so you can update on the appeal page how close you are to your target and change images if you wish. The toilets on the Jubilee campsite are not adequate for today’s hygiene standards and with the introduction of additional Covid-19 safety measures; they would not have been fit for purpose for the number of scouts that will use the site. Julian and his colleagues decided to create a short video make this appeal eye-catching and to demonstrate the need. Recognising the importance of starting an appeal with cash in the pot, Julian quickly decided that this was going to have to be a mixture of on and off-line donations. The Scouts had already received a grant which would go some way towards the refurbishment, so they were able to launch the appeal with a £10,000 donated offline. Psychologically, when potential donors click on the link to an appeal, they are far more likely to give to a cause where they can see other donations have been made. Also, £10,000 does not seem so daunting for anyone who sees a high total wonders what impact their small donation would have. Julian also applied for a Magic Little Grant from Localgiving for CCTV for the site which he was successful in obtaining. On the Crowdfund Wales Programme, once a group has reached £1750, they can unlock their match funding grant of £250 and the Scouts were able to do this quickly due to dedicated time set aside at the start of the appeal for promotion. In fact, Julian not only did Julian post his progress on social media frequently but he also sent the link via a newsletter and ensured there was coverage in the local press – this all helped to give the appeal the boost it needed. The Scouts are making excellent progress and only need to raise a further £2,283 in the next 44 days to reach their £20,000 target. To read more about appeal and to donate, click here.  

Last April, Captain Sir Tom Moore raised an astounding £38.9 million for the NHS Covid-19 appeal by walking 100 laps around his garden. To honour him and his legacy of incredible achievements, the Captain Tom 100 is taking place on the weekend of 30th April 2021 (which marks what would have been his 101st birthday). Everyone is invited to take on a challenge based around the number 100 anytime and anywhere across Captain Tom’s birthday weekend (30th April – 3rd May) to raise money for good causes. As the weather’s getting warmer and we ease further out of lockdown, many people will be looking to get busy fundraising for the charities they care about. To involve your supporters in this campaign, all you need to do is:   Copy this fundraising signup link:https://localgiving.org/fundraisers  Add the link to your website and email signature. Share it on your organisation’s social media accounts and in your email newsletters. Encourage your supporters to celebrate Captain Tom’s life and legacy by taking part in the Captain Tom 100 challenge on behalf of your organisation. Remind supporters to include “Captain Tom 100” in their fundraiser title when setting up their page so that they’re included on our campaign page. Ask your supporters to share their fundraising page links, photos, and videos on social media with the #CaptainTom100 hashtag. Our blog post here gives some great inspiration for creative 100-based challenges - feel free to share it!    Thank your fundraisers directly via the ‘My Fundraisers’ section within your Localgiving account to spur them on to success! Make sure to thank your new and returning donors in the ‘My Donations’ menu too. Don’t forget to give a shout out to your fundraisers on social media by sharing their page, tagging @Localgiving and using the #CaptainTom100 hashtag.   Localgiving will be including an additional £100 prize for the fundraiser with the highest number of unique donors. The prize will go directly to the top fundraiser’s selected charity so make sure to share your fundraising signup link and your supporters’ pages on your website, on social media, and in your email newsletters right through until May 4th! If your organisation is not yet registered with Localgiving and would like to join and participate, you can do so here. The COVID-19 pandemic has had such a devastating effect on many charities, leading to the cancellation of thousands of events and so much financial loss. During this devastating time, Captain Tom took on his walking challenge to offer his support and, as a result of this, inspired the world. You can see our leaderboard of participating fundraisers and donate to them here.  

