As this week is Wellbeing Week, we thought we would take a look at some fundraisers that not only help our communities, but also ourselves as we support the amazing work good causes do. 

Supporters are wonderful at giving their time, money and support to charitable organisations and causes, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if they could look after their own wellbeing whilst they were doing that? 

Mind have shared ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’ (developed by the New Economics Foundation, rooted in research). These 5 ways to take care of ourselves are:

• Connect with others
• Get active
• Take notice of how you’re feeling and embrace the moment
• Learn new things and set goals
• Give to others

When we read those ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’ we couldn’t help but notice how well they all lend themselves to fundraising efforts. Your supporters can look after their wellbeing whilst helping your charitable cause! 

‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’ Fundraising Ideas

Here are some of our favourite fundraising ideas that would fit in well with Wellbeing Week and the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing.’

Connect

Most fundraising initiatives have us connecting with others – Engaging communities to work together for the greater good and supporting local charities and good causes. Here are some ways to fundraise during Wellbeing Week while connecting with others. 

Partnerships with Holistic Therapists

Any kind of business generally wants to be seen as caring about their local community – It helps them as much as it helps you! Don’t be afraid to ask to partner up with local holistic therapists – Think reflexologists, masseurs, etc. 

Perhaps they could offer a reduced rate to anyone that has donated to your cause? Or they could have one of your donation boxes at their own Point of Sale. They could even choose a day each month where a percentage of their takings goes towards your cause in exchange for advertising on your newsletter or social media platforms. 

If you’re holding an in-person event, ask if they could offer some relaxation packages? Think reflexology, massages, facials. If you’re hosting an auction or silent auction, ask if they are willing to donate their services as an auction lot. 

Host a Comedy Night 

There’s nothing like a good belly laugh to boost your wellbeing! And being in a crowd of people enjoying themselves is a wonderful way to connect with others. When organising a Comedy Night, always try to ask the entertainer for a reduced fee so you can make as much money as possible from ticket sales, rather than using it all to pay their fee. Entertainers are more likely to agree to a lower fee if it’s not in peak times ie. not on a Saturday in August or December where they could be making big bucks at weddings and Christmas parties.

Get Active 

There are so many fundraisers that involve getting active – Marathons, Fun Runs, Fitness Challenges to name a few! It’s well known that the endorphins released when we exercise have that feel-good factor so it’s no wonder getting active is one step towards wellbeing. 

Fun Run

It’s all in the name – Fun Run’s are such good fun! Give it a theme so people can get dressed up, and choose a distance that all the family can get involved in. 

Sponsored Danceathon 

Dancing is such a feel-good activity! Whether your supporters are dancing extraordinaires or just fancy a bit of a boogie, this could be a great way to get moving and fundraise.

Sponsored Walk / Run / Bike Ride / Swim

The possibilities are almost endless – There are so many active pursuits that can be made into a sponsorship opportunity! 

Take Notice and Embrace the Moment 

So often we try to ignore our feelings – Distract ourselves from what we’re feeling and push them down thinking they’ll go away. Oftentimes, if we let ourselves notice what we are feeling without judgement, the feeling passes and we can let it go. A great way to help with this is being ‘in the moment’ without dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Here are some ways to help embrace the moment whilst getting some donations in the pot. 

Wellbeing Walk

Nature is so soothing for the soul, from surrounding yourself with birdsong to admiring the greenery all around you. Detail a nature inspired ‘Wellbeing Walk’ in your local area and either charge to do a guided walk, or sell maps so people can do it in their own time.

Plant Sale

It’s well known that taking care of lovely green plants can be a boost for wellbeing. It’s so rejuvenating to watch something grow! This fundraiser takes a little more forethought as the seeds need to be planted in advance. But once they’re planted, all you have to do is nurture them into seedlings ready to sell. Growing your own vegetables has become really popular in recent years – Give people a head start and start their tomatoes and cucumbers off for them. 

Learn New Things 

Learning something new can be really motivating, as can setting goals and then achieving them! Linking this to a fundraising opportunity not only helps you to bring in donations, but also inspires your supporters to learn something new – Boosting their wellbeing in the process! 

New Hobbies

Do you have any creatives in your community that would be willing to donate their time? You could offer online classes run by a local artist or creative where for one hour per week, supporters can pay a small fee to be taught a new skill! Here are some possible ideas:

• Drawing
• Painting 
• Origami
• Embroidery 
• Crocheting/ knitting

Give to Others 

We’ve written a whole blog on why giving feels so good. As a charitable cause, if you can target that ‘good feeling’ that people inevitably get from giving, then more people are likely to give. As a supporter, you are more likely to give something if you know it makes you feel good. Giving is actually great for our wellbeing.

There are lots of ways people can give:

• Give a monetary donation
• Donate their time by volunteering in some way
• A random act of kindness for another person or organisation
• Spread awareness by sharing a good cause with their friends, family and colleagues via their social media platforms 

Digital Fundraising is easy to Integrate with Donater this Wellbeing Week

Here at Donater we have a suite of fundraising tools specifically designed to make giving easier. Easier for the donor to make a donation, and easier for charitable organisations to receive that all-important fundraising.

Our suite of online fundraising tools include:

A dedicated online fundraising page, personalised to your charity or good cause. Supporters will immediately recognise your branding and thus, trust that they are in the right place to make a donation. Online fundraising pages are easy to share online via a handy link, and can be easily linked to your website with a ‘Donate Now’ button.

QR codes. We’ve all become more accustomed to QR codes over the last couple of years, so you’ll know how quick and easy it is to scan one with your smartphone. QR codes can be just as handy for taking donations. All your supporter has to do is scan the QR code with their smartphone, and it will take them to an online donation page. Once there, they can choose to donate with a tap via Google Pay or Apple Pay, or pay with their bank details. QR codes are a great addition to any physical marketing about your event, such as posters or newsletters as well as transforming a traditional donation box into a mobile way of taking digital donations.

NFC Tags. Our NFC tags take the above QR code concept a step further, and enable any supporter of yours with an NFC enabled smartphone to merely tap the tag or sticker. They will then be taken to an online donation page where they can make their donation quickly and simply. These work better with in-person events, but could easily be placed at the entrance to your charity or on collection boxes so visitors can donate to your cause if they wish.

Get in touch

If you would like to discuss how Donater could help your charitable cause to raise money digitally, https://donater.co.uk/contact-us/.

Will you be using Wellbeing Week to boost your fundraising efforts? We’d love to hear your ideas too! You can tag us on Instagram or Facebook.