Happy Halloween

Photo courtesy of  hanna_horwarth on Flickr

Whatever spooky and scary plans you have made for today, Raise2Give would like to wish everyone a very happy Halloween! 

Like all big celebrations, Halloween is a fantastic opportunity to get involved in fundraising and we have been thinking of some frighteningly good money making methods. So, if you are looking for a nice boost for an event you are doing or you just want to make some money for a good cause, read on for a few of our top Halloween tips.

Photo courtesy of Looking Glass on Flickr

• Perhaps more than any other occasion, Halloween is a great excuse to dress up. Why not make the most out of the brilliant, terrible and sometimes bizarre fancy dress on offer by holding a Halloween fancy dress competition? Simply charge people to enter, get hold of a small prize and find someone unbiased to judge the entries. The competition will tap into people's competitive sides and will produce a better quality of costumes on show (although this can't always be guaranteed!)

• One of the biggest features of Halloween is food. Whether it's trick or treating or parties, Halloween offers the chance to spoil yourself with lots of sweets and other edible treats. Why make your own delicious Halloween feast? There are lots of easy to follow recipes online and the ingredients will not cost very much at all, so you can sell your ghoulish creations for a nice profit that can be put towards your fundraising. BBC food have compiled a list of simple recipes to use. The great thing about Halloween is that you can really go over the top with the decorations on all of your treats!

Photo courtesy of  StarMama on Flickr

• Lots of people love to celebrate Halloween with a good party. After all, what better excuse to get the fancy dress out and get over zealous with make up and fake blood? Holding a Halloween party or pre-drinks and asking people for a small donation for charity to come along is an easy way to raise a sizable amount of money. You could also sell your Halloween treats to people once they have turned up or concoct a Halloween punch or cocktail that people have to donate to be able to drink.

• A variation on the party idea could be asking for a donation for people to come along to a scary film evening. If the idea of a party and dressing up isn't your cup of tea then make things simple. Either rent out a horror film or watch one of the many that will undoubtedly be on TV in the evening. The added bonus is that the more people you have round, the better the atmosphere will be to watch the film!

Photo courtesy of jason_baker84 on Flickr

Choosing your Challenge

Mount Kilimanjaro
One of the most popular student fundraising challenges

With freshers period coming to an end, attention for most students is brought (slightly) away from purely nights out and onto lectures, coursework and separate activities to take part in.

Here at Raise2Give, we know how much taking part in a fundraising activity can really enhance your university experience. They offer fun, challenging, CV building opportunities with plenty of scope for travel and experiences that sometimes really are 'once-in-a-lifetime' events.

But which one do you choose? We have been looking at the different factors students should consider when choosing their challenge...

Have you got a lot on your plate?

Is your course intensive in terms of hours? Do you already take part in a number of societies and sports teams? Chances are, if this description fits you choosing an event that requires a large amounts of fundraising or training, such as climbing Mount. Kilimanjaro or trekking Machu Picchu, may not be the best thing to do. If you fall behind with fundraising, your experience will turn into something that becomes a pressure as opposed to being enjoyable.

Of course if you are pushed for time but still want to take part in one of these trips, don't let this commitment put you off; any fundraising total can be broken down into something manageable with diligent planning, just be prepared to put the effort in!

However if an international event does not fit into your schedule, there are plenty of smaller events that very well may do. Most Rag organisations will hold some form of charity hitchhike, or why not try skydiving or bungee jumping as alternatives?

Skydives have smaller fundraising targets and
 take less time to complete than most other challenges

Do you have any personal aspirations?

Every single person has aims and goals that they wish to complete in life and therefore, will naturally be drawn towards certain fundraising events. For some, reaching the peak of Kilimanjaro, often dubbed 'the rooftop of Africa', is both an awe inspiring and unbeatable experience. For others, running through the city streets and central park of New York as part of the world's largest marathon will create this same sensation.

When looking at events to take part in, always stick to what you personally want to do. Whilst it might be fun to be with a group of your friends, taking part in a challenge should be a personal decision. Whatever you sign up to do, the opportunity to meet new people and form friendships will arise. If your heart isn't really set for the event you are fundraising for, then it makes it incredibly difficult to motivate yourself to do so.

The New York Marathon
An event on many people's bucket list

Are you looking to challenge yourself?

Going for an event outside of your comfort zone tends to be a big reason why a lot of people sign up to a challenge. The increasing flexibility in fundraising events means that even the most experienced student fundraisers can have scope to push themselves even further.

Taking part in treks that are now available at a lot of universities could provide the perfect start point to start challenging yourself for charity. Arctic exploration adventures, sailing events and extended volunteering visits are all part of the rapidly growing area of external trips. This means that there should be something completely different on offer to fundraise for, even if you think you have seen it all before.

Dog Sledding and arctic exploration are new events
that are sure to grow in popularity with students

And what about the charity?

Before signing up for any charity event or challenge, it is paramount to gain an understanding of the cause that you will be fundraising for. How can you hope to get any donations if you don't understand where the money you are raising is going? Charities are just as focused on increasing awareness about their cause as they are raising money so use their resources and information to develop your own understanding of what they do and why.

When considering which event to go for, be careful to examine what is on offer from the charities that you are fundraising for. A £1000 plus fundraising target is a figure that most people cannot reach simply through donations from family and friends. Charities should provide raids and fundraising information to help you achieve your aim. Finding out that you are not going to be able to raise enough money six months in to fundraising is never a pleasant experience!

The staggering views on offer at Machu Picchu
Would this be your challenge?

So, whilst you consider all of the above, do not forget to get in contact with your fundraising organisation or charity and make sure you choose the right challenge for you. Here at Raise2Give, we can also give you advice about what challenges are on offer, who to contact and how to reach the ever important fundraising goal.