Five Top Tips for Fundraising

It's that time of year again when third years are fundraising for their trade shows and graduate shows, so we've put together a guide for raising some money and engaging an audience!

@befmakesart

Think Outside the Box

There are some classic ideas when it comes to fundraising like bake sales, but with so many groups fundraising, sometimes this gets a bit repetitive and can be tricky when it comes to ensuring there are vegan and gluten free options. It also means that you'll likely have competition and this could limit the amount of income you generate. Try thinking of some more niche products you could sell like zines or prints of your work. You could also lean into games like raffles or lucky dips to add an element of intrigue and repeat donators! Another cool idea would be live portrait drawing sessions or hosting a workshop where you teach your skills in return for a fee which goes towards your fundraising goals!

Cashless Campus

AUP is a cashless campus which means having a card reader, or remembering to loan one out from reception is imperative. This is also a great way to ensure that you aren't limiting the number of people who can support your endeavours as not that many people tend to carry cash around anymore. If you want to purchase one of your own, I'd recommend the Square Reader. There are a couple versions to choose from but here's a link to the 2nd generation, which is only £19!

Set up a GoFundMe page

Digital donations can be a great way to expand your reach to family or friends back home who might want to support you but don't know how to aid your fundraising efforts in Plymouth. This means that people who want to help but can't afford to can easily share your account on their social media platform and increase your reach even further across their networks.

Advertising

Make sure you advertise your events effectively. Put your posters up a week or so in advance and make digital copies so you can cross post to your social media platforms and add any links, via QR codes, to GoFundMe or other online fundraising options. Create something that is going to stimulate interest and conversation. You could also get in contact with the reception team and ask them to add your poster to the TV system in reception and the canteen to increase the reach of your ads.

Teamwork makes the dream work

Make sure that you are working effectively as a group so that the experience is enjoyable and runs smoothly instead of being an extra cause stress on top of your studies. Remember that everyone has their strengths and limitations and try to set up a system where everyone has a job that suits them. Communicate kindly and be understanding of the pre existing workloads your peers might have and don't juggle more than is manageable. You could set up a Google Calendar group to keep on top of what needs doing and organise these at times when everyone is available.

Best,

Beth Evans Student Union President