Every charity, fundraiser and individual is invited to participate in the Captain Tom 100  (#CaptainTom100) taking place between the 30th April 2021-3rd May 2021 (which marks the weekend that Captain Tom would have turned 101). To participate, you will need some creative and fun 100 inspired challenge ideas so we have decided to make this easier for you by coming up with 100 of them to help you get those creative juices flowing! We have however selected our 10 top favourite ideas!   Walk 100 laps/miles/steps Learn 100 dance moves Bake 100 cupcakes Tell 100 jokes Juggle for 100 minutes Host a 100 question quiz Build 100 sandcastles Sing for 100 minutes Carry out 100 good deeds Make 100 cocktails Don’t forget to set up your fundraising page on Localgiving here to allow plenty of time for your donors to support you in the run up to the big challenge and provide you with a better chance of winning the additional £100 prize for the best fundraiser, which will be provided by Localgiving. To find out more about the Captain Tom 100, please click here. Oh alright then, here is the full list of 100 ideas to get you started... Walk 100 laps/miles/steps Run 100km  Go for 100 runs Climb 100 stairs Cycle 100km Learn 100 dance moves Dance for 100 minutes Swim 100 laps of a pool Do 100 push ups Do 100 pull ups Go on a 100km hike Hop 100 times Play tennis for 100 minutes Play football for 100 minutes Play golf for 100 minutes Play squash for 100 minutes Lift weights for 100 minutes Do 100 burpees Do 100 keepie uppies 100 star jumps Do 100 squats Do 100 leg presses Do 100 yoga positions Do 100 hula hoops Do 100 trampoline bounces Do a plank for 100 seconds  Go for 100 dog walks Throw and catch a ball 100 times without dropping it  Bake 100 biscuits Bake 100 cupcakes Make 100 cocktails Make 100 cups of coffee or tea  Eat 100 grapes Eat 100 of something else Drink 100 of something Flip 100 pancakes Cook 100 meals 100m egg and spoon race Balance something for 100 seconds Knit 100 items Tell 100 jokes 100 minute silence Speak for 100 minutes Sing for 100 minutes Write 100 poems or letters Juggle for 100 minutes Learn to say something in 100 different languages Take 100 photographs Build 100 sandcastles Write a 100 word story Draw something in 100 seconds Create a 100 second video Second 100 messages  Host a 100 question quiz Plant 100 seeds Paint 100 of something Give away 100 likes on social media Follow 100 people on social media Meditate for 100 minutes Create 100 different outfits Do 100 puzzles Finish a new puzzle in under 100 minutes Pick up 100 pieces of rubbish Donate 100 items Cut off 100cm of hair Share 100 positive affirmations Play a board game for 100 minutes Play chess for 100 minutes Start a 100 minute twitch stream Watch 100 episodes of your favourite show Dress in 100 different fancy dress outfits Send 100 postcards Read 100 books Read for 100 minutes Host a virtual party for 100 people Host a virtual yoga class for 100 people  Host a virtual comedy night for 100 people  Host a virtual pub quiz for 100 people Carry out 100 good deeds Build something with 100 lego bricks Create a song 100 minutes long Create a 100 track playlist  Clean for 100 minutes Do laundry for 100 minutes Rearrange your house for 100 minutes Don’t touch the floor for 100 minutes Smile for 100 minutes  Act out a scene for 100 minutes Learn 100 songs on an instrument Watch 100 documentaries Learn 100 new facts Create a 100 minute podcast Give 100 compliments Tell the truth for 100 minutes Say yes for 100 minutes Build 100 paper aeroplanes Do volunteer work for 100 minutes Design a whole website in 100 minutes Garden for 100 minutes Attend a 100 minute lecture  Happy fundraising!  

  The Crowdfund Wales Programme is now well underway with 13 organisations receiving support with their digital fundraising appeals and they are working hard to reach their £1750 target to unlock the match funding from Localgiving. Programme members are benefitting from 1:1 mentoring sessions to ensure their appeals are planned and promoted well and fundraising messages are reaching far and wide through the their networks and beyond. Here is what Small World Theatre said about the programme: “We have received the right advice for our company so we can engage with the public on a local level as well as giving our supporters who live further afield the opportunity to donate. Localgiving offers marketing support and online tools to help with fundraising. It's been great to meet with Amy on Zoom and chat through ideas.  Thank you!”   No time like the present You might be thinking that now is not a good time to start a fundraising appeal, setting your sights on the summer months when we have hopefully transitioned out of lockdown and are moving into the nicer weather and more outdoor activity – this could be a big mistake! In the world of online fundraising, December and the build up to Christmas always does well in terms of appeals. People are feeling more generous at this time of year and it is the season synonymous with giving! However, spring is the season of re-birth, hope and anticipation for the year. April is the start of the financial year and when people generally start to get their finances in order, not to mention that at the beginning of the month, people will have just been paid. At the moment, during the UK-wide lockdown, we are all online a lot more as we are stuck in their houses. Whilst the pandemic has hit many people hard, resulting in higher levels of unemployment and less disposable income for many, for other people general expenditure has decreased and therefore people are happy to give to those in need. A report