# Starting early & setting a target key to successful fundraising for event participants

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2024/10/31/starting-early-setting-a-target-key-to-successful-fundraising-for-event-participants/
- Published: 2024-10-31T10:36:59+00:00
- Author: Melanie May

**The most successful event fundraisers start six months out from event day, with
four in ten (38%) of those raising £3,000 or more. In contrast, just 8% of those
who started fundraising a month from the event hit the £3,000 mark, according to
new research.**

[The annual Mass Events research report](https://enthuse.com/insights/mass-events-report-2024-25/)
from [Enthuse](https://enthuse.com/) also highlights the value of setting a fundraising
target. Nearly nine in ten (86%) mass event fundraisers who set a target hit it 
with half of them going on to exceed it. 70% of fundraisers with a target raised
more than £500 compared to 38% without one. 

The research_ _studies three audiences: distance runners – those taking part in 
events longer than 10K; people taking part in charity branded events including running,
walking and cycling in the last year; and donors – those who have given in the past
year to people taking part in events and fundraising.

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#### How much people raise

Looking at how much fundraisers in mass participation events raise, Enthuse found
that:

 * 39% raise up to £500 per event
 * 48% raise between £500 – £3,000 per event
 *  13% raise £3,000+ per event

The number of fundraisers raising £500-£3,000 is up seven percentage points on last
year, growing from 41% to 48%, while the number raising £3,000+ has risen from 11%
to 13%.

#### Key motivators for event participation

According to the research, one in four (23%) people say they are committed to participating
in a charity event in the next 12 months. Among 18-34 year olds, 14% have already
signed up with 19% planning to.

Raising money for charity is a key motivator. 64% of charity event participants 
were motivated to take part because of the opportunity to raise funds. For distance
runners, this is also a significant driver of participation with 56% stating this
led them to sign up for their event. 

Taking part with friends and socialising are also drivers for both of these groups,
with 40% of charity branded participants and 30% of distance runners getting involved
because they had a friend taking part.

#### Reasons for donating

When it comes to reasons why people choose to donate, the cause that’s being run
for is the most important consideration. 44% of people say they donated to a mass
event participant because they support the cause or charity. 21% didn’t donate, 
because they either forgot (13%) or didn’t have time when they got the request (
8%).

#### Participant support

Enthuse also asked about preferred communication methods for fundraiser support,
with email (48%) and website (43%) leading the way, and 20% liking phone calls. 
Opportunities to connect with other participants, either through WhatsApp groups(
39%) or online (34%) are also valued, with people looking for a sense of community.

#### Spreading the word

When looking at how fundraisers spread the word, posting about the event on social
media is the most popular with 43% saying they do this, and 35% say they share their
personal story online about why they are taking part. Other popular activities include
asking for donations at clubs or teams that someone is a member of (40%) and asking
employers for support (38%). 

Nearly a third (30%) of fundraisers who post every day or more raise more than £
3,000 – double the amount who post most days (15%), and triple those who post every
2-3 days (9%) or weekly (7%).

More than a third (34%) also want to be supported through apps that track fundraising,
and 51% of participants said that apps made it easier for supporters to donate.

Commenting on the findings, Chester Mojay Sinclare, CEO and Founder of Enthuse, 
said:

> “Mass participation events are leading the way for third sector fundraising income.
> They’re a staple for charities and it’s fantastic to see so many people committed
> to taking part in the next 12 months. Importantly for the sector, fundraising 
> for a good cause is at the heart of why people choose to get involved in an event
> or give to someone who is. The difficulty of the event isn’t necessarily the main
> driver for donations.”
>  
> “Mass participation events provide an opportunity to do something memorable solo
> or as part of a team, and the research shows that the community element of these
> events is a major factor in people choosing to get involved. It’s important for
> charities to offer their fundraisers the ability to fundraise as part of a team
> to make the most of this. And encouraging participants to start fundraising as
> early as possible will also be beneficial. The sooner you start, the more you 
> raise.”