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How to Promote a Fundraiser: 15 Strategies for UK Charities (2026)
July 7, 2026
⚡TL;DR — The Short Answer
Promoting a fundraiser for your UK charity takes a clear plan, the right channels, and a few UK-specific mechanics that can lift what you raise considerably.
Build your marketing plan before posting anything: define your audience, set a £ target, and map your campaign to UK moments like Giving Tuesday and the Big Give Christmas Challenge.
Layer Gift Aid into your messaging from the start: a £100 gift becomes £125 to your charity at no extra cost to the donor, with a simple declaration on your donation form.
Add UK trust signals above the fold: registered charity number, Fundraising Regulator badge, and a clear Gift Aid checkbox. UK donors abandon pages that feel like they hide costs.
For raffles sold in advance, register as a small society lottery with your local council before you sell a single ticket.
Keep every pound you raise by using a free platform with no per-ticket fees, no platform fees, and no tipping prompts that embarrass you at checkout.
Promoting your fundraising event effectively is crucial for growing your donations and number of supporters. Developing a solid fundraising plan provides the foundation needed for successful promotion.
In this guide, we walk you through how to build a fundraiser marketing plan from scratch, then share 15 proven tactics to promote your fundraiser with confidence. From creating a compelling theme to using social media, email, and paid ads, these strategies will help your campaign stand out and gain real momentum.
How to build a fundraiser marketing plan (before you post anything)
Jumping straight into social media posts and email blasts without a plan is one of the most common mistakes charities make. A fundraiser marketing plan takes less than an hour to sketch out, but it's the difference between a campaign that gains momentum and one that fizzles after the first week. Here's how to build yours, step by step.
Step 1: Define your target audience
Not everyone is your donor. The more specifically you can describe your ideal supporter, the more effectively every tactic in this article will work.
Ask yourself:
Who has given to causes like ours before?
Are we reaching existing donors, lapsed donors, or cold audiences?
What motivates them: personal connection, community impact, Gift Aid, or social proof?
Create two or three simple donor personas. Even something as basic as "Maria, 45, local business owner who cares about youth education" or "James, 62, retired teacher and regular Give as You Live user" will sharpen your messaging across every channel.
Step 2: Set specific, measurable goals
"Raise as much as possible" is not a goal. A marketing plan needs a target to work backward from.
Define:
A fundraising goal (e.g., £12,000 in donations by 15 December, plus £3,000 in reclaimed Gift Aid, for a £15,000 total to the charity)
A donor acquisition goal (e.g., 40 first-time donors)
Having layered goals means you can diagnose what's working mid-campaign and adjust before it's too late.
Step 3: Craft your core message and positioning
Before you write a single email subject line or social caption, nail down your campaign's central narrative. Donors don't give to organisations; they give to outcomes.
Your core message should answer three questions:
1.What problem are we solving? (Be specific: "stock the local foodbank for 300 families this winter" beats "fight hunger".)
2.Why now? (Urgency and relevance increase conversion.)
3.What does a donor's gift actually do? (Translate amounts into tangible impact: "£50 buys 10 school backpacks, or £62.50 worth with Gift Aid".)
This message becomes the spine of your campaign. It runs through your landing page headline, email subject lines, social posts, and any scripts for trustees or volunteer outreach.
Step 4: Map out your campaign timeline
A fundraiser without a timeline is a fundraiser that gets deprioritised. Work backward from your end date and assign key dates for:
Campaign launch (soft launch to existing donors, then public launch)
Mid-campaign update (share progress, celebrate milestones, re-engage lapsed visitors)
Final push (urgency window, typically the last 48 to 72 hours)
Post-campaign thank-you (within 48 hours of closing)
Anchor your timeline to UK moments where possible: Giving Tuesday (early December), the Big Give Christmas Challenge window, Macmillan Coffee Morning (late September), Red Nose Day/Comic Relief (March), and Remembrance Sunday for veteran or armed-forces causes. Avoid US-only moments such as Thanksgiving or Memorial Day.
Building this into a simple calendar, even a shared spreadsheet, ensures nothing slips through the cracks during a busy campaign period.
Step 5: Allocate your resources (not just budget)
Most charities have a small or zero paid marketing budget, and that's fine. "Budget" in this context means your full resource picture:
Time: Who owns each channel? How many hours per week can you dedicate?
Volunteers and trustees: Can they share posts, make calls, or write personal emails?
Owned channels: Email list size, social following, website traffic. These are assets with real value.
