Hosting an event

Organising a fundraising event is a fun way to raise your fundraising target. You can make it as simple or as grand as you like. It is a wonderful way to give something back to your supporters in return for their donation, and to share your reasons for taking on the challenge.

Think sausage sizzles, cinema fundraisers, morning teas or trivia nights – the options are endless. Oxfam Trailwalker have a huge range of fundraising materials including posters, money boxes and banners which you can use to really make your event pop.

Be sure to let your supporters know exactly what Oxfam Trailwalker is, how challenging it is, and why you are supporting Oxfam Australia. They will be more invested in your Oxfam Trailwalke journey and why you are raising funds. Be creative, tap into your own talents and those of friends and family, and most of all have fun!

Looking for some ideas? Be inspired by these innovative, and often simple, fundraising ideas which proved very successful for our teams in previous years.

FR events continuing blog

Fundraising success stories

The trivia night

Fundraising potential: $1500+
There is a reason why the trusty trivia night is such a popular fundraiser: because it works! A trivia or pub quiz night can raise funds from the ticket price, a raffle, a silent auction and team games on the night. The possibilities are endless. Team The Walking Dead held a silent auction using items donated from local businesses during their trivia night and raised $2,000.
Hint: If you’re not a quiz-master yourself ask your local pub quiz-master if they’d like to get involved, or rope in your data-head friend!

Get the kids involved

Fundraising potential: $500+
Fundraising can be a family affair and many teams have had great success by involving their kids. Getting your kids involved is a good way to educate them about the issue of poverty as well as raise funds for your team. Talk to your school about holding a mufti or free dress day with the gold coin donations going towards your team’s fundraising. After an inspiring talk from a member of Team All Fired Up the students from Eltham College pledged to give up their luxuries — their beds, technology and sweets and raised more than $2,000 for the team and Oxfam.
Hint: Organise with the school principal or a teacher to speak at the school about Oxfam’s work to help engage the kids with the cause they are fundraising for, we can provide you with images and videos to make it really engaging.

Make an ordinary dinner party extraordinary

Fundraising potential: $1500+
Why not add some extra sparkle and bling to an otherwise ordinary dinner occasion and host your own themed dinner party or cocktail event. It’s as simple as choosing a venue (whether it be a team member’s house or a room in the local pub), selecting a fun theme and organising some nibbles and drinks. Teams Globe Trotters and VMware Wanderers partnered up to host a Great Gatsby cocktail night and raised more than $6,500.
Hint: If feather boas and flapper dresses aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other themes to choose from, like around-the-world, 80’s prom or movie stars. 

Workplace fundraising

Fundraising potential: $500+
Do your work colleagues tend to munch their lunch in front of their computer screen every day? Why not beat the office blues and host your own luncheon at work for your colleagues. All you need to do is send around a fun email inviting everyone to bring a dish to lunch on a certain date and to make a $10 donation to sample all the delicious creations your colleagues concoct! Team Where Is My Bike hosted a lunch time potluck and raised $640 for Oxfam.
Hint: To spice it up a bit, why not ask everyone to bring an international dish and then decorate your lunch room to suit the theme?

Clothes jumble

Fundraising potential: $1000+
Give your supporters the opportunity to donate to a good cause … and grab a bargain! Team 123…Go! had a huge response when they asked their friends and colleagues to donate their unloved clothes to their clothes jumble. The team used their office conference space as a central venue and items were up-for-grabs — for a suggested donation of course! With the help of weekly reminder emails and some enthusiastic shoppers, they raised $1700 in just two hours.
Happy shopping!
Hint: Up the ante (and your fundraising) by offering to collect unloved clothes from their homes for a collectors fee to your Teamspace!

Other ideas your team might like to consider:

  • garage sale
  • swear box
  • guessing competition
  • karaoke competition
  • pub crawl
  • golf day
  • band night
  • mini golf
  • go-kart racing
  • treasure hunt
  • custom-labelled wine
  • greeting cards

Contact the Oxfam Trailwalker staff for further advice and ideas for fundraising events.