Make an action plan
Plan, plan, plan. Whether you're thinking of organising a fun run or a car boot sale, the key to success is the planning! Think carefully about when you hold your event - hold your comedy night on the same evening as a cup final and, funnily enough, you might not get as many people turning up as you'd hoped.
John, London
Before you start your fundraising, draw up an action plan including any deadlines and giving yourself as much time as possible to plan your event properly. This will help you prepare for the event and remind you what needs to be done in the run-up to it. And when you do each task, you can tick it off your list!
Publicise your event
Shout about it! Tell your regional newspapers and radio stations about your event, write a piece for your work newsletter and put up posters in your local shops. The more people who know what you're doing, the more money you'll raise!
Sally, Yorkshire
The most successful fundraising events are the ones that everybody knows about.
Pride of place
Contact us at fundraising@nas.org.uk for NAS-branded promotional materials that can help you with your fundraising, including t-shirts, collection tins and sponsorship forms. You can also print your own flyers, banners and promotional materials to advertise your event locally, or at work.
We can send you our logo and charity details so that people know you're fundraising on our behalf. Remember to mention that your event is 'in aid of The National Autistic Society', and please let us see a copy of any promotional material before you send it out.
Think about organisations in your community who may be able to help. For example, the Rotary club, Lions club, Women's Institute and church groups. They may be willing to support you either through sponsorship, or donate funds from one of their own events to your cause. Always remember that it's better to ask than not!
Nigel, Southampton
Read all about it
There are quick and easy ways of spreading the word. Write a piece about your fundraising plans for your intranet at work or staff newsletter, or publicise it on Facebook, MySpace or Twitter.
You can also send a press release to your local paper. Stress the local angle of your story and write clearly and logically - sum up the story in the first paragraph and then expand on that.
Grab the reader's attention by including the who, what, where, when and why in your press release:
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who is organising the event (give your contact details and ours)
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what you're doing
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when it's happening
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where it's taking place - stress the local angle of your event
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why you're doing it - include a personal quote
And of course, remember to tell people how much it costs to attend, how much you're hoping to raise, and how people can sponsor you.
Read our short fundraiser's guide to approaching the media and get some great coverage of your event.
For more information about press releases and contacting your local media, email press@nas.org.uk or call 020 7903 3593.
Get in touch
Email fundraising@nas.org.uk to tell us about your fundraising event! We may be able to publish your story on our website.
Safety and legal information
While we hope you have lots of fun, please make sure that you and those you are fundraising with are safe and acting within the law.
In the know
In the interests of safety, get sponsored by and collect donations from people you know and trust. Ensure that children are supervised and don't let them collect money from strangers. Be extra careful if you're carrying money around. It's safest to send us any money you raise straight away. Note: Please don't send cash in the post; write us a cheque to cover cash donations.
Permits
If you plan to hold a collection in the street or in a public place, you need to get a licence from your local authority. It may take some time for your application to be processed so please apply early. Should your application be rejected, privately owned sites such as local shopping centres, supermarkets and railway stations may give you permission. Ensure you ask first, always use an official NAS collection tin and ask us for ID badges.
Running a raffle
Raffles are fantastic ways of raising money but are subject to certain guidelines. If you are holding a raffle as part of an event, such as a disco, fete or sporting event, you do not need a licence provided all ticket sales, and the draw itself, takes place during the event. No cash prizes can be awarded and the total value of the prizes must not exceed £250. Prizes themselves must have been donated and all proceeds from the raffle must go to the charity (except printing costs incurred for tickets). For any other sort of raffle you will need to contact your local authority or the Lotteries and Gaming Board.
Do I need a licence?
Some events that involve music, food and alcohol may need a licence. Please let us know what kind of event you are planning and we will tell you if you need to seek a licence.
Insurance
Most venues have insurance to cover events organised on the premises, but please check public and liability insurance are covered. The NAS cannot accept any liability for your event. If you need insurance you will need to take it out yourself.