Over the years, third-party fundraisers have become a fantastic opportunity for dedicated organisations, work teams, community members and community groups to support the Canberra Hospital Foundation. Whether you want to give back to the healthcare workers who have positively contributed to your hospital journey or you are excited to help us fund research, equipment, programs and refurbishments that enhance the patient experience, the list of motivations is endless!

Your fundraising initiatives can take various forms, whether hosting your own event or participating in activities aligned with your interests. By doing so, you contribute to our shared mission of supporting exceptional patient care in Canberra. Whether you're hosting an event, launching an online campaign, or rallying your workplace, every effort makes a difference in helping patients, their families and the healthcare teams that care for them.

If you're thinking about third-party fundraising with us but aren’t sure where to start, this guide will provide practical tips, creative ideas, and fundraising advice to help you make the biggest impact.

Getting Started: Find Your ‘Why’

Rallying your loved ones and community for a good cause is often an exciting process, but it requires planning. From the start, it’s important to write down your key motivations and your ‘why’. Why is this fundraiser important to you? Can you connect it with a personal experience that either you or someone you know has had in the health system? Inviting your donors into the story of your motivations will help people understand why it is important to you and will inform their motivation to donate.

Setting Clear Intentions and Goals

Setting SMART goals can help your fundraiser come to life. Once you have a target audience in mind and you know what your target fundraising goal is, you can start to share this idea with your networks. What dollar amount would you like to reach with your fundraiser? Once you’ve established this goal, you then have an idea of how many people you will need to reach and what your ideal average donation is. If you were fundraising $5,000, for example, you could choose to have a $20 ticket or donation option, which means you would need around 250 donors over the course of your campaign to purchase a ticket to reach your goal.

Involving Your Community: Reach Out to Your Networks

We all have networks of different shapes and sizes. When fundraising, you have the opportunity to reach out to the incredible connections you’ve made through hobbies, sporting groups, recreational activities, local communities and workplaces to engage them in your cause. It is likely that if you have connected with them in the past, they will consider supporting your fundraiser if it is for a cause that is personal to you, and that they can help you raise awareness about. You could try:

• Using your professional networks on LinkedIn
• Sharing your fundraiser with online community groups
• Advertising it on your neighborhood noticeboards
• Share your fundraiser on your social media profile(s)
• Send to your current sports team, gym or hobby group

Choose the Right Fundraiser for You

There are many unique ways to fundraise for causes in the healthcare space. With Canberra Hospital Foundation, you can:

• Give in Memory or create a tribute: Giving in memory is a special way to honour the memory and celebrate the life of a loved one. Your fundraising participants can help us to provide a range of programs, support staff-led projects, and boost the benefit to patients through research.
  
  
• Host an event with purpose: Whether it's a movie night, a BBQ party, a talent show or a karaoke night, there are endless options to choose from. You could sell tickets to your event, accept cash donations or simply host the event and provide all attendees with a QR code linked to your fundraising page.
  
  
• Get moving for a cause: Embark on a journey of fitness and philanthropy by organising a physical activity fundraiser. Whether it's a marathon, fun run, or even a charity walk, you can turn your passion for health into a force for good.
• Sell something to make an impact: Transform your creativity into a fundraising initiative by organising a sale for Canberra Hospital Foundation. Host a bake sale, a garage sale, or even an online marketplace featuring unique items crafted by your community.

By telling your story, setting clear intentions and encouraging people in your networks to participate and donate, you have the best chance of reaching your fundraising goal! As always, our team is here to help you create your best fundraiser yet, so don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at hello@chfoundation.org.au. 

If this guide was helpful, share it with a friend or colleague
that is thinking of organising a fundraiser with us!