Paid budget (if any): Even £100 to £200 in Facebook or Instagram ads can significantly amplify a campaign with a strong organic foundation.
Knowing your constraints upfront helps you prioritise the tactics below rather than trying to do everything at once.
Your fundraiser marketing plan checklist
Use this before launching any campaign:
[ ] Donor personas defined (at least 2)
[ ] Fundraising goal and secondary goals set (include Gift Aid uplift in your target)
[ ] Campaign timeline mapped with UK calendar moments
[ ] Channels selected based on available resources
[ ] Roles assigned for content creation and outreach
With this foundation in place, every tactic below becomes dramatically more effective because you're executing with intention, not improvisation.
How to craft your fundraiser story and message
A compelling story is one of the most powerful, and most underused, tools in charity marketing. It's not enough to tell people your cause is important. You need to show them what's at stake and why their specific gift changes something specific.
The problem-solution-impact framework
The simplest storytelling structure for fundraiser marketing has three parts:
1.Problem: Open with a real, concrete situation. Not "many families struggle" but "this winter, 300 families in our county won't have enough food for Christmas." Specificity creates emotional proximity.
2.Solution: Introduce your organisation as the bridge. What do you do, and how does it directly address the problem? Keep this tight, one or two sentences.
3.Impact: Close with the transformation. What does life look like after your organisation steps in? Ground it in numbers when you can: "Last year, we delivered 4,200 meals. This campaign, we're aiming for 6,000."
This framework works in every format: email subject lines, social captions, landing page headlines, and trustee talking points.
Make the donor the hero
One of the most effective shifts you can make in your fundraiser messaging is to reframe the donor's role. Your organisation is not the hero; your donor is. You're offering them the opportunity to create a specific outcome they care about.
Instead of: "Our charity helps feed families in need."
Try: "Your £40 puts a full Christmas dinner on the table for a family who'd otherwise go without."
This framing is more personal, more motivating, and far more likely to convert a reader into a donor.
Translate pounds into outcomes
Donors are more likely to give when they can see exactly what their money does. Build a simple gift ladder for your campaign:
£25 = one week of after-school supplies for a child
£50 = one month of tutoring sessions
£100 = a full term of reading support
Include this on your campaign page, in your emails, and in any social posts asking for donations. It removes ambiguity and makes every gift feel meaningful, regardless of the amount.
Layer in Gift Aid
If your charity is HMRC-recognised, Gift Aid is one of the highest-leverage single lines you can add to a UK campaign page. Eligible UK taxpayers can tick a Gift Aid declaration so your charity reclaims 25p per £1 from HMRC. A £100 gift becomes £125 to your charity at no extra cost to the donor. (HMRC Gift Aid guidance)
A few important limits: Gift Aid does not apply to raffle tickets, event tickets sold at fair value, or auction lots. Higher-rate and additional-rate taxpayers can claim the difference between the basic rate and their own rate through Self Assessment. But for the vast majority of your donors, a Gift Aid checkbox on your donation form is essentially free money for your cause.
Frame it plainly in your campaign copy: "With Gift Aid, your £100 gift is worth £125 to us, at no extra cost to you."
How to build a high-converting fundraiser landing page
Your campaign page is where all your promotion efforts land. If it doesn't convert visitors into donors, the best social strategy in the world won't save your campaign. Here's what separates high-performing fundraiser pages from forgettable ones.
Add UK trust signals above the fold
Before your headline even does its job, UK donors scan for signals that your charity is legitimate. Display your registered charity number (searchable on the Charity Commission for England and Wales, OSCR for Scotland, or CCNI for Northern Ireland), your Fundraising Regulator registration statement if you have one, and a clear Gift Aid declaration checkbox. Avoid any aggressive tipping prompt. UK donors are acutely aware of hidden platform costs, and they will abandon a page that feels like it's adding charges without permission.
Write a headline that does real work
Your page headline needs to answer one question in under ten words: "Why should I give, right now?" Weak headlines describe your organisation. Strong headlines describe the outcome.
Weak: "Support the Annual Gala for Community Youth"
Strong: "Help 500 Children Access Art Education This School Year"
Lead with the impact, not the event. Visitors decide in seconds whether to read on.
Structure your page for skimmers
Most visitors won't read every word. Structure your page so someone who skims still gets the full picture:
Hero section: Headline, subheading (who you are and what this campaign does), and a donation CTA button above the fold
Impact section: Your gift ladder, a short impact stat or milestone from past campaigns
Story section: A brief narrative, two or three paragraphs, that puts a human face on the cause
Social proof: A donor count, a progress bar toward your goal, or a short testimonial from a past supporter
Second CTA: Another clear donate button before the footer
Each section serves a different type of visitor. Together, they move people from curiosity to commitment.