published in October 2020 from Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), showed that “between January and June 2020, the public donated a total of £5.4 billion to charity – an increase of £800 million compared to the same period in 2019”. If you are still determined to hold off until the summer, consider this first - how many other local groups may have the same idea as you? These are your direct competitors who will also be planning their outdoor fundraising events and reaching out to your potential donors at the same time. In addition to this, the potential audience for your fundraising messages may be reduced with people making plans with friends and family in the warm weather; no longer sitting in front of their devices ready to click and give. According to recent data from Statista, there are 46.6 million daily internet users in the UK. Think about these people being a captive audience right now – these are your potential donors and also the promotors of your fundraising messages!    Winning formula for appeals So now you have reconsidered the timing of your fundraising campaign, here are some top tips to consider when appealing to the masses and to make it easier for you, they all start with a ‘P’: Make sure your purpose for fundraising is clear. Convey your passion for the cause and ensure people connect with it. People generally need to feel an empathic connection with their donation so ensure you are clear about what you need money for and how their donation will make a difference Never underestimate the need to plan. Tying your launch in with a key date in the diary and segmenting off your network into donors, promoters and potential fundraisers all takes time. The more you plan for your appeal, the more it will pay off Work on your publicity and your press releases. Have you read the local papers lately? They are a bit light on news due to less general activity so now is a great time to get your appeal in the papers. Online versions can have a direct link to your Localgiving donation page too which is an added bonus Be proactive. You will have good days and bad days when it comes to donations so ensure you are promoting your successes and thanking your donors publicly for their support Don’t forget to praise yourself on your efforts. You can segment your appeal into key target milestones and this is psychologically beneficial as it breaks down your total into achievable chunks.   If you are a not-for-profit group in Wales and would like to take advantage of the Crowdfund Wales Programme - receiving more advice about your online fundraising and with the offer of £250 match funding when you have reached your target, you can get in touch with me here.

In the beautiful Welsh coastal town of Goodwick in Pembrokeshire, porpoises have become the hot topic in the community and with Localgiving’s support; one project has been making waves with its online fundraising efforts…   Sea Trust Wales which was the first organisation to join the new Crowdfund Wales Programme, has cause to celebrate this week as in the first five days since setting up their Porpoise Project Appeal with Localgiving, they have raised over £2000 and have unlocked their match funding of £250! Sea Trust Wales is a marine conservation charity based in Pembrokeshire, which focusses on redressing imbalances in ecosystems in the sea and more generally, conserving marine life. Due to the current restrictions, the Catch and Release Aquarium has been closed to the public and some of the vital work of the Trust cannot be undertaken, having a significant effect on the Trust’s fundraising. However, Holly Dunn, a Project Officer for Sea Trust, didn’t let this dampen her spirits and decided to turn to the community and online fundraising to generate some much needed funds.   “As a team, we didn’t have much experience of online fundraising before, we had a donate button but didn’t realise how generous people would be and how much we could increase the profile of the work that we do…we have been overwhelmed by the support of the local community!”   A group of extremely committed volunteers, led by Holly, work on the Porpoise ID Project.  The project is vital for monitoring the health of the marine environment as porpoises are one of the UK’s top marine predators so studying them tells the team a lot about the state of the sea. If porpoise populations decline in UK waters, there would be a huge impact on the food chain, therefore monitoring  is vital to ensure the entire marine eco system in Wales does not become imbalanced. Holly added: “It’s not just the porpoises that benefit from what we are doing; it has a huge impact on the local area offering opportunities for volunteers to help with the data gathering and to understand more about our local marine life. We could not run this project without the backing of our community and we have heard that giving back and being involved in something so rewarding is having a positive impact on people’s mental health during this difficult time”.  If you know of a charity or community group in Wales that might benefit from our Crowdfund Wales Programme or who would like support with their online fundraising generally, please contact our Wales Development Manager: amy@localgiving.org   For Sea Trust Wales, this is very much the start of their online fundraising journey and it is hoped that once their appeal target is reached, people will continue to make regular donations so Holly and the team can continue to protect the health of the seas. To donate to the Porpoise Project Appeal, click here and you can also follow the success of the appeal on Twitter and Facebook.

