Fundraising Handbook
Arthritis Ireland Fundraising Handbook
Contents
Fundraising Handbook
A heartfelt thanks from the CEO
4
Fundraising tips & tricks
5
Permits and other requirements
8
Brand guidelines
8
Fundraising ideas
9
Inspiring stories
10
Donation collection
12
Donation submission
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Terms and conditions statement
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Data protection
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3
A heartfelt thanks from our CEO
Congratulations! You’re officially on your way to becoming a fundraising success! Firstly, let me say thank you for your willingness to fundraise for Arthritis Ireland. Whether this is your first fundraising effort, or your 100th, we want you to know how grateful we are for your commitment to improving the lives of more than one million people who are living with arthritis in this country. While there have been dramatic improvements in our knowledge and understanding of arthritis, and in how people are diagnosed and treated, there is no shortage of fresh challenges. Arthritis Ireland is determined to create a better world for people living with arthritis today, and a world without arthritis tomorrow. Without you, we could not deliver those supports which are essential to our service users. We recognise that there are so many other important causes that you could choose from, which is why we are especially grateful that you are willing to put your trust in us when it comes to your fundraising efforts. We hope that this fundraising booklet will help you throughout your fundraising journey, from beginning to end. It has everything you will need to succeed, from important policies to tips and tricks which will help your efforts run smoothly. We are truly grateful for your support, and look forward to working with you to make this the most rewarding experience possible for all those involved. We cannot wait to hear all about your wonderful efforts, and wish you the very best of luck! Sincerely,
Gráinne O’Leary Chief Executive Officer
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Arthritis Ireland
Fundraising tips & tricks
We are so grateful to you for your willingness to fundraise for Arthritis Ireland. As you begin this fundraising journey, we wanted to provide you with steps for success to help make your efforts as smooth as possible. Please see some useful resources, hints and tips in the next few pages. Contact us at fundraising@arthritisireland.ie so we can support you in making your fundraising event as successful as possible.
Plan, plan, plan Before you begin fundraising, knowing exactly what you want to do and how you plan to do that is the most important piece of the puzzle. By having a clear vision of what exactly it is you want to achieve with your fundraising, you can be more strategic with your efforts.
Set a reachable goal Think of fundraising as a marathon, not a sprint. It requires consistent effort and engagement with potential sponsors. Set a goal which will challenge you, but that you know you can hit.
Create a fundraising page To get your fundraising profile up and running, create your own unique online fundraising page which tells the reader your WHY. Helping others to understand the reason why they should give to your campaign can make a huge difference.
Fundraising Handbook
Tip #1: Look for inspiration on our webpage, and online, for ideas about unique challenges and opportunities in which you can get involved.
Tip #2: Set monthly targets so that your overall goal becomes less daunting and more manageable. By starting early with your fundraising, it will give you more opportunities to fundraise in advance of your event.
Tip #3: Identify your key sponsors and work out what level of support they can give e.g., corporates are more likely to give one-off larger donations compared to friends and family who may give more regularly.
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Fundraising tips & tricks
Spread the word Once you have created your online fundraising page, feel free to share the good news with family and friends across the world.
Engage your community Whether you are involved in a choir or volunteer at your local school, why not encourage your community to participate in the fundraiser with you? A little support can go a long way to sustaining that momentum. You may even find somebody who is just as passionate about the cause.
Tip #4: Use social media to grow your potential sponsor pool. When sharing your fundraiser on social, ensure that you include accurate information about Arthritis Ireland and the reason why you’re doing the fundraiser. A personal story can strike a chord with people.
Tip #5: Create a flyer with information about your fundraiser and ways in which people can support you, whether that is taking part or contributing financially to your efforts.
If you don’t ask, you won’t get Cliché though it may be, asking others for support is a critical piece of successful fundraising. While it may seem intimidating, people are happy to support an important cause. The worst that can happen is that they ignore your request or simply say ‘no’, which is not the end of the world, as the next person may say ‘yes’.
Tip #6: Some employers may offer a matching sponsorship programme. Ask your employer if they would be interested in supporting your cause.
Tip #7: Send reminders to your sponsors in the lead up to the event and ensure that you thank them for their donation.
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Arthritis Ireland
Fundraising tips & tricks
Have fun! Regardless of how you choose to make a difference for Arthritis Ireland, we want to ensure that you have a smile on your face and that you have fun!