Optimise for mobile first
More than half of charity website traffic comes from mobile devices. If your campaign page is hard to navigate on a phone, you're losing donors before they even read your story. Test your page on at least two different phone sizes before launch. Check that your donation button is easy to tap, your text is readable without zooming, and your form doesn't require excessive scrolling.
Zeffy's fundraising pages are built mobile-first, so they're ready to convert from the moment you launch.
Keep your donation form short
Every extra field in a donation form reduces conversion. Ask for only what you need: name, email, donation amount, and payment details. If you want to gather additional data such as a phone number or postal address, make those fields optional, or collect them in a follow-up thank-you email sequence instead.
Under UK GDPR, only collect data you'll actually use, and be clear about how you'll use it. A lean form both converts better and keeps you on the right side of the ICO. A frictionless donation experience keeps the focus where it belongs: on your mission and the donor's decision to support it.
15 strategies to promote your fundraising event
1. Create a theme
Selecting a theme is crucial for consistency when promoting your fundraiser across various channels and attracting donors to your event.
Choose a theme that resonates with your audience, aligns with your fundraising goal, and reflects your mission. A cohesive theme for your fundraiser campaign will help to build a connection with your supporters and set expectations for what they can anticipate.
When promoting the event, include all the essential details to build interest and encourage participation.
Pro tip: Engage your supporters by creating a voting form for theme ideas. This approach generates excitement and ensures your event resonates with your audience. Zeffy's free form builder makes this process simple and effective.
2. Establish your venue and partnerships
A carefully chosen venue complements the theme and objectives of your event and can build excitement and anticipation among potential donors. Opt for a location that aligns with your fundraiser's theme and goal, and prepare compelling content to promote the venue.
Consider the following tips when selecting the perfect venue:
Ensure accessibility for your target audience
Share captivating photos and interesting facts about the location
Use social media, email newsletters, and your event page
Partner with local businesses to promote, sponsor, or attend
Another idea is partnering with local businesses, athletes, musicians, or artists who can help you bring your event to life. By partnering with local venues affiliated with individuals who already have established networks, you can spread the word about your event much more quickly.
Word of mouth is a powerful tool for charities, as it helps build trust and credibility. When someone recommends your cause, it adds significant weight to your mission's message. Encourage your supporters to share their previous positive experiences and excitement on social media so others feel they don't want to miss out.
One of the easiest ways to promote your event is to reach out to your existing donors. We're all more likely to attend an event if someone we know and trust has told us about it. Mention your event in your newsletter, send personalised emails, and message a few donors on social media.
Their genuine support and enjoyment can generate buzz, making others feel they don't want to miss out on a great opportunity. Motivate attendees to post about upcoming events to promote the fundraiser further.
You can also explore an online calendar, social media group, or newsletter to promote your event in your community. These are often free resources for all community members to promote events and other happenings in your area.
How to promote your charity event using email
If you are thinking of reaching out to your donors with an email campaign or newsletter, here are some free email campaign platforms you can use:
Make sure your emails include something along the lines of:
Save the date (3+ months out): Announce the event with a clear call to action to share.
Event details email: Highlight impact, how funds help, and last year's success if applicable.
Reminder email (days before): Include logistics such as location, dress code, and parking, plus a quick action (add to calendar, or donate).
Thank-you email: A must. Show appreciation and share the event's impact.
How to promote your charity event with a phone call
People still answer their phones, especially when they care about your cause. A short five-minute call puts your event on their radar, strengthens relationships, and might even inspire someone to help spread the word. Focus on key supporters: past attendees, major donors, or table sponsors. Follow up with a text or email linking to your event page for easy action.
4. Incentivise your committee
Your hosting committee can be your most significant support in promoting the fundraising event. They're connected to your charity, understand your cause, and share the same passion.
Seize this opportunity to further motivate them by offering enticing incentives. Consider fun reward ideas like gift cards or complimentary tickets.
Creative ways to get your committee involved:
Make it easy: Provide pre-written social posts, graphics, and a content calendar so they know precisely when and what to share.
Recognise their efforts: Feature top promoters in emails, on social media, or even with a small prize for the most ticket sales or shares.
Create a team challenge: A little friendly competition can go a long way. Offer incentives for those who bring in the most attendees or donations.
