# How do you turn a fundraising minor into a future major donor?

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/10/02/how-do-you-turn-fundraising-minor-future-major-donor/
- Published: 2009-10-02T17:10:16+01:00
- Author: John Thompson

**My little nephew has caught the fundraising bug and, over the next few weeks will
be:**

1. Running 5k to raise money for an older people’s ward at his local hospital;

2. Running another 5k to help children in Uganda;

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3. Turning £10 into £100 through various ways to support HIV charities.

Having already fleeced me for sponsorship for points one and two he’s now called
me demanding a list of ideas on how to turn £10 into £100 (he’s only 11).

My first thoughts were give ten people a quid each and ask them to come back to 
you when they’ve turned that into £10. I also suggested the classic Smartie Tube
idea to which he replied: “But I don’t eat sweets and I don’t want to encourage 
other people to either!”

Get him!!! AND he even knows all about Gift-aid!

As he’s also a mini karate kid, I was going to suggest he charges people £10 for
promising NOT to chop them but, nah, better not.

Anyway, my specialism is corporate so is there anyone out there that could suggest
some other ideas?

I’m sure this little minor will turn into a major donor one day so I do want to 
encourage him.

Many thanks in advance!

 

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## Comments

### By: taniacohen

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/10/02/how-do-you-turn-fundraising-minor-future-major-donor/#comment-3772
- Published: 2009-10-03T17:12:19+01:00

Hi John

Well done on getting your nephew in to fundraising so early!

My school fundraising activities tended to revolve around doing chores. For example
he could borrow a bucket and buy car wax, window cleaner, and a chamois leather 
for £10 and wash 20 cars for £5 each in the neighbourhood – or my technique was 
to do all the teachers cars in the school car park during lunch hours over the course
of a week.

Raking autumn leaves was another good income generator, as was baking cup-cakes 
and selling them at school – although £100 is a lot of cup-cakes.

Hope he reaches his target
 Tania

### By: CatHowley

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/10/02/how-do-you-turn-fundraising-minor-future-major-donor/#comment-3773
- Published: 2010-07-05T12:40:10+01:00

sorry it took me so long to see this John, it made me laugh – I just participated
in the 5k Race for Life with my daughter who is just under 3 – this was her third
year, what am I creating…. I feel the need to respond to help you prepare for the
next time… buy car, pet and household cleaning products for £10 and offer to spring
clean kitchen cupboards, the shed, wash the pet or again wash cars for those you
know – donation of £5 per hour/job. Someone who is volunteering here recently bought
sweets and drinks and did a tuck shop at school and easily turned £10 into £100 
but I see that may not be appropriate….