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Charity work can be invaluable for businesses, not only does it enable them to provide financial support to a worthwhile cause, but it also makes employees feel good, and increases the emotional attachment to the business. Getting your whole team on board is a great way to spread motivation, as you’ll all be working towards achieving the same goal. If you aren’t sure how to get started, then being creative with your approach is a great first step. There are so many innovative ways for businesses to make money for charities! In this article, we’ve whittled down some of the best ideas for you to try!
Get involved in a sponsored sporting event
There’s nothing quite like putting members of your staff to their paces in a physical challenge, making it a popular choice for business charity events. The added element of competition makes for a lot of fun, all while bringing staff together to tackle an extremely beneficial challenge. Staff from The Seaton Lane Inn, the perfect spot for Sunday lunch in Seaham, embodied this by committing to the Great North Run. Staff not only committed to the mammoth half marathon event but went the extra mile and raised more than £2,000 for NE Youth, a local adolescent charity that provides support to disadvantaged young people in the North East, and the effort from staff members contributed to the provision of the services that they are able to offer. Paul Brown from Inn Collection said, ‘It was a brilliant experience, the day was amazing and knowing that we were running for such a great cause kept us all going’.
Add to the challenge by entering your team into a muddy run or a colour run (a challenging course that makes participants look like they’ve been engulfed by a rainbow). Or, if you really want to put them to the test then leave your umbrella at home and opt for a Total Wipe-Out style event and set up an office and customer fundraiser to support your team. From cycling to five-a-side football and swimming, there’s plenty of sporting scope when it comes to fundraisers — so get active in the name of a great cause!
Percentage Sale Goes To Charity
You can donate a percentage of your sales to charity. If you have a small company, you can donate about 6% of your profits to charitable organizations. The good thing about this is that you can also get a tax benefit. But what do you need to know before you donate a sale percentage to charity?
Here are some tips:
- Choosing A Charity: Whether you are raising funds for your favourite cancer charity or doing restaurant fundraisers, choose one that aligns with your company’s core values. While charity work means not necessarily receiving something in return, you want to ensure that your money will go to the right charity that also reflects your principles, creating a win-win situation for both parties. You don’t want to create any wrong impression to your audience because of supporting a charitable cause that is in conflict with your values.
- Engage And Involve Your Stakeholders: Your employees, suppliers, and investors are your stakeholders. Involving and engaging them in a common cause will help establish healthier long-lasting business relationships.
- Establish Guidelines: While you always aim high for your company, not every day is a success. There will be times you have to make necessary adjustments in your finances to keep up with changing times and customers. As much as possible, establish guidelines as to the amount of money you have to donate and let the charity know about it, so that expectations are managed from the start.
- Implement A Strategic Charity Program: Smart giving means utilizing different aspects of your company’s resources, not only your money. You can donate your products and services to create charity initiatives, and reach out to your loyal customers to raise awareness and funds for a good cause.
- Promote Your Company’s Philanthropic Efforts: Ask your employees, customers, business partners, friends, and family to share your company’s philanthropic efforts on various online platforms. Include the logo of the charity and your logo together in your marketing campaigns to let your target audience and potential investors know that you work together for a common cause.
Ready, set, bake!
Not everyone can replicate the baking finesse of Mary Berry or Delia Smith, but any effort will go a long way when the proceeds are dedicated to helping the work of a charitable organisation. A charity bake sale is a brilliant way to enjoy some tasty treats, and it’s one of the most accessible ways for businesses to raise money for charities. The prolific cancer charity MacMillan holds its annual event, the ‘World’s Biggest Coffee Morning’, and many businesses across the nation don an apron the night before, cooking up some delicious bakes ready to be unveiled in the canteen the following day. Held every September, the event is a key part of many office calendars and it has been ever since it began back in 1990. The learning disability charity Mencap holds its ‘Big Tea Party’, a similar event that your business should certainly get involved in.
Social events
As a fundraiser, this kind of event is really taking off, and it has become a way to truly celebrate the talent of the local area. If you’re looking for an innovative way to support charity aside from personally donating, then why not consider holding a social evening or event? Get local acts onboard such as singers, local bands and stand-up comedians, and give everyone a night full of entertainment. This kind of event will allow your business to provide a platform for local charities, and by simply asking for a contribution fee you could be handing over a lot of invaluable support. Depending on the size of your event, you could look into the potential of further sponsorship, tying local names into the event creating an evening that is bound to leverage a great deal of support for your organisation(s) of choice!
For another great spin on this idea, why not hold your own inter-office Come Dine With Me? Split your team into four groups of four, and ask everyone to donate a set amount — the winner from each group at the end of the week will get £100 and the rest of the money will be donated to your chosen charity! Get your participants to document their efforts in the style of the tongue-in-cheek commentary of the popular show, making sure that any kitchen disasters are shared in the office. With a bit of creativity, you can come up with some great social activities to help your next fundraising efforts along, you could even get your own slushie machine to make it extra fun!
Make your next office fundraiser memorable and think outside of the box, all while raising money with your entire team for a brilliant cause.
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Sources:
https://coffee.macmillan.org.uk/
https://www.mencap.org.uk/get-involved/fundraise-mencap/tea-party
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