Leverage event pages and hashtags: Encourage them to share a dedicated event page and use a unique hashtag to track engagement.
Execution phase of your fundraiser
5. Sell event tickets online
Selling tickets online will help you reach a broader audience as you promote your fundraiser. Use a powerful online event ticketing tool to simplify registration for everyone involved.
Most UK small charities running fetes, quiz nights, or gala dinners currently pay Eventbrite (roughly 6.95% plus £0.59 per ticket, plus processing) or stitch Ticket Tailor to a separate donate page. On a £10 fete ticket, those per-ticket fees eat straight into your cause. Zeffy consolidates ticketing, donations, and Gift Aid records into one free platform with no per-ticket fee. See how it compares: Zeffy vs Eventbrite and Zeffy vs Ticket Tailor.
Focus on creating online event pages that are easy to link to and share with supporters.
Create event pages with solid and consistent branding elements, such as a logo, colour palette, and a tagline or mission statement. These visual elements allow supporters to recognise your organisation and build trust over time.
They also help supporters understand the core value behind your organisation and connect with the cause quickly. Images and visual elements create excitement for the event, and you can incorporate inspiring copy to motivate attendees to purchase tickets.
Establish your fundraiser with a press release
A press release makes your event feel official and boosts brand visibility. Local media, including newspapers, radio, and TV, may cover your fundraiser or even offer an interview.
Getting media coverage builds credibility and expands your reach. UK journalists look for both a registered charity number and a Fundraising Regulator statement to verify a story is safe to run.
7. Organise raffles and silent auctions
Silent auctions and online raffles provide additional opportunities for event promotion. Use social media platforms to post hints for attendees about the available auction items.
Exciting items such as signed memorabilia, exclusive artwork, theme park tickets, and local restaurant vouchers can build anticipation for your event. Seek support from local businesses for in-kind raffle and silent auction donations.
Find corporate sponsors or local businesses to supply event items. Focus on items that will capture your audience's interest, such as unique concert tickets or a private dinner with a local celebrity.
UK raffle law: what you need to know
In the UK, most charity raffles sold in advance to the public are legally 'small society lotteries' under the Gambling Act 2005. Before you sell a single ticket, register with your local licensing authority (your district or borough council). Registration costs £40 initially and £20 on annual renewal. Keep proceeds to your cause at 20% or more of ticket sales, cap single draws at £20,000 in ticket sales, and limit any single prize to £25,000. Raffles run entirely at an event, such as a fete draw at the event itself, are 'incidental non-commercial lotteries' and need no registration. Note that Gift Aid never applies to raffle ticket purchases. (Gambling Commission guidance on small society lotteries)
8. Show gratitude
Small gestures of gratitude go a long way, especially for charities that receive donor contributions. Show donors and attendees appreciation to encourage them to return to your fundraiser and become advocates.
Thanking them for their contribution helps strengthen the relationship and build loyalty. Send thank-you letters to create excitement for your event as you approach your fundraising goal.
Outreach for your fundraising event
9. How to promote your fundraiser on Facebook
Use your charity's Facebook page to update followers on upcoming fundraisers and other initiatives regularly. This creates loyalty and repeat attendees. Keep the page active with different updates and use it to promote upcoming fundraising events.
Here are a few best practices to consider when using Facebook for fundraising:
Ask your Facebook supporters to share your fundraiser. This will spread your message to more users and leverage social proof to build trust.
People often accept invites from their friends, as they're more likely to assume an event is worth attending if their friends recommend it. Encourage your followers to share event posts.
Meta Ads Manager lets you target UK supporters by location, interest, and behaviour. Even a modest budget can meaningfully extend your reach.
You can use X (formerly Twitter) to reach out to influencers your local audience follows. Share details about your event, highlighting how it aligns with their interests or previous charitable work.
Research the influencer's interests, values, and previous engagements to craft your personalised message. If their interests align with your cause, ask them to give your organisation or the event a mention.
X's UK charity reach has thinned since 2023, so treat it as a secondary channel rather than your headline social platform. If influencers do share your event, you can still reach a meaningful number of people willing to support your fundraiser.
Instagram is popular among younger generations and caters to people who like a visual platform. Encourage your host committee and supporters to share pictures related to your event.
Use Stories and Reels to create short-form, engaging content, such as behind-the-scenes videos of a project or impact stories. Share sneak-peek videos of the event to engage potential attendees in the lead-up to the fundraiser.
Tip: Create a contest and offer free tickets to the best posts related to your event. Ask participants to tag your charity in the post to let others connect with your organisation. Continually encourage people to use event-related tags and keywords.
