A to Z of ideas

If you want to raise money for ActionAid, but are stuck for ideas, then you’ve come to the right place! Here you will find all the inspiration you need, from doing a sponsored walk to hosting your own event. Everything you raise will change the lives of women and girls living in poverty.

Register your fundraising today

Idea of the month

Organise a Clothes Swap!

There is no better time to refresh your wardrobe whilst lowering your carbon footprint, and help to change the world with women and girls. 

You could host a Clothes Swap in the office at lunchtime with colleagues, at home with a group of friends or in your local village hall/community centre. Ask people to pay an entry fee to bring and exchange their items. 

Raising just £150 could produce resources to help educate and inform communities about climate change.

We’d love to hear about your fundraising, let us know what you have planned.

Afor active

Get active and take part in a sponsored run, walk, cycle, or swim. Check out our sponsored events

Bfor bake sales

Hold a bake sale at your school or work place. Or go virtual with a Zoom coffee morning! Who doesn’t love a sweet treat? 

Cfor collection

We can provide you with a collection bucket, tin or box, posters and balloons to help make your collection a success.

Dfor dress down

Organise a dress down (or up) day with your school or office. This can be in person or virtual! Everyone just makes a donation to dress casually or in fancy dress.

Efor endurance

Take on an endurance challenge. You could get sponsored to do a certain number of squats or hold a plank for as long as you can. Check out our 35 Days Strong press up challenge for inspo! 

Ffor Feminist film night

Get your friends together for a movie night at home and fundraise for ActionAid. Ask everyone to donate the cost of a cinema ticket, pick your favourite feminist films and get the popcorn ready! Check out some of our top films for inspiration.

Gfor gameathon

On your own or with friends, put your video gaming skills to the test and host a 24 hour gameathon! Live stream your gaming marathon and get sponsored!

Hfor headshave

Are you brave enough to do a sponsored head shave or make a drastic hair change?

Ifor international

Host an international dinner party. Pick a cuisine and treat your guests to an evening of culture. Check out our recipes from across the globe here

Jfor jumble sale

Hold a jumble sale either with friends or online. One persons' trash is another persons' treasure!

Kfor Kilimanjaro

Take on the ultimate challenge and climb Kilimanjaro! Find out more about other treks you could do here.

Lfor lunch & learn

Set a joining fee, pick a topic, and host a weekly lunch and learn club at your school, office, or virtually from home with friends or colleagues. 

Mfor matched giving

Ask your employer if they match donations and double what you raise for ActionAid!

Nfor night in or out

Organise a night in or out for your friends. From a night out on the town to a pampered spa evening in, get together with friends to raise money for ActionAid.

Ofor online fundraising

Join our community of online fundraisers and set up a JustGiving page to collect donations with a click of a button.

Pfor pub quiz

Get your quiz master hat on, sell tickets, and put your friends' knowledge to the test. Raise more on your quiz day by playing games and selling raffle tickets for extra prizes.

Qfor quit

Get sponsored to give something up! You don’t have to wait for January or Lent to quit something you love.

Rfor raffle

Hold a raffle or auction. Write to local businesses to see if they will donate items you can put in your raffle. Just get in touch to request a handy template letter ready to send!

Sfor sponsored

Get sponsored to take on a new challenge. Think outside the box such as a 12 hour sponsored silence, a month without chocolate or a 1 hour skipping challenge.

Tfor tea party

Boil the kettle, bake some goodies, and host a tea party or coffee morning. Why not pick a theme like the Mad Hatter's tea party?

Ufor upcycle

Get creative and upcycle! Repurpose, reuse and give something old a new lease of life. From reupholstering an old chair to turning an old jar into a candle holder, the opportunities are endless! Then sell or auction your beautiful creations

Vfor variety show

Put on a ticketed variety show, music concert, or comedy event! This is a great way to showcase your skills and celebrate the weird and wonderful.

Wfor wear it red

Wear it Red – Get everyone to dress up in ActionAid red to raise money and spread awareness.

Xfor x marks the spot

Decide on your treasure, plan your clues or design a map, and organise your own pirate treasure hunt. 

Yfor year long

Nominate ActionAid as your school's or company's Charity of the Year. Raise money for ActionAid through different fundraising events all year round.

Zfor zumbathon

Get sponsored to hold a zumbathon or collect donations to host a Zumba (or yoga) class for your friends and family. This is a great way to get active!

How your sponsorship helps

Meet Caritas. When Caritas became a widow she was forced to support her family on her own. ActionAid helped Caritas by training her in entrepreneurship, providing her with the skills needed to start her own business. 

With her training, Caritas is now economically stable and has invested in her own farming activities. She has been able to buy livestock, which has provided manure, and helped to increase the amount of food she can produce and sell. "I used to produce almost nothing, but now during farming season I employ 10 workers who I pay to support me with my farming."

Because of her increased income, Caritas has now been able to build a new house and installed a solar power system to provide her with electricity. Her two sons are now at school and she told us "With the support of ActionAid I have now gained self-respect at home and in my community."

Tell us about your fundraising

Caritas has been trained in entrepreneurship.

Fred Munyampeta/ActionAid

Contact us

If you have any questions or need support with your fundraising, please get in touch. Email events@actionaid.org or call 01460 238 000.

Photos: Alice Oldenburg; Kibuuka Mukisa Oscar/ActionAid

Page updated 27 September 2022