Get fundraising help

How old do you need to be to do a bucket collection or supermarket bag pack?

Age restrictions vary depending on location. We encourage all members to follow guidance set out by the Fundraising Regulator, to approach your local authority and/or supermarket for specific information and to make sure you follow Girlguiding guidance for events outside of the normal meeting place.

Do I need a licence to run a raffle or lottery?

This depends on when, how and to whom you plan to sell tickets. You’ll find useful information on our raffles and lotteries page and the Gambling Commission website . Or you can get in touch with the national fundraising team to discuss the details.

Do I need a licence to run a games night, like bingo, beetle drive or similar?

You can host games nights without needing a licence. Depending on the kind of prizes you are offering, you may need to follow rules around maximum participation fees.

You’ll find more information on the Gambling Commission’s website or by getting in touch with the national fundraising team.

How can I register to raise money online using JustGiving or Virgin Money Giving for local guiding?

In most instances you will need a charity number to register with an online giving platform. Unless you're fundraising for Girlguiding UK wide, you mustn't use Girlguiding’s national charity number (306016). Check out our advice on how to use online platforms or get in touch with our fundraising team.

Can I use Girlguiding’s national charity number when I’m fundraising?

Unless you're fundraising for Girlguiding UK-wide, you mustn't use Girlguiding’s national charity number (306016). Money raised using this number has to be used for projects to benefit girls in guiding all over the UK. Get in touch with your local country and region office for advice on using local charity numbers.

If my unit doesn’t have a charity number but the fundraising application asks for one, what can I do?

You can get a certificate of charitable status by contacting the Membership Support Services on [email protected] with the details of the signatories for your unit bank account. 

Charity registration is not required in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Unless you're fundraising for Girlguiding UK-wide, you mustn't use Girlguiding’s national charity number (306016).

Where do we find funders that have grants we can apply to?

You can look at National Association for Voluntary and Community Action, talk to the community foundation for your local area and look through trust databases like  FundsOnline, Funding Central and Grants Online. You can also use the Charity Commission if you're in England and Wales, the Scottish Charity Register or the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland to find suitable trusts.

A trust we are applying to requires our safeguarding policy but we don’t have one. What should we do?

Our safeguarding policy outlines our policies and practices and our commitment to keeping all our members safe and happy.

Our policy covers all countries, regions and units throughout the UK and can be submitted to prospective funders alongside an application.

A company wants to use our logo in return for their support – is this ok?           

Our names, logos and trademarks (also known as our intellectual property) are very valuable, and companies should pay for the privilege of using them.

This includes use of the Trefoil image, any patented materials or artwork that is protected by copyright, so things like the Rainbows or Brownie logo.

If you are forming a local partnership, you should use the appropriate local guiding logo and make sure that you’ve spoken and sought approval from your local commissioner.

How does data protection and GDPR apply to fundraising?

Data protection regulations do apply when you’re emailing people about fundraising events. You should email people who have opted in to receive emails from you and make sure you blind copy (BCC) people into your email.

You can contact our data protection team on [email protected] if you need to.

I’ve been offered a donation and I’m unsure whether I’m comfortable to accept it

Sometimes we might need to refuse a donation – most times we can accept. If you’re not sure, identify and weigh up the risks and benefits of accepting a donation, with our due diligence checks. Decisions to accept or refuse donations should be made in the best interests of Girlguiding. For help and guidance please read our Donation Acceptance Policy.

What happens if we raise too much money for a specific project?

 If you raise more money than you need, you should keep any extra funds within Girlguiding and be clear about where it’s going. You need to think about this before you start fundraising and let any donors know what will happen with extra money raised.

Our Donation Acceptance Policy contains useful information about accepting and returning donations. 

If you are fundraising for a trip, your wording could be: ‘We are fundraising for [insert unit name]’s trip to [destination]. Any funds raised beyond the cost of the trip will be donated to support the ongoing running of [insert unit name].’

What happens if the project we raised money for is no longer happening (for example, repairs to a building) or someone pulls out of doing a trip we have raised money for?

Our Donation Acceptance Policy contains useful information about accepting and returning donations. If you are still not sure please contact us on [email protected]

Help – I’ve been doing something that breaks fundraising regulations!

It’s great that now you know that it’s non-compliant and can avoid it the future. Get in touch with us so we can help you work out what to do next.

We know that sometimes fundraising rules can feel hard to navigate but they’re there to protect both the public and the fundraiser. If you got caught doing something non-compliant, it could damage your and Girlguiding’s reputation – and be breaking the law. It’s not worth the risk.

Do the rules still apply if we’re fundraising for another charity?

Yes, they do. If you’re already putting on a fundraising event, why not think about splitting the proceeds; with half going to guiding (local, regional or national) and half going to the other charity? It’s a great way to support other causes and raise money to support girls in guiding too.