Fundraising A-Z
Fundraising ideas
There are so many ways that you can fundraise for Hope for Tomorrow, from afternoon tea to climbing a mountain; there’s lots of scope to choose something that suits you.
We would love to help you make a success of your fundraising activity – below are some ideas, but please get in touch with us, and we can help bring your idea to life! We’ve got collection boxes and plenty of goodies to get you started.
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Abseil –If you’re not afraid of heights, then get ready to descend from a great one and raise money. Perhaps you could get someone to pay a pound for every metre you rappel down.
Arts & Crafts stall – If you’re handy with a sewing machine or some paintbrushes, then why not showcase your latest designs and donate a percentage of profits to Hope for Tomorrow? You can set up an arts and crafts stall on your driveway, or even attend a craft fair as a seller.
Anniversary Fundraiser – Mark a birthday, work anniversary or personal milestone by asking for donations instead of gifts. If you’re on Facebook or Instagram, there are easy ways you can do this on these social media platforms and then share them with your network. Find out how here.
Afternoon tea – Finger sandwiches, tea, tiny delectable cakes! What could be more wonderful than a quaint afternoon tea? Get making and baking and hold your very own afternoon tea with friends and family. If you want to be really fancy, then charge extra for a glass of bubbles too!
Auction – If you’ve got some original, sought-after items on your hands (or you know someone who does), then you could auction them off – you could even do it online. If you’re missing some items to auction, why not auction skills, experiences or promises? Perhaps you’re a dab hand at DIY, or you’re a great cook.
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Bake sale – A bake sale is a firm favourite for fundraising. If you can hold a cake sale in a place where there is a lot of footfall, then you’re bound to raise some money and have some very happy customers too. Gluten-free or vegan choices could be popular as well. Always be mindful of allergens with this type of fundraising, too.
Bring and buy sale – A bring and buy sale is a great excuse to pass on some pre-loved clothes or give those old books a new home.
Bingo – Arrange a community bingo night in a school, church or village hall. It’s a fun and sociable way to spend some time, so everyone wins!
Birthday – Ask for donations to Hope for Tomorrow rather than presents for your birthday.
Bungee Jump – Fancy yourself a bit of an adrenaline junkie? Why not tick this activity off your bucket list and fundraise to help people living with cancer at the same time? There are lots of companies that offer charity bungee jumps, up and down the country, all you have to do is sign up, pick your location and get fundraising!
Burns Night Supper – Host a Scottish-themed dinner with haggis, neeps, tatties and a poetry reading. Charge for tickets and celebrate in style.
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Car boot sale – One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Car boot sales are an easy way to declutter your home and raise some money for Hope for Tomorrow.
Celebrations – Asking for donations at a celebration, or in lieu of, is a wonderful way to generate donations for Hope for Tomorrow. One of our wonderful supporters, a patient who uses the unit in Suffolk, Lynsey, asked for donations to Hope for Tomorrow at her wedding, instead of asking for wedding presents.
Climb – complete the Three Peaks Challenge – taking on Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Mount Snowdon, or just climb your stairs for as many times as it takes for you to climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower (or the Burj Khalifa if you’re brave enough!).
Cocktails – “If you like piña coladas…”. Get together with friends for a cocktail night, and you could ask your guests to dress up in cocktail attire too. Hire a mixologist for the night for the ultimate cocktail masterclass or give your guests the chance to have their own Great British Shake Off, featuring a prize for the best (and worst) drink!
Cake decorating competition – Invite colleagues or community members to bring in their finest creation. Charge for entries and sell the cakes afterwards.
Cuppa for Cancer Care – Join our flagship fundraising campaign and indulge in a fundraising coffee morning or afternoon tea at a time that suits you. Get in touch with our team here to receive a free Cuppa for Cancer Care fundraising pack to support your event. You could host at your house, or even rent out a village hall, set your price for each cup of coffee and slice of cake sold, or simply ask for donations from your generous customers.
Cycling – Get on your bike and raise money for Hope for Tomorrow. Whether you cycle by yourself, with friends or colleagues, tackle a local route or an iconic ride like Coast to Coast. Get sponsored per mile and document the journey on social media.
