How to create a fundraising calendar

It is estimated that there are more than around 4,300 faiths, religions, movements, and cultures across the world, each with their own customs and celebrations, festivals, and commemorations.  

 

In February alone, the world celebrates Chinese New Year, Candlemas, Vasant Panchami, St Valentine’s Day, and Lailat al Miraj  – and many more.  

 

Such time for celebration is often accompanied with an increase in charitable giving. At Christmas time, for example, research from fundraising platform Enthuse found that donations to charities steadily increased during December, coinciding nicely with the season of goodwill to all. 

 

But it’s not just Christmas – charities can build that momentum for lots of different occasions and celebrations, especially those that matter to their communities.  It’s really about being aware of what is relevant to your supporters, working out what can be made to be relevant, and then looking to build campaigns around those. 

 

The key to it is thoughtfulness and planning.

 

 

Know your days 

 

The first thing charities need to do is set out their calendar as early as possible. There are many awareness days and days of national and international significance – take note of the obvious ones, but make sure to look for others too.  It is important to be inclusive, especially if your supporters and beneficiaries belong to many different faiths.  

 

A quick Google search will turn up lists of celebrations and occasions you can join in with – even if they don’t help with building a campaign, they could prove valuable when it comes to your social content.   

 

Always ask yourself first how valid and welcome your voice is in those conversations.  With faith-based days and celebrations, posting about them is often worthwhile, because it shows thought and consideration for all. As a result, this can increase brand awareness and support and hopefully translate into donations in the future, but you must ensure that you’re being respectful. Sense-check every tweet and research the celebration you’re posting about to reduce the chances of an insensitive error. 

 

When asking for donations directly, however, it is better to tread softly. If your charity is faith-based or delivers benefit to a particular community, and that group is celebrating something, hosting a fundraising event for that would be timely and appropriate. Supporters would see the impact of their actions and donations, and be able to channel their celebration into fundraising for your cause. 

 

One organisation that did this well in 2020 was Jamia Al-Kharam, a charity that caters for the educational and social needs of British Muslims. The organisation had planned to participate in a Tough Mudder running event to raise money for its Ramadan fundraising campaign. However, when the event was cancelled as a result of COVID-19, the team had to look for alternative options. 

 

Jamia Al-Kharam decided to create their own virtual challenge event, where supporters could participate safely in accordance with lockdown restrictions but also engage in charitable activity during an important month in the Islamic calendar. 

 

The ‘30 miles in 30 Days’ event encouraged people to run or walk and fundraise while doing so. Launching the event on Enthuse’s platform, the organisation was able to keep supporters engaged, with participants sharing their progress on Strava and competing with their fellow fundraisers on a specially created leaderboard. 

 

The creativity and accessibility built into the event, and the significant timing of it, meant that it surpassed its initial fundraising goal of £30,000, raising £36,000, with participants running more than 2,400 miles collectively over the entire month.

 

 

Plan your challenges 

 

Once you have your calendar in place, the next stage is yet more planning. Fundraisers need time to fundraise and charities want time to create a buzz around challenges and to help them prepare. 

 

Look at the London Marathon, for example. People who start fundraising as soon as they get their running place raise up to £700 more on average, compared to those who start fundraising two months before the day of the marathon. 

 

Once you know what celebrations are coming up, you can start building your theme. Similarly, for Jamia Al-Karam, whose services directly impact the Muslim community, holding a fundraising event for Ramadan is logical.  

 

Acts of charity during Ramadan are obligatory in the Muslim faith for those who are able to do them, providing a perfect opportunity for hosting creative challenge events, which is especially important when events are held virtually. 

 

That Jamia Al-Karam’s event was both virtual and held over the entire month meant that providing an engaging experience was key. From the very start of their journey, participants were helped through a seamless process, from sign up to fundraising, through the Enthuse Fundraising and Events package.  

 

Supporters could be stewarded through the journey seamlessly, signing up and fundraising through a singular branded platform, preventing any drop-off or disengagement, while brand colours, the bespoke event poster, and the information given in the challenge bio meant that the reason behind the fundraising event was never forgotten. 

 

Similarly, at Christmas, appeals by charities often focus on what they deliver to more vulnerable members of society at a time of such celebration. Homelessness charities might talk about the hot Christmas meals they deliver, while other charities might have different links to the season – whatever the celebration, the focus is always on impact.  

 

This focus means that charities can also think a little more outside the box as to the opportunities they can see ahead for the calendar year. Unlike Jamia Al-Karam, Save the Children is not a faith-based charity (it operates and delivers services in 120 countries) but its Christmas Jumper Day raises money annually to support children, “making the world a bit more magical for kids everywhere”. 

 

So there are opportunities for all charities; the question just lies in where. Charities should ask themselves where their impact is, who their fundraising benefits, and whether a faith-based appeal is ultimately relevant to your organisation and your supporters.  

 

Get those dates in your diary, stare at your calendar, and make the most of those seasonal fundraising opportunities. Time is, quite literally, of the essence.