It’s the time of year when it’s a little too cold for a marathon or triathlon, unless you’re exceptionally brave, but you still feel the urge to do some good for the world. Raising money for a good cause around Christmas time is a great idea but it’s important to be wary of what that involves.
Close to home, there’s one great option that this writer is familiar with from personal experience, from two very different campaigns – walking the length of Ireland in 2009 and then shaving off a beard (that took more than a year to grow) in 2021. The latter was easier, but for both, the iDonate fundraising platform proved a clear and straightforward option.
Aside from being Irish-led, the biggest upside of iDonate is its clarity. Setting up a fundraiser is easy, and the charges are transparent. A small transaction fee is charged with each donation.
Such clarity is important, and it’s something many platforms have worked hard to achieve. Donors know, for example, that when they go on GoFundMe around 3 per cent (2.9 per cent plus a €0.25 fee) is being charged on each donation.
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And it’s not merely for the benefit of donors and fundraisers; for a company such as GoFundMe, transparency is fundamental to its business model – the less vague and more upfront it is about charges and costs, the more likely users are to trust it.
The desire for transparency goes beyond the platform being used to donate, of course.
Helen Martin, former chief executive of the Charities Regulator, told The Irish Times in 2023: “The general public want to know how their donations are used, and to see evidence of what has been achieved by the particular charity that they have donated to.”
So, do your research on the charity you are raising funds for. That helps beyond simply ensuring transparency – getting informed about the activities of a particular charity helps to tell a story. With both of my fundraising efforts the charity involved was Cystic Fibrosis Ireland. I was able to tell the story of how my endeavors – and the donations raised because of them – would support specialist units for patients and support care posts. That’s far more illuminating than just saying it’s for people with CF.
A popular part of fundraising – indeed, often the entire activity – is to run some form of a raffle. This is an area where, again, you ought to do your homework.
If the total value of winnings exceeds €2,000, the law states you must have a licence to run that raffle. Getting one is relatively straightforward, although it involves engaging a lawyer and applying, which can quickly make costs add up.
If you’re a solo fundraiser or just a group of friends, it’s best to either keep the value of the raffle low or else stick with more direct fundraising efforts. Clubs and community organisations are more likely to have experience and know-how in managing more complex raffles.
Whatever the case, remember that fundraising this festive season works best if you remember that the work you put in beforehand can lead to a better result for the people you’re trying to help.
Do research the charity. Do check for transparency in the fundraising platform. Do something silly if it helps to engage people, although maybe shaving a beard in winter isn’t the smartest. Don’t go in blind and, of course, don’t lose hope.
When people see the work you are putting in and the emotional connection you have to a cause, they will recognise it. At heart, as people, we want to help where we can. If that simply involves pressing a button and giving a few bob, we’re more likely to do it if we know that’s enough for you to put the work in.