#Square Meals Square Food Foundation is a cookery school and community kitchen in Bristol that supports adults and children across the city to access, cook, and eat good food. In their eyes, cooking is a vehicle for personal development which helps build resilience - it addresses challenges people face which stem from poverty, disability, or other circumstances beyond their control. The Foundation operates both as a Community Interest Company and as a Charity – offering paid cooking masterclasses and corporate workshops to subsidise their work with schools and community groups. They also apply to various trusts and foundations to secure grant funding for both core costs and specific projects. Before the impacts of COVID-19 began to be felt, Square Food Foundation was already working with children and families from local school Oasis Academy Connaught, where the majority of children are eligible for free school meals. The programme of weekly family workshops, teacher training, whole class cooking sessions, and an after-school cooking club aimed to improve health, provide skills, and build community resilience from the bottom up.  Not only did lockdown mean that all of Square Food’s services were suspended indefinitely, but associated school closures left stranded those families that usually rely on free school meals to feed their children.  Faced with an increased demand for access to healthy food, the Foundation’s management team sat down and worked out how they could adapt their services to serve their community.  Taking on furloughed chefs as volunteers, they stocked their kitchen with two rotating teams of professionals, capable of producing over 270 meals a day, distributed in partnership with Oasis Academy Connaught, to 54 local families. They also devised a system of DIY meal kits and online cook-along videos to provide families with an extra meal and a fun activity to bring them together at the weekend, engaging groups who may otherwise have been reluctant to ask for help. How to plan an appeal Claire Allen, Square Food’s fundraising and communications manager, began by setting up The #SquareMeals Appeal on Localgiving, and documented the work of their staff and volunteers on social media and in their email newsletter. “Until recently, our online fundraising presence has been minimal - we’ve used Localgiving more as a payment platform than as a fundraising tool. To maximise support for our #SquareMeals appeal, we knew we had to spread the word as widely as possible - setting up a page on Localgiving that was separate from our broader organisation page, and that we could add images to has helped position the appeal as its own project - and encouraged people to support.” At the beginning of this process, Claire got in touch with the Localgiving Help Desk team to find out whether she could leverage the contact details which past donors on the platform had consented to share with them. The Help Desk team walked her through the process of configuring and downloading a marketing report from within the Foundation’s account which she then used to expand the reach of her newsletter. “Having easy access to real people has been so valuable. Our workload is busier than ever right now and the super-quick turnaround, personal response and considered advice from Localgiving’s Help Desk team has made a real difference.” Their message was simple – for as long as they could, the Square Food team would be working flat-out to help their community access the food they needed – and they made it as easy as possible for potential donors to support them in their work by directing them to their Localgiving page. They received widespread local news coverage after sending out press releases to journalists and were featured in the Bristol Evening Post, Bristol 24/7, and on BBC News. Donors on Localgiving are directly encouraged to share the details of the causes they support with their own networks via a social media ‘Share’ button built into the donation process, further increasing the online reach of any organisation on the platform. Results Since launching their appeal on March 20th, Square Food Foundation has raised over £21,770 on Localgiving from over 590 donors, supplemented by £3475 worth of Gift Aid. That figure represents a 15x increase on total donations received in 2019, when their organisation raised just over £1600 on Localgiving. Square Food raises in the region of £4000 offline from their paid masterclasses and workshops on a yearly basis – a revenue stream which has been put on hold for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis. Thanks to their appeal's success, they have attracted new supporters by direct debit who will be contributing over £150 each month on an ongoing basis. Further to that, they received support from their local network – The Better Food Company raised close to £1200 on the Foundation’s behalf and provided an additional £1000 of match funding. “Localgiving has made it as easy as possible for people to support our #SquareMeals mission - and this is borne out by the incredible number of donations we’ve received from our supporters.”   All of this culminated in the high point of their campaign – a single supporter approached Square Food Foundation after having heard about their work from a friend who had donated to their online appeal. They offered to match the money raised during their campaign up to a maximum of £10,000 to help expand the Foundation’s services more widely across Bristol. “The offer of match-funding came out of nowhere and really blew us away. It’s the first time we’ve received this level of support and it felt like an important milestone for Square Food Foundation.”  What’s next for Square Food Foundation? Whilst the future of many organisations is uncertain, they intend to maintain their current rate of meal production to help families in need through to September, by which time resumption of free school meals is expected. They want to build new partnerships with schools in Bristol, modelled on their ongoing relationship with Oasis Academy Connaught – these organisations form a vital link with the communities the Foundation aims to help. What advice would the team at Square Food Foundation offer to other organisations hoping to raise funds online? “We kept our message simple, made our work easy to understand, and kept our audience updated with regular, engaging communications. We knew they were rooting for us and we wanted to say thank you by providing them with pictures, videos and daily updates so they could see for themselves the impact of their support.”  There you have it – a recipe for success.   You can find out more about Square Food's work here or donate to the #SquareMeals Appeal on Localgiving.   

