Pick your format, then your platform
The best sponsored events are ones you'll actually finish and that your supporters can rally behind. A charity run, a cycle, a quiz, a silence, a bake-off — the format matters less than your commitment to it. Choose something where you can show progress and tell a story: people give more readily when they can follow along.
Once you've chosen your event, set up an online fundraising page before you start asking for money
Once you've chosen your event, set up an online fundraising page before you start asking for money. Pages on platforms like JustGiving or Enthuse let donors give securely, and crucially they handle Gift Aid declarations automatically — meaning the charity claims an extra 25p from HMRC for every £1 a UK taxpayer donates, at no cost to the donor. That's a significant uplift across a page with dozens of supporters.
Make Gift Aid do the heavy lifting
Gift Aid is the single most valuable thing most fundraisers overlook. If you're collecting cash donations offline — at a quiz night, say, or after a sponsored walk — your charity should provide a paper Gift Aid declaration form for donors to sign. Without a valid declaration (name, home address, confirmation they pay enough UK tax to cover the claim), the charity cannot reclaim the tax. Don't skip this step: on a modest fundraising total, the difference can add up to real money.
Sponsors should also know that online giving platforms handle Gift Aid differently — some pass the full claim to the charity, others take a cut via fees. Check the platform's fee structure before you launch your page, and pick one that maximises what reaches your cause.
Keep momentum going
Set a public target and update your page regularly. Fundraisers who post updates — a training milestone, a behind-the-scenes photo, the day-before nerves — consistently raise more than those who post once and go quiet. Ask your employer whether they operate a matched giving scheme: many will double what you raise through a workplace programme, and that money requires almost no extra effort from you or your donors.
After the event, thank everyone who gave, share what the total will fund, and leave the page open for a short while so late donations can still come in, then close it. A final update that says "we raised £X, enough to do Y" gives donors a reason to give again next time — and next time is always easier than the first.