Plan a student fundraising event with a manageable scope

Confirm the beneficiary and its involvement

Decide which organisation the event is intended to support and contact it through an official route. Ask what permission, wording, materials or confirmation it provides for student fundraisers. Check your union's requirements before using the organisation's name or logo in publicity. UCL's process, for example, asks groups to obtain information from the beneficiary and submit it through the union's event arrangements. Follow the local process rather than copying an old society event. Keep one named contact on each side so questions about the fundraiser do not travel through several informal intermediaries with different understandings of the plan.

Choose a format the team can actually run

Match the activity to the available volunteers, time, venue and organising experience. A simple approved campus challenge or small performance may be more manageable than a large public event involving several suppliers. List the tasks required to deliver the idea and identify any that need specialist support or additional approval. Ask the union about those questions before committing money or inviting attendees. Set a clear beginning and end to the event, including setup and clearance. The purpose is to create a feasible way to support the beneficiary, not to maximise the number of activities merely because they might attract more attention.

Separate event costs from fundraising arrangements

Ask the union how event spending, donations and any ticket income must be handled and recorded. Use only the approved collection and payment routes, and refer unclear questions to authorised staff. Do not assume that all money received can be described in the same way or promise a particular amount will reach the beneficiary before the arrangement is understood. Prepare a current estimate of necessary event costs with the committee, checking borrowing and supplied materials first. Keep approvals and evidence together. This is an administrative planning step; avoid routing society money through a personal arrangement simply because it appears convenient.

Publish an accurate invitation

Explain the activity, date, venue, beneficiary and how attendees can participate. Use the wording agreed with the union and beneficiary for any claim about funds raised or costs. Make booking and access information easy to find. Avoid unsupported promises about the impact of a particular donation or suggesting that participation is compulsory. Brief volunteers so they can describe the event accurately and direct detailed questions to the lead. A clipboard and existing event materials may be enough for the organising tasks. Do not order large amounts of branded merchandise before confirming that it serves the event and fits the approved spending plan.

Close with a checked outcome and handover

After the event, complete the union's process for recording income, costs and the transfer to the beneficiary. Confirm who is responsible for each outstanding action and keep the required evidence. Thank volunteers and attendees using an accurate result once it has been checked; distinguish an estimate from a confirmed total. Ask the beneficiary and organising team what worked and what should change if the event is repeated. Return borrowed items and store reusable materials through the society's arrangements. The fundraiser is finished when the event's practical work and financial administration are complete, not simply when the last participant has left the venue.

Your next steps

• Confirm the beneficiary and the union's required permission process.
• Choose a format that fits the team's real capacity.
• Use approved routes for spending, collection and transfer.
• Publish a checked result after completing the event administration.

Keep planning

• Check the access details you need before a campus event
• Welcome newcomers at a society social with a clear arrival plan
• Publish useful access information for a society event
• Manage society event registration and a waiting list