Company Fundraising for Charities and Good Causes

Partner with businesses to create customer-facing fundraising activities that support your organisation while helping the business attract customers, increase engagement and gain marketing exposure, with the option to share the income raised.

Company Fundraising brings charitable fundraising and commercial activity together. Businesses can use their customers, products, services, premises and marketing channels to create worthwhile fundraising opportunities that also support their own objectives.

From shops and ticketed experiences to auctions and suitable membership activities, each partnership can be designed around what the business offers and what your cause hopes to achieve.

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Fundraising that also delivers value to businesses

Company Fundraising is more than a request for a business to make a donation. It enables your organisation and a participating company to create an activity that gives customers a reason to get involved while supporting your cause.

For example, a coffee shop could offer selected products through an online shop and allocate an agreed share of the proceeds to your organisation. Supporters have another reason to shop with the business, while the company can introduce customers to its products and raise awareness of the fundraising partnership.

Similarly, a pub or membership-based business could explore a members lottery or other recurring activity where legally permitted and appropriate for its membership structure. This could create regular opportunities for customer participation and income for the partners, subject to the activity's rules and the agreed revenue arrangement.

Both parties have an incentive to make the activity worthwhile: your organisation gains fundraising income and exposure to new supporters, while the company has an opportunity to build customer relationships and support a meaningful cause.

Company Fundraising features

• Partner with businesses — work with retailers, hospitality venues, service providers, membership businesses and other companies.
• Create customer-facing activities — use suitable shops, events, raffles, tombolas, auctions, donations, members lotteries and other available fundraising tools.
• Connect fundraising with commercial activity — build an experience around a company's products, services, customers or physical premises.
• Agree an optional revenue split — define how the net funds raised through an activity are shared between your organisation and the company.
• Choose a payout model — arrange for your organisation to distribute the company's share or use direct distribution through the platform.
• Promote through two networks — reach the company's customers and your organisation's supporters through both partners' channels.
• Track fundraising income — review the activity's transactions and income through the Income Report.
• Explore ongoing opportunities — develop activities that encourage repeat participation and longer-term relationships, where suitable.

Which businesses can take part?

Company Fundraising can suit businesses of different sizes, from independent local businesses to larger companies with established customer networks. Potential partners include:

• Coffee shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs and hospitality venues
• Independent retailers and online shops
• Gyms, sports venues, leisure businesses and activity providers
• Membership-based businesses and customer clubs
• Professional services and local service providers
• Entertainment venues, theatres and event organisers
• Tourism, accommodation and experience providers
• Other businesses interested in customer engagement and supporting a good cause

The most effective partnership is one where the company's commercial offering and customer audience are a natural fit for your organisation's cause and proposed fundraising activity.

Company Fundraising ideas and examples

Fundraising can become part of an existing customer experience or provide a reason to create something new together.

• Coffee shop and cafe offers — sell a featured product or special bundle through a shop page, with an agreed share of the proceeds supporting your cause.
• Retail fundraising collections — offer selected products, merchandise or seasonal gifts linked to a fundraising appeal.
• Ticketed customer experiences — arrange tastings, workshops, performances or other events that give customers something enjoyable while raising funds.
• Hospitality and membership activities — explore appropriate members lotteries or recurring activities that encourage regular engagement, subject to legal eligibility.
• Customer auctions — offer products, services or experiences donated or provided by the business, with bids helping the fundraising partnership.
• Prize-based promotions — use raffles or tombolas where suitable and legally permitted, with prizes supplied or supported by the company.
• Product launches and seasonal promotions — connect a new product, holiday offer or special event with a clearly explained fundraising contribution.
• Customer donations and QR codes — invite customers to make a voluntary contribution at suitable touchpoints, including premises, marketing materials and events.

The company does not need to offer every fundraising activity. A simple, relevant proposition that customers understand can be more effective than a complicated promotion.

Choose fundraising tools that fit the company

Company Fundraising is a partnership model that can use different fundraising tools. A participating company can create activities using the options available to it and your organisation.

• Shops — connect product sales or merchandise to a cause, with a clearly agreed allocation of the relevant net income.
• Events and tickets — sell attendance for customer experiences, workshops, performances or hospitality events.
• Auctions — encourage bids for goods, services or experiences that interest the company's customers.
• Raffles and tombolas — organise suitable prize-based activities where licensing, eligibility and other legal requirements are met.
• Members lotteries — consider a recurring membership-related activity only where the organiser, membership arrangements and use of proceeds meet applicable rules.
• Donations — give customers a direct way to support the good cause, independently of a product purchase.
• Other available tools — choose additional fundraising opportunities suited to the business and the intended customer experience.

Some activities, particularly lotteries, raffles and fundraising promotions involving commercial sales, have specific legal and promotional requirements. Confirm suitability before creating or advertising the activity.

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Share fundraising income with a company

When creating or updating a Company Fundraising activity, your organisation and the participating company can optionally define a revenue split specifying how the net funds raised will be shared.

This gives the company a potential financial incentive to promote the activity alongside the customer, marketing and commercial benefits it may receive. Your organisation benefits from the agreed share and the opportunity to reach customers who may not yet know about your cause.