12. How to start with paid advertising and Google Ads
Invest in paid ads to spread the word about your fundraiser. The Google Ad Grant gives eligible UK charities £10,000 per month in free search advertising, validated through TechSoup UK. Use clear call-to-action buttons to prompt supporters to join the cause. Link to the event landing page to ensure they have all the necessary information.
13. How to use text messages
SMS marketing is a simple and cost-effective way to promote your event. When people register for your event online, you can ask for their phone number.
Under PECR and UK GDPR, you need clear opt-in consent before sending marketing SMS messages. A bundled tick-box at the point of donation is not sufficient consent. The ICO's 2026 charity soft opt-in guidance covers when existing supporters can be contacted; check it at ico.org.uk before you launch.
Keep your supporters updated with the status of your ticket sales and ask them to remind their friends. Personalise messages using first names to show how crucial their contribution is and how much it means to your charity.
Prefer a regular phone call?
Phone calls don't have to last longer than five minutes, and you can use them to check in on your donors, answer questions, and give them a heads-up about your upcoming fundraising event. They may even offer to help. You don't need to call everyone on your list, but a call will be especially helpful when trying to engage supporters who usually attend your events, make large donations, or reserve tables. After the call, follow up with a text or email linking to your fundraising event's page so donors can buy tickets, donate, and share the link.
14. How to use email to promote your fundraiser
Well-designed, mobile-friendly emails encourage supporters to read all the details about the fundraiser.
Choose charity email templates and customise them to align with your organisation's brand identity. If registration is required for the event, provide a direct link to the registration form in the email. Use email marketing tools to automate reminders and personalise each message to your supporters.
Direct mail marketing is a proven method for engaging donors, sending invites, and sharing your charity's mission. Its tangible nature creates a personalised experience, making it an effective way to promote a fundraising event.
Share the true impact of people's contributions through direct mail to evoke emotion. Incorporate QR codes and a clear call to action for easy event registration.
5 best practices to maximise donations to your fundraiser
1. Find out which platform your target audience uses
Identifying which platforms your core audience is most active on requires a strategic approach. Start by researching popular platforms within your sector.
Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram each cater to specific demographics. For many UK small charities, WhatsApp Communities and local Facebook Groups are doing the heaviest lifting for community fundraising. Track data via your CRM tools, Google Analytics, and social media insights to understand your supporter base. NCVO publishes annual UK voluntary-sector benchmarking reports that are worth consulting.
Create a content calendar
Before randomly posting and sharing anything, create a content calendar to map when you will post what. Include posts that will:
Announce the event and build awareness.
Remind your audience about your event with dates, ticket sale information, and so on.
Social media channels are already great platforms for reaching a large audience. Your charity can promote your Facebook page by targeting specific users filtered through demographics and interests.
Hyper-specific targeting can increase support and donations for your cause. Track your ads to see which types best engage your audiences. Facebook's retargeting ads can increase engagement by reaching people who have visited your charity's website.
3. Embrace influencer marketing on Instagram
Influencer marketing is a great way to make your charity recognisable and build trust. Collaborating with influencers to spread awareness of your mission can make the public passionate about your cause. More awareness and recognition means more people will feel compelled to support your fundraising event. Find an influencer who aligns with your mission to make the most of influencer marketing. Here are some steps to finding the right influencer to collaborate with your charity:
Search for the relevant hashtags and accounts. This will help you reach influencers who may already be speaking about the issues associated with your mission.
Review the influencer's recent posts to see if they can become a positive representative of your charity.
Check their audience demographics, age, and location to determine whether they're appropriate for your mission and cause.
Once you select an ideal influencer, prepare a personalised pitch to connect with them. This would also help them understand your fundraising mission.
4. Ensure your story is compelling
A compelling story has the power to organically raise funds by connecting with the emotions of potential supporters. Compelling storytelling taps into your audience's emotions, building a foundation of trust.
Your story must evoke empathy and create a strong emotional connection to inspire people to contribute and make a difference. Craft a narrative that highlights the impact of your cause and demonstrates the tangible difference supporters can make through their contributions.
For a full storytelling framework you can apply immediately, see the How to craft your fundraiser story and message section above.
5. Use your network
Amplifying your reach is essential, and you don't have to do it alone. Use your network to spread the word and engage more people in your cause. Encourage your volunteers and host committee members to share your message and promote your fundraiser within their influence.
Reach out to supporters and attendees, asking them to give mentions by tagging your organisation in their social media posts or sharing event details.