Christmas cards – There are lots of opportunities to give to Hope for Tomorrow with Christmas cards, or any greeting card, really. You could make your own, sell them and donate the money to the Charity, spreading our message in the process. Or, if you decide not to send out cards this year, you can choose to donate the money that you would have spent on cards to Hope for Tomorrow as a thoughtful, festive gesture.
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Dance/Disco – Organising a dance, disco, or ball is a fantastic way to raise money for Hope for Tomorrow. In the past, we’ve seen dances themed by era, proving to be the perfect opportunity to dress up and dance to some of that decade’s best music.
Dress-down day – Ask your workplace to swap the dress code for a day in exchange for a small donation. Simple, popular, and easy to organise.
Dinner party – Host a supper club-style evening and ask guests to donate generously. You’ll enjoy the food and the fun!
Donate as you shop – Join Give as You Live and earn donations as you shop as you normally would online. Check out this guide on how it works and join for free.
Dog walk – Organise a sponsored walk with dogs welcome — a brilliant way to get the community involved, get out in the fresh air and raise vital funds to support mobile cancer care.
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Easter egg hunt – Charge a small entry fee and hide chocolate eggs around a garden or park. A great spring fundraiser for families.
Endurance – Complete a daily squat challenge or plank for as long as possible. Whatever you choose to do, challenge yourself and rack up those sponsors! Imagine the feeling when you’ve completed the challenge. You might even choose to beat a world record.
Evening of entertainment – Pull together local performers — comedians, musicians, poets — and host a ticketed variety night in support of the charity.
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Fancy dress – Dress up for a day and donate to Hope for Tomorrow. Whether it’s at work or school, everyone loves to dress up – you could even combine it with another fundraising idea, like a sports day or afternoon tea, to make it really fun.
Face painting – If you’ve got an event coming up, perhaps a community fete or a children’s party, then why not offer your services as a face painter. You can always paint on hands or feet as well. Get creative!
Film night – Create your very own cinema and charge your guests admission. If you really want to make a profit, then serve popcorn and drinks and charge the same price as a regular cinema!
Five-a-side tournament – Organise a football tournament with entry fees per team. Great for workplaces, schools or local clubs.
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Give something up – If you’re known for being a bit of a chocolate or cheese fiend, then try and give up your vice, donating the money that you would have spent and asking your friends and family to sponsor you too.
Guess how many sweets are in the jar – Round up your favourite sweets, or choose a variety to spice things up a bit, and ask people to guess how many there are in the jar. Just remember to keep count when the sweets go in the jar!
Garden party – Open your garden to guests for a summer afternoon of games, drinks and fundraising. Sell tickets or ask for a suggested donation.
Golf day – Organise a sponsored round at a local golf club. Businesses often enjoy getting involved in corporate golf fundraisers.
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Half-marathon – Sign up for a local or national half-marathon and run in aid of Hope for Tomorrow. Check out our runs here.
Halloween – Trick or treat?! Throw your very own ‘Spooktacular’ Halloween bash with apple bobbing, scary stories, a mummy-wrapping race, pumpkin carving etc. Go all out for your very own fright night.
Head shave – Looking for a new do? A sponsored head-shave is a real head-turner. Head shaving is a cause close to home as many of our patients lose their hair as a result of chemotherapy. Will you stand in solidarity and brave the shave for Hope for Tomorrow?
Hour of pay – Donating an hour of your pay is a great way to contribute to Hope for Tomorrow. You could even make it a regular thing, donate 1 hour of pay each month to keep the wheels turning on our units. You could even Pay for a Day or become a Regular Giver. Just £18 a month over the course of a year would pay to keep one of our mobile units on the road for a day, helping approximately 20 people to receive vital cancer care on board.
Hiking – Take on a local peak or long-distance trail like the Pennine Way or the Three Peaks Challenge.
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Inflatable obstacle course – Run, jump, bounce around an inflatable obstacle course. Choose from a variety of locations and look forward to the fun! View locations here.
It’s a knockout – Create your own version of the game show by setting up an obstacle course and getting contestants to compete in crazy costumes!
Ice cream sundae & social – Host a build-your-own ice cream sundae event at school or work. Small entry fee, big smiles.
