Online fundraising
Having an online fundraising page is a great way to get donations and spread the word about your great work. On this page you'll find:
How to set up your fundraising page
JustGiving
- Log into your account and click ‘Start fundraising’. If you don’t already have an account, sign up for one first.
- You’ll be asked ‘What are you raising money for?’. Choose ‘A charity’.
- Search for Mind and click ‘Select’.
- Find your event. If you can’t see it listed, select ‘Doing your own thing’ (at the bottom of the page) and tell us a bit more about your activity.
- Choose your fundraising page URL – this is the link you’ll share with friends and family when you’re asking them to donate.
Note – you’ll need to tell us if you’re running a raffle or selling anything, as your page might not be eligible for Gift Aid. There’s more information about Gift Aid on JustGiving.
- Click ‘Create your page’. Your page is now set up and ready to accept donations. JustGiving send the money that you raise to Mind every week, so there’s nothing else for you to do – except sharing your page!
A team page allows individual pages to be joined together – you can raise money separately, but contribute to a larger shared goal. JustGiving have a useful guide to creating a team page.
A QR (quick response) code is a small black and white square barcode. You can scan it with your phone camera and be taken straight to your fundraising page.
It’s a good idea to use your QR code on posters, to help people find your page easily.
To find your QR code, just add ‘/qrcode’ to the end of your fundraising page URL – for example, www.justgiving.com/fundraising/GeorgesBrightonMarathon/qrcode
You can then screenshot your QR code, so you’ve always got it to hand, and add it to posters.
You can connect your fundraising page to Strava or Fitbit, to share your training progress directly with your supporters. It’s free!
On your fundraising page, you should see buttons saying ‘Connect Strava’ and ‘Connect Fitbit’. You’ll then need to login to your Strava or Fitbit account and follow the prompts to give JustGiving permission to access your account.
Enthuse
- Sign up to Charity Checkout using your Facebook account or email address.
- Enter your fundraising goal, and choose what kind of fundraiser you’re doing.
- Choose a name for your fundraiser and select what kind of challenge you’re doing, along with the start date.
- Add a photo and background photo.
- Personalise your page to let people know how and why you’re fundraising. We’ve got tips on how to make the most of this.
- Choose your personal page URL. Try to think of something short and easy to remember.
- Let Enthuse know how you’d like to be contacted.
- Share your page.
Enthuse have a handy video to guide you through these steps. Watch it on Enthuse (link opens in a new tab).
You can use a QR creator site like QR Code Monkey or similar. Simply copy and paste the URL for your page into the site and download the QR code as a PNG.
Enthuse have a video to guide you through the process. See how to make a QR code.
What to write on your fundraising page
We know it can be tricky to personalise your page, but it’s a really powerful way to boost your fundraising. Writing a compelling story could increase your donations by 66%, and we can help you make your page stand out from the crowd.
Start off by thinking about the ‘what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’.
What are you doing to raise money?
You can include:
- What you’re doing. Cycling from London to Brighton, climbing the Three Peaks or running a marathon – tell people about the challenge you’re taking on for Mind.
- Why it’ll be a challenge for you. Do you currently only run for the bus but signed up for a half marathon? Are you doing a skydive even though you are scared of heights? Will this be your tenth marathon in ten years?
- Shout about how much effort you’ll be putting in. Are you following a strict training plan, or walking the furthest you’ve ever walked?
Why have you decided to support Mind?
Think about:
- What motivated you to fundraise – was it a personal challenge or cause?
- Were you inspired by a particular person?
- What does Mind mean to you?
- Do you have a personal connection to Mind's work?
Don’t forget to include a link to our website.
How will the money raised help fight for better mental health?
It’s important to share how donations will be used to support people with mental health problems.
Facts and figures can help demonstrate how vital your supporters’ donations are. We’ve got more useful stats you can share, but here’s some to get you started:
- £7 could help us distribute 100 leaflets with quick tips to better mental health and wellbeing.
- £30 could help pay for an hour of script advice from our media advisory service.
- £50 could help send 500 information packs to a school, giving young people trusted and verified mental health information.
What does the support of your family and friends mean to you?
Make sure you:
- Thank your donors
- Share how their support will encourage you with your training
- Tell them what their support means to you
- Add a profile picture. This personal touch can boost your donations by 41%*. Make sure you add a cover photo too so your page is eye-catching on social media.
- Set a target. Don’t be afraid to go big. Setting a target can lead to a 64%* increase in fundraising, so add a target and raise it if you get there!
Check out our A-Z of fundraising ideas if you're in need of inspiration.
- Tell your story. Making your page personal will encourage more people to donate. Use our tips if you’re not sure what to include.
- Self donate. It’s been proven that kicking off your page with a self donation can help you raise 29%* more overall. Get the donations started and watch the rest come in!
- Keep your supporters updated. Use your page like a training diary and show off your progress.
- Post photos. Include photos or videos in your updates – fundraising pages that do this tend to raise 41%* more on average. Whether it’s a sweaty selfie, a cute animal you saw on a training run or a beautiful view, it’s fun to share your fundraising journey with friends and family.
- Keep sharing. Share your page across social media platforms, email and WhatsApp. People want to hear about the great work you’re doing.
- Say thank you. Remember to say thanks to all those who have supported you. Let them know how much their supports means to you.
- Use your email signature. Adding your fundraising page link to your email signature is a great way to spread the word about your challenge and get your page out there. JustGiving even have ‘sponsor me’ badges you can include. It only takes a few minutes to update your signature and then with every email you send, you will be raising awareness and attracting more donations.
We’ve got some Mind email banners you can use!
- Don’t stop fundraising at the finish line. Make sure you update your supporters after your event, ideally with a photo of that all-important medal! Remember, 20% of donations come in after the event has finished, so make sure you keep the momentum going.
* these stats are based on previous fundraisers for Mind using JustGiving
