Finding potential partners
Many organisations choose to support the MS Society due to a direct connection with MS. This connection makes a great start to a fundraising relationship, as employees will put a lot of effort into their events and activities.
Work out if you have any contacts within your target organisations. Can they find out how the company makes decisions on who they will support? Is there a current relationship which they are committed to? When does this support finish?
If you get a good reception to a proposal to fundraise, but now is not the right time, then keep in touch with a phone call every few months.
If a staff vote is used for decision making, do your best to get in for an awareness raising session, ideally with a person with MS talking about their life and the help they’ve received from the MS Society.
Sometimes an organisation, especially in the retail sector, will ask it’s customers to vote for their next Charity of the Year. This is where social media can play a big part and your group can ask friends to share and support the vote.
Fundraising suggestions
Internal fundraising events
For example, Cake Break, raffles and dress down days. All funds go into their central pot for the MS Society. This regular activity can be a good income generator, especially if the organisation is reasonably high in numbers.
External fundraising events
For example, they may wish to do a team effort and choose a sponsored event. Your group can suggest challenges in the MS Society portfolio and let the Fundraising Team know that their funds should be earmarked for your group.
If they decide to do their own challenge, this is classed as ‘in aid of’ fundraising and they are responsible for their own health and safety and insurance.
- Go to contact details for the Fundraising Team
- See our guidance on ‘on behalf of’ and ‘in aid of’ fundraising
Employee volunteering
Some companies may wish to open up the opportunity to volunteer with your MS Society group. They may help at a large collection (such as at a train station or sports stadium), or individually share skills to benefit your group (such as producing your newsletter or handling your social media).
What can we offer in return?
Press and publicity
Celebrate your partnership with press releases and social media. Shout loud and proud about how much the relationship means to your group and local people affected by MS.
Education
Offer to run MS awareness talks for employees to further engage the organisation with our cause.
Help with their fundraising
You could help source prizes for their raffles and offer to be there on the day of significant events.
Involving your staff support team
The Partnership Fundraising Team at MS National Centre is responsible for relationships in all organisations that have a national or regional remit. You must not contact these organisations without speaking to your Local Networks Officer (LNO) or Area Fundraiser (AF) first.
We recommend that you speak to your LNO or AF before you contact local organisations too - they will be able to draw on other groups’ experiences to help make your approach a success.
Go to fundraising support
Back to fundraising in partnership