During these testing times, we have seen a significant increase in the number of crowdfunding appeals being set up by charities using our platform. We’ve also seen an incredible response from the general public - with an increase of over 300% in the donations we are processing through the platform. Many charities and community groups are currently facing an increase in demand for their services or a threat to their long-term existence. Setting up a crowdfunding appeal can be a great way to gain financial support and awareness for your great work.  If you set up a crowdfunding appeal please let us know and we’ll add your appeal to our campaign page, which you can see here: https://localgiving.org/campaign/covid-19/ If you aren’t already a Localgiving member, you can sign up here and we will set up a personal fundraising advice call once you are live. We’ve outlined our top 10 tips for running a crowdfunding appeal in response to the challenges faced by coronavirus below. Setting up the campaign 1. Make it specific Be detailed about the costs you need to cover in order to avoid cutting back the services you provide. These should be reflected in your words, the targets and the timescale that you set for your appeal. Provide examples of exactly what a donation could achieve. We are seeing a significant number of high value donations. Use £50, £100 and £250 as examples. Think about a stretched target. If you are successful in reaching your fundraising target, have a larger target in mind so that you can build on your fundraising momentum. 2. Make it emotive  Use a photo or video that shows the work that you do or the people that you support. Use terminology that makes the donor sound like the hero. Make your wording reflect this e.g. 'because of you, the most vulnerable people can stay safely in their homes during this concerning time'. Outline how time-sensitive your need is during this crisis. Pre-launch  3. Identify how you will reach out to your networks  Bring your team together via phone or video conference software, like Zoom, and identify all of the networks who you can promote your appeal to. Your networks may include: current donors, family/friends of service users, supporters of partner organisations, local media, social media supporters, community leaders, peer organisations, and other groups in your local community. Decide what your call to action is for each network (e.g. donate to us, share our appeal with your friends and family etc.) and the channel (e.g. email, phone, social media etc.) via which you will reach out to them. 4. Secure initial donations before your public launch Most people will be more likely to give to an appeal that has already received some support. We find that the tipping point for success is 20% of the way to the overall target.  When you launch your appeal, reach out to your inner circle of supporters and ask them to help you create a solid base of donations which will give you a leg-up on your overall target. Launch 5. Get everyone to launch the campaign together Bring together everyone closely involved in your organisation (e.g. staff, volunteers, trustees, service users etc.) and ask them to all promote the campaign via their social media channels at the same time. 6. Update your website and social media  Don’t forget to add the web address for your appeal to your website, social media and email signature. Why not reach out to any popular websites that your local community uses and ask if they can add it to their website? Building Momentum 7. Review your progress regularly It is important to review your progress. Create a fundraising team and catch up every day. Review what has worked and what hasn’t, identifying what to continue and what to improve. Most importantly - celebrate your successes with your wider team!  Use these reviews to keep people updated on the progress of your appeal as you reach significant milestones (e.g. 50% of the target or 7 days left to donate). 8. Thank donors quickly  Once someone donates they become a key stakeholder in your campaign. Ensure their buy-in by thanking them quickly and guide them to the next level of involvement.  Invite them to follow you on social media for further updates on your appeal progress. Ask them to share your appeal link on their own social media channels. Donor care 9. Turn donors into ambassadors Consider which of your supporters can help you drive momentum by counting down to the deadline and shouting when you get close to the target. Keep them up to date on anything going on behind the scenes and try to make them feel like part of the team - they’ll want to pitch in and champion your cause. 10. Turn donors into long-term supporters  After building up a relationship with these donors through your appeal updates, consider asking them to make a monthly donation to your organisation. The disruptive impact of COVID-19 is likely to affect the economy, your community and the services that you provide for longer than the current period of social distancing in place.  Regular donations will help to secure your organisation’s future and help broaden awareness of your work. We hope that these tips can help you set up and deliver an excellent crowdfunding campaign. Remember, if you set up a crowdfunding appeal please let us know and we’ll add your appeal to our campaign page, which you can see here: https://localgiving.org/campaign/covid-19/ If you aren’t already a Localgiving member, you can sign up here and we will set up a personal fundraising advice call once you are live. Good luck with your fundraising!