Capture the moments
Tip #8: The more energy you can bring to your fundraising event, the more likely it is that people will cheerfully give to support your endeavours.
You’re doing amazing things, so don’t let the moment pass without recognising it. Take photos and videos to bring your fundraising event to life and share it with your followers and supporters. Arthritis Ireland will be delighted to receive your photos and use them to provide inspiration to our amazing supporters.
Tip #9: Invite your supporters to witness, or partake in, the fundraiser. You want to make sure that they remain an integral part of your story.
Tag us on social media and follow us across our social media platforms.
Tip #10: Combine the content
Thank your supporters You couldn’t achieve your efforts without great supporters. It is important to thank them for their support and send them a note of appreciation.
Fundraising Handbook
which you have captured, with your experience of the event, and create a letter which will be sent out to everyone who supported you. Or you could update people via your social media channels and/or local newspapers.
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Permits and other requirements • We want you to have the best experience with your fundraising event so do consider any legal requirements that may apply to your event at the outset of your planning. Aspects of fundraising are subject to certain legal requirements and may require permits from An Garda Síochána, local authorities, the courts or insurance cover. Some of the most common requirements are below. If you are in any doubt about whether a permit may be required, contact the fundraising team at fundraising@arthritisireland.ie and we will be able to advise.
• Specific guidelines, including the need for a permit, are in place regarding raffles. Should you be interested in running a raffle, please contact us before you begin so we can advise on best practice: fundraising@arthritisireland.ie. • If you are collecting cash donations in a public place (street, outside a shop etc) you will require a permit from An Garda Síochána. Please contact the fundraising team who can advise about the process to apply for this permit.
Brand guidelines To ensure that we have consistent branding across all our fundraisers, please ensure you follow these steps: 1. All Arthritis Ireland logos must be provided directly by the organisation. 2. If you plan to create any printed materials or digital assets (posters, flyers, images for social media etc), please note that these will need to be reviewed by Arthritis Ireland prior to their publication and use. Please consult the fundraising team for specifications. 3. Any promotional materials you create for your event must use the following disclaimer: “This event will raise funds on behalf of Arthritis Ireland, but the event itself 8
is not directly organised by Arthritis Ireland.” 4. Arthritis Ireland will provide relevant information and statistics as required to help you in your promotion. All media promotion must be reviewed by our fundraising team before publication. Unfortunately, we have limited capacity to promote individual fundraising events on our social media prior to the events taking place. We will be able to highlight your fundraising efforts after the event takes place on our social media channels.
Arthritis Ireland
Fundraising ideas
Paint Party
Book Sale
Charcuterie Night
Games Night
BBQ
Movie Night
Bake Sale
Skydiving
Trivia Night
Afternoon Tea
5-a-Side Football
Coffee Morning
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Inspiring stories
Fundraiser: Climbing Croagh Patrick “Despite going through difficult times with her condition, she never lost her sense of life, wit and love of others.” - Noel Murphy. Olivia Murphy (née Delargey) from Galway was 46 when she passed away from the effects of Raynauds scleroderma. Raynauds scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease, affects the connective tissue in almost every part of the body. Despite the challenges which Olivia faced during her 21 years living with the condition, she lived her life to the fullest. Given its rarity, her husband, Noel, wanted to raise funds for research which could improve the lives of those who are living with the disease. And so, Noel, along with friends and family, chose to hike Croagh Patrick, raising over €7,000 in the process.
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Arthritis Ireland
Fundraiser: The Great Limerick Run In the words of Peter O’Rourke, his mother, Mary, was “A dear wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, niece, cousin, and friend.” After a courageous battle with Covid-19, Mary passed away in January 2022. In the last 15 years of her life, Mary lived with rheumatoid arthritis. Yet, it was her supportive and caring nature which made her so memorable, and the reason why she was so loved. To honour her, and to raise vital funds for research efforts that would improve the lives of people living with rheumatoid arthritis, the O’Rourke family decided to take on a challenge. Inspired by the slogan of National Arthritis Week 2022, ‘Let’s Get Physical,’ the family decided to take part in the Great Limerick Run in May 2022. They believed it was important to “Help raise awareness of the benefits of physical exercise for people who live with arthritis.” In 2022, the O’Rourke family raised more than €9,000 in their fundraising efforts. Such was their success, they decided to partake in the run again in 2023, amassing another €2,500. It is their hope that they will be able to honour Mary each year by partaking in the Great Limerick Run. “Research and awareness are absolutely crucial for people living with arthritis…a new treatment plan, medication or therapy can have a huge impact on their quality of life.” Understanding how rheumatoid arthritis affected Mary’s life, the O’Rourke family wanted to ensure that others knew about what it means to live with the condition on a day-to-day basis. And so, it is their hope that the support and care which Mary showed to so many throughout her life can be passed onto many others through this fundraising effort. Fundraising Handbook
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Donation collection Online giving platform We recommend using iDonate. By using this platform, you will be able to receive donations from family and friends around the world, track the progress of your donations, and have donations go directly to Arthritis Ireland.
