The demand for sustainability and eco-friendliness is expanding across all aspects of life. Consumers, communities, businesses, and policymakers worldwide increasingly recognise that our choices can have a marked effect on our futures, driving the need for ethical and sustainable decision-making.
While this green push presents several challenges (primarily the capital costs of investing in green technologies), it also brings opportunities. Businesses and organisations that embrace sustainability can easily enhance their brand’s reputation as being environmentally responsible, increase customer loyalty, and even gain access to new markets and revenue streams.
The exact same rules and sentiments apply to charities and fundraisers. Charitable causes, even ones that aren’t directly linked to conservation, that make use of eco-friendly fundraising initiatives are seen in a more positive light and are more likely to be supported. A 2021 study by the World Economic Forum (WEF) found that ‘sustainability’ had seen a 71% increase in online searches for sustainability over the previous five years, and that up to 75% of millennials consider sustainability when making a purchase (The World Economic Forum).
So, given the clear and obvious benefits of eco-friendly business and charity practices, how can a charitable cause tap into this phenomenon? What practical steps can be taken to ensure that your next fundraiser doesn’t only meet its financial targets, but does so in a way that doesn’t harm or even benefits the environment? Continue reading to learn more about eco-friendly fundraising initiatives that work!
Community clean-up campaigns
A community clean-up campaign involves identifying a local community space that needs attention. This could include public parks, a beach, or even the community’s streets. While a clean-up has very obvious environmental benefits, it requires some planning to be effective on the fundraising side. Asking participants for donations is one way of doing it, but getting local businesses to sponsor the event or pledge a certain amount of money per pound of trash collected is more likely to help you reach your targets.
Clean-up events require mass participation to reach their maximum potential. While social media and other advertising efforts all contribute to the visibility and support of these events, combining the event with a show, concert, or other types of activity can massively increase participation.
A great example of doing this right is the “Clean the Beach Boot Camp” initiative in Phuket, Thailand. Clean-up volunteers get a free fitness and/or yoga class on the beach, followed by the clean-up (trash bags and gloves are provided), then a free lunch and a day of poolside relaxing, sponsored by a local resort.
If you plan on organising a clean-up event of any type, remember to account for the logistics of sorting and transporting potentially hundreds of pounds of waste, and be sure to obtain any local permits that might be required.
Tree planting events
Tree planting events involve collaborating with local environmental organisations or forestry services to identify areas in need of reforestation. These could include protected areas, but also local parks and even avenues or boulevards if the right permissions can be obtained.
Planning and executing a successful tree-planting event can be challenging. The logistics of sourcing saplings, gathering enough volunteers to plant them, and the post-event challenge of ensuring the trees’ survival all complicate putting these events together; however, they are generally well-supported initiatives among people of all ages. They contribute to biodiversity, combat climate change, and make neighbourhoods and public spaces more beautiful while fostering community spirit.
Fundraising at these events typically involves asking for donations and/or getting sponsorships. Getting the saplings at a deeply discounted price or, ideally, for free, means that a smaller percentage of your proceeds go into planning the event, leaving more for your charitable cause.
Several foundations in the UK focus on planting trees and ensuring their survival. Contacting The Woodland Trust or The Tree Council can help you find practical advice on organising a tree-planting event, while organisations like CarbonFootprint specialise in organising and publicising tree-planting events.
Green workshops
Green workshops aim to educate the public about practical and sustainable green living practices such as composting, recycling, and sustainable gardening. Although green workshops could be held as standalone events, organising one as part of a larger event such as a gardening or flower expo means built-in marketing and publicity, and is more likely to draw in a bigger crowd and more donations. As part of a larger event, you’d most likely be required to pay an exhibitor’s fee to the event organiser; however, if your charitable works and intentions are transparent enough, you might be able to negotiate a lower fee.
There are several ways of monetising a green workshop. Attendees could either pay an entrance fee or make a donation, and a percentage of sales of eco-friendly goods and services such as composting bins or solar panel installations could be redirected to your cause. Selling donated items can further increase your fundraising efforts while minimising costs.
The challenges of organising green workshops include attracting attendees (especially as a standalone event), covering the costs of hosting the workshops, and finding engaging and knowledgeable facilitators.
Virtual fundraisers
Virtual fundraising is a novel and eco-friendly way of generating funds for charitable causes. They completely cut out the environmental impact of hundreds or even thousands of participants commuting to and from the event, reduce the need for consumables such as plastic-wrapped meals, and reduce the cost of hosting the event. Additionally, their international reach with a near-zero carbon footprint makes them an increasingly popular fundraising avenue.
Online auctions, webinars, or physical challenges that make use of e-bikes or treadmills coupled with special sensors are all increasing in popularity as the required technologies become cheaper and more accessible.
A good virtual fundraiser requires great marketing. Social media campaigns across a variety of platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to cover all demographics) can significantly boost attendance and ensure the success of the event. It’s also important to remember that keeping the audience engaged can be challenging in the online environment, so picking the right host will be critical to success. One last tip for organising a virtual fundraiser is to have a tech guru on hand for the duration of the event. Murphy’s law states that ‘anything that can go wrong, will go wrong’, and having someone on hand who can quickly reestablish a broken connection or fix technical issues can be the difference between raising thousands of pounds or disappointing thousands of participants.
Skyline Skydiving wishes you the best of luck in organising your next eco-friendly fundraiser for charity.
Work Cited
The World Economic Forum. “Eco-wakening: how consumers are driving sustainability.” The World Economic Forum, The World Economic Forum, 18 May 2021, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/05/eco-wakening-consumers-driving-sustainability/. Accessed 21 February 2024.