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, we understand that traditional fundraising techniques might be more difficult to carry out. We encourage our members to be safe and stay well by adhering to all of the safety precautions and advice set out by the government. You should keep up to date with official government advice here. Spring is a time that the majority of charities depend on for donations through fundraising pages, due to the large number of running events. In response to the coronavirus they need your support now more than ever. As we are currently operating in a challenging and uncertain environment, and given that many fundraising events have been cancelled or postponed to ensure the safety of the fundraisers, we have outlined some fun and coronavirus-appropriate fundraising ideas below! 1. Donate your commuteFor those of us who are lucky enough to be able to work from home, we sure are saving a lot of money from our commute! Whether it be your train, tube, bus or petrol fees, this could make a huge difference to communities in difficult circumstances. Why not donate your weekly travel costs and ask your friends and family to do the same to a great cause that needs support? 2. Personal exercise challengesYou can still get outdoors to challenge yourself and your fitness levels while practicing social distancing! Set yourself a walking, running or biking target - from a 5k to a full marathon. You could even get creative with this and do a squat challenge in your garden (just make sure that you’re keeping your distance!) 3. ReadathonNow that you finally have enough spare time to read those books that have been piling up on your bedside table, why not set yourself an ambitious goal of reading 10 books in 60 days? Or whatever duration of time you think is feasible but still challenging (and no cheating, we expect reviews afterwards of which books you enjoyed the most and how you’re a changed person with new broadened horizons!) 4. Virtual pub quiz or games nightHost a virtual pub quiz or even a video games tournament with a suggested donation to participate! There are plenty of video chat websites and apps such as Skype, Zoom, Google Hangouts or Facetime. Or you could even use specific apps that allow you to video chat and play games simultaneously such as House Party to help unleash your competitive side! 5. Give up something for 30 days!We all have our vices - whether it be chocolate, fizzy drinks, coffee, alcohol, your phone or using social media. Ask for family and friends to donate to your cause by supporting you in your new healthier lifestyle! Fundraising for a good cause and cultivating better habits - what more could you ask for? (Hint: it’s harder than you think to avoid those biscuits when you’re spending so much time at home!) 6. Donate your coffeeIf like the rest of us you’re guilty of spending too much money on your morning coffee from Pret or Starbucks, you’ll be much better off financially during lockdown! Why not work out the amount that you would spend on your daily or weekly coffee and donate this to help a struggling organisation? 7. MoviethonThis one is perfect for raising funds whilst being stuck inside! With unlimited access to a plethora of films and shows on Netflix and Amazon Prime, you can set yourself a 24 hour (or even 48 hour if you’re feeling confident) challenge to get through as many movies as you can! Power through the sleep deprivation for those donations. 8. Online talent competition With a suggested entry fee to the competition and encouraging all different sorts of talent (we’re talking singing, dancing, acting, painting, stand-up comedy, hula-hooping for hours, making a routine with your dog), you’re all set for an evening of hilarity! Spread the word (virtually) and afterwards you can get everyone to send in their scores on a Google Doc! 9. Dye your hair/beard a crazy colourSet yourself a fundraising target and let your supporters know that once this target has been reached, you’ll dye your hair or beard a crazy colour! One of our favourite fundraisers previously dyed his beard multicoloured and everyone who donated got to choose a different colour that went into the mix! Find some inspo here (Don’t worry - if you’re not ready for such an extreme makeover, you could just grow it out until the end of social isolation!) 10. Send personalised thank you messagesWant a unique way to encourage donations? Ensure that every donor is thanked in a distinctive and personalised way by getting your loved ones involved in the thank you messages. Send your donors a special song written by your nephews, a piece of artwork created by your daughter or even a dance performance performed by your niece - the ways of saying thank you are endless! You can search for a charity supporting your local community through our search engine here. Already know the charity that you’d like to fundraise for? Then sign up as a fundraiser here. Happy fundraising!