How to raise funds at your bingo event

Fundraising Demo

Here we shall provide a theoretical demo to show how you can raise over UK £500 or US $1000 in just a couple of hours when fundraising with a Fundeo Bingo pack. You can of course, fundraise in any other currency using this same procedure.

Introduction Sources of Funds

There are at least three direct sources of funds from a Fundeo Bingo event:

• Sponsorship for the Prizes
• Sale of admission tickets
• Sale of bingo tickets

We will deal with each in turn below.  We will start by assuming that you will be investing £80 ($158) in a 10 game bingo pack and purchasing 5 sets of  ticket at £5 ($10) each.  This would be enough for about 105 players, but we will also assume that you will be purchasing 100 personalized admission tickets at £25 ($49.50) giving a total outlay of £130 ($257.50) of which just £50 ($99.50) is for consumables.  Well hold on to your markers 'cos here we go . . .

Step 1: Arrange sponsorship & prizes for your fundraiser

Action: You approach local businesses and benefactors and ask them if they would like to donate a prize for your fundraising Bingo Night.  Prime candidates for a small community event might be the local hairdressers, the corner shop, the pub, the plumber, garage, builder, electrician, farmer, butcher and post office. You point out that a large number of the local community will be present, that they're sponsorship will be acknowledged and that their services or products will be thrown into the limelight throughout the event.

Involving your local community in your fundraising event from the outset is a great idea. It helps publicize your event and you may be surprised at how easy it is to gather prizes. Prizes can be an item prize or perhaps a voucher e.g. for a wash and blow dry from the hairdressers, or a couple of fillet steaks from the butchers etc.

Result: Well done!  You obtained valuable prize donations and vouchers from local businesses in your community and spread the word about your fundraising event at the same time.

Note: For larger or more prestigious fundraising events you can try larger sponsors for bigger prizes.  The sponsors will be interested in supporting your fundraiser particularly if you are attracting potential new customers.

Step 2: Order your fundraising bingo pack

Action: You order you bingo pack online using our easy 24/7 ordering system.

Result: You pay out a total of £130 ($257) which contains all you need for up to 105 people.  Thank you.

You have now invested £80 ($158) in a re-usable fundraising video / DVD which can be used again for more bingo events; and you have spent £50 ($99) on 'consumables' specifically for this fundraiser.  Your 'real' cost, after investing in the pack, is just £50 ($99).

Note: The bingo tickets come in sets of 84 booklets. Each set is sufficient for about 21 people, based on an average use of 4 each.

Step 3: Advertising your fundraising event

Action: To ensure good attendance you make up posters to advertise your fundraising event using our poster template and pointing out the main prizes and sponsors. You place the posters strategically throughout your community and ask your sponsors to display them in their premises.

You also advertize your fundraiser on your website and if your finances allow it, you place an advert in the local paper to attract more interest. Please be sure to include any other attractions in the poster or advertisements such as refreshment, social gathering, Peedy the parrot etc.

Result: Well done. The word is out - people are talking about your fundraising bingo night!

Step 4: Admission tickets for your fundraising event

Action: You set about selling admission tickets for your fundraiser pointing out the attractions, main prizes and sponsors. You now have a audience committed to attending.

Result: You sold all of the entrance tickets before the event at £5 (£10) each and raised £500 ($1000). You are now guaranteed a good turn out on the night. You have already covered the cost and raised £450 ($901) of funds in advance.

Step 5: Raising funds from the 'Gaming'

Action: Before the fundraising event starts you sell bingo tickets to everyone, describe the prizes and announce clearly whether you are awarding a prize for two lines or a full house or both of these. You tell the winner the obvious - to shout 'Bingo!' with a win.

You then start the video /DVD and let Peedy the parrot run the show. Peedy starts by describing how the Bingo games work and then moves straight on to the first game.

In each game you pause the video with a winning call (i.e. 'Bingo!'), validate the win after the on-screen number checkboard and award a prize, making sure that you mention the name of the prize-giving sponsor on each occasion. Then you just push 'play' again and let the show move on.  It really is that easy!

In the last game you present the 'star prize' and afterwards thank all of the sponsors for their help and support, mentioning them by name.

Result: Congratulations! You sold an average of four bingo ticket booklets per head at £1 ($2) each bringing in another £400 ($800).  You have now raised a total of £850 ($1701)!

Note: It's now time to set a date for your next bingo fundraiser.  You can use the bingo video again and purchase more tickets booklets and admission tickets too at any time!

Summary: Your fundraising event

Well done. You deserve applause!

• everyone had fun!
• you gave out some superb prizes!
• sponsors were delighted with the promotion opportunity and goodwill!
• you staged a professional fundraising event!
• everyone wants more Fundeo Bingo soon!
• and you have raised £850 (£1701) !

Table: Source of funds raised and running total (in £ and US $)

Final Word:

Does this sound easy? Well it is but please try and share the work of organizing your fundraiser and make sure that you have a reliable team to help out. Please look at our fundraising tips (in our Race Night section) which may help you.

Remember that all the above prices and payouts are your decision. The price of the admission tickets and that of the bingo tickets should be geared to the value of your prizes. Larger events will attract more generous prizes from sponsors who hope for goodwill in return.  Use sponsors' prizes to reduce the burden of paying out cash prizes from your funds and make sure that your sponsors get plenty of credit for their help.

Finally remember that you can keep the bingo video and use it time and time again - wins depend on the bingo tickets not the called numbers!  You can order more tickets from us at any time.

Good luck! And please let us know how you get on. We will be publishing some of our customers fundraising results on this site.  

The Law and fundraising events

The laws for bingo and race nights as charitable fundraising events are similar so we have sumarised them together here Laws governing Fundraising Bingo and Race Nights (small lotteries)