Skips: are a great source for things like wood, plastic sheets, carpets and even furniture. Once you start looking, the amount of perfectly good stuff thrown out, particularly in wealthy areas, is overwhelming. If you spot something you want outside someone's house, knock on their door and ask. They often come up with even more stuff they want to get rid off. Similarly ask anyone working on a demolition site, or at the end of the day at a market if it's OK to take stuff from their skip. They'll probably agree it's cheaper for them than emptying it.

A wish list: is a list of all your needs with a plea for donations. It is a very easy way for people to help. Circulate the wish list as widely as possible. It is amazing how much useful stuff is lurking in people's attics and garden sheds - paint, wood, tools, cookers, stationary etc.

Make the wish list as beautiful, eye catching and charming as possible. Put everything down, including the boring stuff like socks and photocopier paper (and don't forget to put a photocopier on the list - it may happen!)Also ask for skills such as artists and welders. Send it to any mail enquiries you get, distribute it to your mailing lists and put it on your stalls.

Discounts: businesses may offer discounts to regular customers or people whose actions they support. Bulk orders of goods like whole foods and building materials will be cheaper. Army surplus and junk yards area good source of cheap clothes, boots, sleeping bags, tools, tarpaulins and other equipment.

Fundraising events and donations

Fundraising events can be a lot of fun for everyone involved. They include benefit gigs, jumble sales and garden parties. If well planned, publicised and attended, these events can raise lots of money and publicity for your group. Sometimes, however, they are a lot of effort and at the end of the event you will only have covered your costs - or even lost money! Avoid ending up in this situation by following these pointers

Publicity

This is the key to any good event: fly-post extensively, hand out flyers at other events, and try to get into the events listings of local media. Be creative and try to put a campaign spin on your fundraising. Also think about the timing of the event. Are any other local events happening at the same time? What about school holidays, bank holiday weekends and big sporting events such as the World Cup?

Admission

Make sure that people realise the objective of the event is to raise money so they don't try to free-load their way in! Think carefully about the admission fee. It must be enough to make money for the campaign, but not too expensive. Consider having a concessionary rate.

Spread the word

Fundraising events are a good way of getting new people involved, so make sure that you have an information stall at the event, with leaflets and displays, campaign merchandise and a collection tin for donations. You can also have these stalls at events organised by other people.

Find Ambassadors

If any sympathetic band is due to play in your area, or there is a regular club night at a local venue, approach them and ask if you can run a stall. Ask the band or DJ to point out your stall.

Benefit gigs

Most benefit gigs involve local bands or DJs. You will probably have to pay for the venue and a PA system. Find a band that is happy to be paid expenses only or you won't make a profit. Make sure that people realise the objective of the event is to raise money and don't try and blag their way in.

Sponsored events

An old favourite and good for publicity, but can take a lot of organising. You could have a sponsored sports event, tree planting or litter pick in a local park. Think up more creative ones and they will attract more publicity, people and money.

Organise a raffle

They are easy to set up and you can make them part of any fundraising event you are organising. First of all you'll need to source some prizes. They don't need to cost a lot and you can often get them donated. Find a friendly local business to give you a food hamper or two, gift tokens or free tickets to a local event. Ask some artists or crafts people to donate prizes. Or bake some delicious cakes.

You will also need raffle tickets. You can buy books or raffle tickets at many post offices and stationers. Then sell them for a pound or two at your event and a little later draw the prizes.

Sales

Consider having a stall at a fair or local fête, a car boot sale, plant sale, jumble sale or theme market. Get together well in advance to collect items to sell. Publicise and promote the stall as much as possible. Make the stall look as attractive and welcoming as you can. Think about putting up a banner, so people know that they are supporting your campaign.

Other ideas

A folk evening, a story-telling evening, a bingo night, a raffle, a mediaeval banquet, an auction, a jumble sale, or anything else that fits in with the local culture and community.

Donations

In every newsletter or leaflet, mention the fact that your campaign needs money. Some people assume that if you are producing a newsletter then you must be doing alright. The truth is that campaign funding usually comes out of personal pockets. Always give clear instructions on how to donate, such as whom to make cheques and Postal Orders out to. Be aware that if you overdo it people may doubt your need. If the situation is really bad, you could put in a special leaflet stating your financial situation and ways that people could help. You could also put specific urgent appeals for money or goods on your info line.

Giving examples can help people identify with your situation and illustrate how every little helps. For instance: This newsletter cost us£100 to print and£200 to post out. This has all come out of our pockets. If everyone on the mailing list sent just £5, this would raise £2,500. £5 would pay for the costs of mailing you this newsletter regularly.

Always write personal thank you letters to people who have sent money. Keep a record of all donors on your database. If you do fundraising mail out to these people, remember to thank them for their past generosity and give examples of what their donations have achieved.

Bucket rattling

At every event make sure you do some bucket rattling. Small change soon adds up and there are always people who will chuck in notes. Don't overdo it, or do it aggressively and don't do it at other people's events without asking first.

Pub collections

These are very easy. Just go round pubs rattling a bucket! Ask permission from the licensee first and choose your pubs carefully.

Benefactors

You may be fortunate enough to have a 'benefactor' approach your campaign. People like this are rare and often prefer to remain anonymous. They may ask for a funding proposal or they may give freely.

Busking

Busking can raise a lot of money and entertains the local community.

Going to Work

Going to work is often easier, quicker and more lucrative than any of the above, but more often forgotten. Rather than spending twenty hours working on a mad scheme to get money, it's sometimes better to just go and work in a pub collecting glasses for twenty hours.

Thanks to Seeds for Change for providing this article.

Article produced by the Choose Action Alliance.

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