Indoor rowing or cycling – Use a gym’s rowing machines or static bikes for a sponsored distance challenge. Great for workplaces with fitness facilities or the room to rent them for a day.
International food evening – Invite guests to bring a dish from a different country and charge for entry. Celebrating food from around the world — and raising funds while you’re at it.
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James Bond – Hold your very own Bond-inspired event, with martinis, fast cars and larger-than-life villains.
Jeans at work – If your work usually adheres to a dress code or uniform, why not don the jeans for a day and encourage your colleagues to donate to Hope for Tomorrow?
Jewellery making – Making unique jewellery can be easy and rewarding. If you don’t already do something like this, then you might find a new passion.
Jumble sale – The beauty of a jumble sale is that it can be just that, jumbled! You can pop a blanket on your front lawn or a table on your driveway and top it with various pieces that you’re looking to re-home. You can advertise your sale on your local Facebook group to entice customers. Don’t forget to say you’re raising money for Hope for Tomorrow and that the proceeds will support our work. You might even inspire others to do the same.
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Karaoke Night – Charge entry for a karaoke evening at a local pub or community space. Sell song slots for an extra donation.
Knitting – Challenge yourself to knit something really impressive or sell your existing designs and donate the proceeds to Hope for Tomorrow. In the past, we’ve seen designs like knitted bumble bees and also a knitted garden, which was some noteworthy needlework indeed.
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Marathon – Full marathon or half marathon? That is the question. Marathons are another bucket list activity, and with a few months of training, you could be well on your way to ticking it off.
Murder Mystery night – Plan a murder mystery evening with the ultimate “whodunit?”. Find ideas online, send out your invites to a dinner and watch as the night unfolds into a whirlwind of suspects and suspicion.
Mulled wine and music – Get your guests into the festive feeling by inviting them round for some mulled wine and some Christmassy music to sing along to. You could even go carolling and ask members of your community to pop some money in a tub.
Mindfulness workshop – Invite a local practitioner to host a wellbeing session. Charge for places and create a relaxing, meaningful evening that makes a difference in more ways than one.
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Name the cuddly toy – Find a delightfully cute and cuddly toy, decide on a name and have people try to guess which name you’ve chosen. Charge a small amount per guess and have a long list of potential names at the ready. The winner gets to keep the cuddly toy, so the more guesses, the higher the chance of winning!
New Year’s Eve party – Start the New Year off in the right way with a charitable donation to Hope for Tomorrow. You could get together with friends to sing Auld Lang Syne and see the New Year in, making the most of the festivities and encouraging friends to make a donation for a great cause.
Non-uniform day – A small donation for attending work or school in non-uniform is a quick and simple way to fundraise for Hope for Tomorrow. Non-uniform days are the norm for a lot of schools on the last day of term, so why not suggest Hope for Tomorrow as a charity to receive some of the proceeds from this day? You could even encourage bright, multi-coloured outfits, just like our logo.
Night hike – Enjoy a torchlit walk with a difference! As with all fundraising, just make sure you’re well planned, safe and sensible.
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Office collection – lots of the fundraising ideas that we have previously suggested can be done in an office. Whether it’s a mufti day, cake sale or Office Olympics, why not take advantage of the captive audience and raise some money at work! If time is not on your side, then you can always leave a collection tub in the staff room, along with some information about us. If you’re a particularly competitive workplace, then you can always pit employees against each other to see who can raise the most and offer a reward for doing so.
Open garden – Invite visitors to enjoy your garden for the afternoon, with tea and cake. A lovely way to raise money in the warmer seasons.
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Photography – If you’re a pro behind the lens, why not offer your photography skills and ask your clients to donate to Hope for Tomorrow instead of paying for the shoot.
Pub quiz – Who doesn’t love a pub quiz? You could arrange a quiz at your local and donate the proceeds, or arrange one at home, setting up your own bar and charging for drinks and participation. If your guests would prefer to do the quiz from the comfort of their own home, then you can easily arrange a virtual quiz online.
Pamper evening – Invite local beauty therapists to offer mini treatments for a donation. A relaxing and popular event for groups.
Picnic in the park – Sell tickets for a curated picnic experience with games and entertainment or organise a bring-and-share format with a donation box.
