Raising Money for Charity

[The Mechanic]

I will be doing LEJOG in May and am thinking about raising money for a charity, yet to be decided. I know that there has been a load of slagging off on this forum about charity bike rides. However, I am paying for the ride myself. None of the money raised will be used to finance the trip. All the money raised will go to a charity of choice through Just Giving. Surely no one could object to this? Of course, anyone is perfectly free to donate or not as they feel appropriate.

[brother nathaneil]

We specifically kept “corporate sponsorship” to go towards cost and “individual sponsorship” went straight into the pot.

Of the £4,155.00 corporate sponsorship raised, £2,130.91 (51.29%) went to Cancer Research UK. By “Using” the corporate sponsorship we got cycle jerseys and T-shirts printed with details of our ride and sponsors logos. This DEFINITELY helped us raise more money on the build up to the ride, so we felt this was justified.

If we hadn’t raised and used corporate sponsorship, we would have paid for more of the trip out of our pockets… but CRUK would have received £2,130.91 less. We explained this to all our sponsors and in the end we raised £13,940.17.

I'm not sure how anyone could have an issue with that.

[horizon]

I know that there has been a load of slagging off on this forum about charity bike rides. Surely no one could object to this? Of course, anyone is perfectly free to donate or not as they feel appropriate.

The Mechanic: I don't think there has been a load of slagging off but there was some criticism, aimed mainly at one particular ride. There has also been some more philosophical reflection (including from me) but as you say:

Surely no one could object to this?

No, one couldn't - which makes it so hard to reflect on without causing offence.

[brother nathaneil]

No, one couldn't - which makes it so hard to reflect on without causing offence.

If the money is given for a purpose (to go towards costs) then it's no different to receiving some energy drinks, a T-shirt or a bike
I know what you're getting at though, and I guess it's actually the perceived "profiteering" from such events that people object to.

[stewartpratt]

I did one charity ride last year (hoping to do a similar thing annually); like you, organized it myself and everyone who rode paid their own way, with all the donations going to the charities via JustGiving. As you say, I don't think there is anything there to which anyone can really object. Though this year I will take a look at VirginGiving, as I hear they take less of a cut from the donations.

[horizon]

I think the reflection I would make is that long distance cycling has become somehow entwined with fund raising. This is partly due to the generosity of the cyclists concerned (and their donors), partly due to the promotional efforts of hard strapped charities. I really don't know how extensive it is or whether LEJOG is a particular charity-ride-thing, but it does exist. I would say that it is worth noting and wondering what it means for cycling - but as I said above that wouldn't be to knock it, just to wonder about it...

[irc]

I think much of the criticism was for the organised rides in exotic locations. Rides typically requiring a fairly large minimum donation of which half or more was to pay travel, accommodation, and other expenses. So if the participant raised only the minimum amount then much of the donations were paying the cost of the holiday.

I have no criticism of rides where all individual donations go to the charity.

[brother nathaneil]

I think much of the criticism was for the organised rides in exotic locations. Rides typically requiring a fairly large minimum donation of which half or more was to pay travel, accommodation, and other expenses. So if the participant raised only the minimum amount then much of the donations were paying the cost of the holiday.

I agree with this to a degree, but if "some money" is going to charity isn't that better than "no money"? It's not what I would want to do but if someone wasn't keen on organising a trip or event, at least it's something.
In the same way, if a chariry collector is paid £7 per hour to collect on the street and collects £70 per hour, it's worth paying them.

[Mick F]

My advice is not to spread your net too wide.

Get the local community interested in what you want to do, and see if a good idea for a charity comes out. (or a Cause - because it doesn't have to be a "Charity") Just Giving is great - but only if it's a charity with some clout. It costs the charity to be registered - read the small print. So if you chose a local charity, they wouldn't be able to afford Just Giving.

My first JOGLE, I chose a heart charity - now called HeartsWell - and for my second, I chose the Altzheimers Society, and for my third I chose the local primary school. The ideas will come thick and fast if you ask the locals.

Don't aim too high and don't be greedy. You will have a fantastic time and any charity will be grateful for the publicity and funds. The smaller the charity, the more grateful they will be.

[irc]

I think much of the criticism was for the organised rides in exotic locations. Rides typically requiring a fairly large minimum donation of which half or more was to pay travel, accommodation, and other expenses. So if the participant raised only the minimum amount then much of the donations were paying the cost of the holiday.

I agree with this to a degree, but if "some money" is going to charity isn't that better than "no money"? It's not what I would want to do but if someone wasn't keen on organising a trip or event, at least it's something.

But I think most people would donate to charity whether the ride was local or a long haul jet flight away. So if the motivation is to raise money for good causes why not ride in the UK and keep expenses to the minimum so the charity gets everything raised? I'm not sure there is any claim that people donate more the further away in the world a ride is.

[stewartpratt]

In the same way, if a chariry collector is paid £7 per hour to collect on the street and collects £70 per hour, it's worth paying them.

No, there's a world of difference between someone being paid to work for a charity and someone being paid to have a holiday.

[Mick F]

Yes, that's the point.

Get the people to be interested in what you're doing - and amazed and entertained too - and they will donate. What you shouldn't do, is use the money to fund the ride.
(However, some people may actually WANT to pay for your accommodation or travel.)

[tomp734444]

I must be very naive. When I was planning my JOGLE in aid of The Firefighters Charity, it never occurred to me to deduct any expenses from the money I raised. If I had, it would have meant me "having a jolly" by doing something I really wanted to do and being sponsored in the name of people much braver and more worthy than me. It just wouldn't have felt right.

[robgul]

In the same way, if a chariry collector is paid £7 per hour to collect on the street and collects £70 per hour, it's worth paying them.

No, there's a world of difference between someone being paid to work for a charity and someone being paid to have a holiday.

The per hour/yield equation is seriously flawed ... there is a MASSIVE % of "sign-up in the street" donors that either default on the first DD payment or cancel immediately ... many of the larger charities do not use these "chuggers" (on street charity collectors) for that reason - it's not effective.

Rob

[ferrit worrier]

my first charity ride was my first LEJoG. All the money raised went to the two charities. I was supporting "The Christie" in Manchester and "Derbyshire Cave Rescue organisation" however in conversation with a colleauge in the caving club he asked how much the trip was costing. I gave him a rough estimate and he promptly gave me a sum of money and was quite explicit in that it was to go towards the cost of the trip. gratefully accepted absolutly everything else went to the charities.

On my second E2E and a bit as I rode to JoG to start and was going to a ride home (didn't make that bit ,but thats another story) I funded the whole thing my self as before. a number of times I was asked how much was it costing, people asked why I didn't go for corporate sponsorship to defere some of the cost. My point is, to me it was a ride I wanted to do. but I had an opportunity to make something out of it where benefit could be made by a third party. I am fortunate in that our company chairman is an end to ender, and a rather benevolent gentleman. I also work in a large office block where I'm well known and have a captive audience .

Help comes in other ways as well. On my second ride I was up in Scotland and my mate at work rang me, A national tyre chain had sent a box of goodies to my office; three fold flat tyres, arm and leg warmers etc. friends keep in touch and when the going gets tough will help out with moral support and the odd bar of choccolate and Maltloaf The fact that people are looking out for you, to me is pricless.


The bottom line is; I (or you) get to cudos of doing the ride, the charity gets the money. Things are tight at the moment and I think people are more inclined to dip into their pockets for a charity if the venture is self funded.