The students get familiar with fundraising methods through an input and by analysing different cases of project management. They learn about useful elements of designing and implementing fundraising initiatives and are encouraged to get active themselves.
Aims/objectives
- to encourage students to initiate, plan and manage fundraising projects
- to share experience on fundraising activities
- to practise creativity within social entrepreneurship activities
Material needed
- Flipchart paper
- Markers, pens (different colours)
- Coloured paper sheets
- Post-its
- Scotch tape
- Scissors
- Video Projector (optional)
Preparation
Prepare working stations with tables and chairs according to the number of teams. Get all the materials ready.
Step by step description
- Start with an icebreaker activity (you can find many ideas in the aces toolbox). [5 min.]
- Provide a short video – if available – about fundraising and/or give a short introduction to the topic. [10 min.]
- Split up the whole group into teams of 4-5 students. Within these small groups the participants should share their fundraising experiences in terms of beneficiaries and fundraising methods. The results are then presented to the plenary. Write them down on a flipchart and carry out a brainstorming on the risk assessment. [10 min.]
- a) Out of these results each team chooses one example they want to raise funds for and a certain method of fundraising. They are asked to create a poster, inviting people to their fundraising event. Mention that they should not forget to think about a suitable budget, the number of volunteers involved, a suitable location, the risk assessment etc. [30 min.]b) Alternatively you could provide the students with different cases/ideas that they can work on:
Case 1. You have heard that the animal shelter in your town has become too small in comparison to the request for a place in it. You want to organize a masked-ball, including a disco and a prize winning ceremony in order to raise funds for enlarging the shelter.
Case 2. You have heard of a natural disaster that recently happened in another region of the country leaving many people without a home. You want to raise money for them through an open air concert with a well-known local band.
Case 3. You and many other people from your neighborhood would really like to be able to play basketball in a sports ground nearby but there is no adequate equipment. You want to be part of a team which organizes a fundraising event to buy the equipment; you are thinking of organising a local marathon.
Case 4. A brilliant child from town, coming from a poor family, is ill and needs an urgent operation which is very expensive and needs to be done abroad. You decide to raise money for the child and want to be part of a team which organizes an “International food dinner party”, together with some foreign students who are in town.
- Carry out a fair with all the posters on which the participants plead for their cause and try to sell “tickets” for their event. [15 min.]
- Each team selects 1-2 spokesperson(s) to present their poster and the outcome of their work. The whole group is encouraged to discuss ways of improvement and to provide suggestions. [20-30 min.]
Reflection with the students / questions for debriefing
- How did you manage the exercise? What was difficult?
- Did you work together for solving the case?
- What did you learn from the activity?
- Are there any fundraising events in your community that you have heard of?
- Can you imagine helping as a volunteer?
Suggestions for adaptations and variations
- Leave out one element, e.g. the case studies, if you want to implement the activity in a shorter period of time.
- Encourage the students to get active in case they want to implement one of their ideas and to report back to the class.
Reference / original source of the method
This activity was facilitated by Brindusa Ana Albert in her Workshop “Volunteer in a Fundraising Team” during the aces Kick-Off Meeting 2011 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Further tips and resources
http://www.fundraising-ideas.org/DIY/