Remember to connect with local media outlets with a stake in your cause or community, and consider publishing a press release to maximise attention for your fundraiser. In your press release to news media, be sure to include:
Your registered charity number and, if applicable, your Fundraising Regulator registration. UK journalists look for both to verify a story is safe to run.
One example from across the Atlantic shows what switching to a zero-fee platform can mean in practice. Noelle's Gift to Children, an Ontario charity that helps children in Sarnia-Lambton and Chatham-Kent, uses Zeffy's zero-fee fundraising platform for events like its annual gala and 5K run. It has raised over £325,000 for its various fundraisers using Zeffy.
Switching to Zeffy saved them £16,260 in fees, meaning that more money goes directly to helping children. Bryan Cowden, the run's convenor, appreciates that Zeffy is a 100% free fundraising platform that is easy to use and offers all the features they need.
I was shocked. Yeah, I was shocked by the features that you get. Compared to other forms I've used, Zeffy is just amazing. Bryan Cowden
Final thoughts on promoting a fundraiser
Promoting your fundraiser doesn't have to be complicated, and our effective fundraising tips simplify it. Pick the best strategies for your charity and be bold and creative. Your passion is contagious; let it shine through in your promotion strategies.
Creating memorable experiences for your community fosters a sense of connection and inspires them to become advocates for your cause. When supporters feel personally invested, they're more likely to spread the word and contribute meaningfully to your mission.
Zeffy, the only 100% free fundraising platform for UK charities, helps you promote and manage your fundraisers with zero fees. No platform fee, no transaction fee, no credit card fee. More of the money you raise goes straight to your cause, with Gift Aid on top.
Facebook remains the most effective platform for reaching UK donors overall, particularly those aged 40 and above. Instagram works well for younger audiences and visually led campaigns. LinkedIn is valuable for reaching corporate donors and grant-makers. WhatsApp Communities and local Facebook Groups are increasingly important for community-level fundraising. For benchmarking, NCVO publishes annual UK voluntary-sector social media data.
Start with a save-the-date email to your existing supporters at least three months before the event. Follow up with a full event details email highlighting the impact, how funds will be used, and any success from previous campaigns. Post consistently on social media and, where relevant, issue a press release to local media. Anchor your announcement to a UK calendar moment if possible, such as the lead-up to the Big Give Christmas Challenge or Giving Tuesday in early December.
There is no guaranteed formula, but a few things reliably increase organic sharing. A clear, emotionally resonant story is the starting point. Add a progress bar so supporters can see momentum building. Encourage your committee, volunteers, and trustees to share on their own channels. Run an Instagram or Facebook contest tied to the event. And make sure your Gift Aid message is prominent: "your £50 becomes £62.50 for us" is a genuinely shareable fact.
For a major event such as a gala dinner or sponsored run, start promoting at least three months in advance. For smaller events like quiz nights or fetes, six to eight weeks is usually sufficient. Map your timeline to UK fundraising moments: a Christmas appeal should start building in October, a Macmillan Coffee Morning in August, and a Giving Tuesday campaign in mid-November at the latest.
Email your existing supporters first: it costs nothing and converts best. Layer in Gift Aid so every £1 becomes £1.25 to your charity automatically, with no marketing spend required. (HMRC Gift Aid) Ask your committee and volunteers to share on their personal social channels. Apply for the Google Ad Grant, which gives eligible UK charities £10,000 per month in free search advertising via TechSoup UK. And use a free fundraising platform like Zeffy so none of your raised funds go on fees.
Most standard fundraising by a registered charity does not require separate permission beyond your charity registration. There are, however, important exceptions. If you are selling raffle tickets in advance to the public, you will normally need to register as a small society lottery with your local licensing authority under the Gambling Act 2005 (£40 initial, £20 annual renewal). If you are collecting door-to-door or on the street, you will need a house-to-house or street collection licence from your local council. The Fundraising Regulator's Code of Fundraising Practice (effective 1 November 2025) applies to all fundraising, and its new Section 9 covers online platforms specifically. Compliance with the Code is expected of all charities, whether or not you are formally registered with the Fundraising Regulator. For more on raffles, see the Gambling Commission's guidance on small society lotteries.
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Look for people who attend related events, follow relevant Facebook groups, or subscribe to aligned newsletters.These aren’t just potential donors—they’re your future advocates.
Look for people who attend related events, follow relevant Facebook groups, or subscribe to aligned newsletters.These aren’t just potential donors—they’re your future advocates.
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