Cash If you receive cash donations, it is essential that all donations are securely collected, and properly managed. Therefore, please adhere to the following steps: • If you are collecting cash donations in a public place (street, outside a shop etc) you will require a permit from An Garda Síochána. Please contact the fundraising team who can advise about the process to apply for this permit. • All cash donations shall be collected securely by secure collection units. These can be collected from the Arthritis Ireland Office, or requested by mail, by contacting fundraising@arthritisireland.ie. • Any secure collection unit used must be always supervised. No unit shall be left unattended at any point and must remained sealed throughout the collection process. • When counting cash, it should take place in a secure environment with at least two people present. Once it has been counted, it should be held in a secure place and taken to the bank at your earliest convenience, no more than one month after the event. • Detailed records of the collection, counting and depositing procedures must be undertaken for reconciliation purposes. • We ask that you do not engage in door-to-door collections.
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Arthritis Ireland
Donation submission Online Click here to put your donations through our website. Please ensure that you leave a comment which indicates your fundraising event. Email us at fundraising@arthritisireland.ie or call us on 086 075 7404 to let us know you are transferring your donation to us so we can record and receipt it.
Bank Transfer For bank transfers, please ensure that you include a comment in your reference on your transfer which indicates your fundraising event. Drop us an email at fundraising@arthritisireland.ie or call us on 086 075 7404 to let us know you are transferring your donation to us so we can record and receipt it. Please direct all transfers here: Account Name: Arthritis Ireland Address: AIB Bank, Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2 IBAN: IE37 AIBK 9310 6300 1641 11 BIC: AIBKIE2D
By Phone Call the fundraising team today: 086 075 7404
Postal Order / Cheque You can return funds using a cheque or postal order to the below address. Please include a note with your name, contact details and information about your fundraiser with your donation so we can record your donation and issue your receipt. Please make cheques payable to Arthritis Ireland. Drop us an email at fundraising@arthritisireland.ie or call us on 086 075 7404 to let us know you are sending the donation to us. Arthritis Ireland 1 Clanwilliam Square Grand Canal Quay Dublin 2, D02 DH77
Cash Given current banking practices, we encourage all fundraising contributions to be sent to Arthritis Ireland using one of the above methods. Contact the fundraising team if you have any questions fundraising@arthritisireland.ie.
Facebook Click here to set up a fundraising page on Facebook. As we are a registered charity within the island of Ireland, we receive 100% of the proceeds from Meta and it is paid directly to us. Fundraising Handbook
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Terms and conditions statement Arthritis Ireland accepts no liability for any loss, damage, or injury which occurs as part of third-party fundraising events, including, but not limited to personal injury and damage to property and our insurance cover does not extend to cover any such events. Third party events include any events not organised directly by Arthritis Ireland fundraising team staff members. Please assess the level of risk involved in your fundraising event to determine if insurance cover will be required, especially if you are inviting members of the general public to attend. Seek independent insurance advise if your event requires it. Should you have any questions regarding the terms and conditions of fundraising for Arthritis Ireland, contact fundraising@arthritisireland.ie
Data protection As part of your fundraising efforts, you may encounter some personal information of those who are supporting your event. While you may acquire information from various sources, including but not limited to email and sponsorship forms, it is important to securely destroy any of this data once the event has finished. For more information on our privacy policy, click here. For specific questions in relation to data protection, contact: skushnirenko@arthritisireland.ie
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Arthritis Ireland
Arthritis Ireland 1 Clanwilliam Square Grand Canal Quay Dublin 2, D02 DH77 RCN: 20011123 www.arthritisireland.ie info@arthritisireland.ie Helpline: 0818 252 846 @Arthritisie ArthritisIreland.ie @arthritisie Arthritis Ireland
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