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Quiz – As above. You could host a Mastermind-style quiz night or a themed quiz if your guests have a particular area of knowledge.
Question of Sport – A sports-themed quiz format that works brilliantly for sports clubs, schools and team-focused workplaces.
Quintessentially British – Think tea, scones, Union Flags, The Beatles, London, even. This could be a great idea for a garden party or for someone who just loves our country.
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Raffle – If you’re already hosting some sort of event, you could always include a charity raffle to boost donations. All you need is a desirable prize or a few of them, they could be gifts or experiences, (try asking around local businesses to see if they would donate or discount something and to charge a small amount for each ticket). A raffle could be a standalone event too, and you could even hold it online to broaden your reach.
Running challenge – Set a personal target — a certain number of miles in a month — and collect sponsorship. Share your progress online to drive donations.
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Sahara Trek – Calling all adventure seekers! Join us for an unforgettable challenge in the Sahara Desert. Conquer varying desert terrains, traverse plateaus and dunes and immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring landscapes of valleys, gorges, and stunning oases.
Sponsored silence – Ssssh! Can you keep quiet for 24 hours or more? Challenge yourself to not to say anything for a whole day and ask your family and friends to sponsor you whilst they bask in the peace and quiet. This could certainly be an interesting challenge if you’re normally a chatterbox.
Sunrise walk – Gather early risers for a sponsored walk to greet the dawn. A peaceful and memorable fundraising experience.
Spin-a-thon – If you’re a fan of a static spin bike, hop on and spin for several hours, non-stop in the name of Hope for Tomorrow.
Sweepstakes – The promise of a prize is a great incentive here. Split the proceeds between Hope for Tomorrow and the winner. You’ll get even the most unlikely sportsperson involved if they think they could win their money back!
Swim-a-thon – Get friends and family to sponsor you for every length that you swim. If you want to amp it up, you could even do a sponsored open-water swim to really test yourself.
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Taxi service – Give up your time to ferry friends and family around. Perhaps you’ve got friends going out to dinner, offer to give them a lift instead of them booking a taxi, but charge them for the pleasure. Tips for good driving and clean cars are graciously accepted too.
Teddy bear’s picnic – Kids can get together and bring their best bears for the ultimate teddy bear’s picnic.
Theme days/nights – Host a dinner party or a fancy dress day, just pick a theme and advertise it. It could be Italian, French, American (pick a state and have fun!), German or Spanish. Or, you could dress up as animals or celebrities that share your name. The opportunities are endless.
Treasure hunt – Design a local trail with clues for families or adults. Charge an entry fee and offer a small prize for the winners.
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Unwanted gifts – You might not want to admit it, but every year, you end up with one or two presents that you just know you won’t like or won’t use. Perhaps its bubble bath in a smell you don’t like or a type of chocolate that you just don’t enjoy. Ask those around you for donations and then either sell them on, making a profit and donating it to Hope for Tomorrow or consider gifting them to us for use in future raffles.
Upcycling – Transform old or unwanted items into something new and sell them at a market or online. Creative, sustainable, and effective.
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Viva Las Vegas! – Hold a casino night. You can invite your friends, get them to dress up and have a night playing poker and blackjack – but remember – the house always wins!
Village fête – A classic community fundraiser with games, stalls, and live entertainment. Involves the whole community and can raise a great deal.
Virtual challenge – Run, cycle or walk a virtual route and log your miles digitally. Accessible to everyone and easy to promote on social media.
Vinted – Declutter and donate. Start selling your pre-loved items on Vinted and donate the proceeds to Hope for Tomorrow.
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Walking – Pledge to walk a certain number of miles in a specific time period. You can choose how you do it, how far and how long but don’t forget to push yourself, that way people will be more inclined to sponsor you.
Wax it – Test your pain and embarrassment threshold by publicly waxing your body. A packet of wax strips and an audience is all you need.
Weight of the cake – Bake a cake (or a few) and have people guess how much it weighs. This is a great activity to have at a local event, where passers-by will be able to stake their guess and claim the cake at the end of the day if they win.
Wingwalk – set your sights on the skies and strap in for a feel-good thrill. Check out our wingwalking event here or look for a location near you.
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