For example, if the partners agree a 70/30 revenue split, 70% of the relevant net funds would be allocated to one partner and 30% to the other. The split applies to the net amount under the arrangement, rather than necessarily to the gross customer payment.

Revenue sharing is optional. If no revenue split is specified, all funds raised through the activity are allocated to your organisation under the applicable payment arrangements.

Before launching, agree the split, how charges and other costs will be handled, how returns or refunds may affect distributions, who is responsible for fulfilment, and what customers will be told about the fundraising contribution.

Two Company Fundraising payout models

Company Fundraising supports two payout arrangements, depending on the agreement between your organisation and the business.

Organisation Distribution Model

Under this model, your organisation receives all the funds and is responsible for distributing the company's share in accordance with the agreed revenue split.

The partners should agree how and when the company will receive its share, along with any relevant accounting and reconciliation responsibilities.

Direct Revenue Split Model

Under this model, the platform automatically distributes the net funds according to the agreed revenue split, with your organisation and the company each receiving their respective share directly through the system.

This can avoid the need for your organisation to make a separate transfer to the company. Select the appropriate arrangement when establishing the partnership and its payment settings.

Promote Company Fundraising through both networks

Company Fundraising combines a business's established customer relationships with your organisation's supporters and wider network. Each partner can introduce the activity to people who might not otherwise encounter it.

• Company websites and online shops — explain the fundraising partnership alongside relevant products, offers and customer experiences.
• Customer communications — share activities through suitable email campaigns, newsletters, membership updates and existing communications.
• Social media — tell the story of the partnership through both the company's and your organisation's channels.
• Physical premises — display posters, counter cards, product information and other promotional materials where customers already visit.
• QR codes and direct links — make it easy for customers to find the relevant fundraising page from a shop, venue or printed material.
• Events and experiences — promote the fundraising activity during launches, customer events, seasonal promotions and other suitable occasions.

Tell customers what they are buying or taking part in, which organisation is being supported and how the fundraising contribution works. Clear information helps the partnership build trust.

Track Company Fundraising income

The Income Report displays income generated through Company Fundraising activities, including the transactions associated with each activity.

This helps your organisation review results, track income and provide the participating company with information about the performance of the fundraising partnership. Financial reporting can inform conversations about future customer activities and commercial opportunities.

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Why use Company Fundraising?

• Additional fundraising opportunities — develop activities linked to a business's existing products, services and customer experiences.
• Reach new audiences — introduce your cause to the company's customers and your supporters to the participating business.
• Customer engagement — give people a reason to participate, return and learn more about the company and the supported cause.
• Marketing exposure — create content, stories and promotional opportunities for both partners.
• Potential commercial value — support customer acquisition, loyalty, repeat purchasing and relevant product discovery without guaranteeing those outcomes.
• Optional revenue sharing — agree how net fundraising income will be allocated when the business is also intended to receive a share.
• Two payout options — use organisation-led distributions or direct splits through the platform.
• Clear performance information — review the activity's income and transactions through the Income Report.

How to create a Company Fundraising partnership

1. Identify a suitable business — find a company whose products, services, customers or values complement your cause.
2. Agree the partnership's objectives — decide what you each want to achieve, including fundraising, customer engagement and promotional benefits.
3. Choose a customer-facing activity — select a suitable tool such as a shop, event, auction, raffle or another eligible fundraising activity.
4. Define the customer offer — explain the product, experience or activity and how it will support your organisation.
5. Agree any revenue split — decide whether to share the net funds raised and specify the allocation where relevant.
6. Choose the payout arrangement — decide whether your organisation will distribute the company's share or the platform will pay each partner directly.
7. Create and check the activity — configure the available fundraising options, confirm applicable requirements and prepare clear promotional content.
8. Launch and promote together — share the activity with customers and supporters through both partners' websites, channels and venues.
9. Review the results — monitor income, discuss wider engagement and consider opportunities for further activities.

Company Fundraising FAQs

What is Company Fundraising?
Company Fundraising enables a business and your organisation to create customer-facing fundraising activities connected to the business's products, services, premises or customer base.

How is Company Fundraising different from Corporate Fundraising?
Company Fundraising focuses on customer-facing experiences and commercial activity. Corporate Fundraising more commonly focuses on workplace participation, employees and internal company fundraising initiatives. The two approaches can complement one another.

Does a company have to donate its own money?
Not necessarily. A partnership can be built around customers choosing to buy products, attend experiences or participate in suitable fundraising activities. The financial arrangements should be agreed and communicated clearly.

Which fundraising tools can a business use?
Depending on the activity and eligibility, options may include shops, events, auctions, raffles, tombolas, donations, members lotteries and other available tools.

Can the company receive a share of the income raised?
Yes. An optional revenue split can allocate the net funds raised between your organisation and the company, subject to the agreed arrangements and applicable requirements.

What happens if no revenue split is set?
The funds raised are allocated to your organisation under the applicable payment arrangements.

How is the revenue split calculated?
The split applies to the relevant net funds raised rather than automatically to the full gross amount paid by customers. The agreement should explain applicable charges and costs.

What is the Organisation Distribution Model?
Your organisation receives the funds and distributes the company's agreed share separately.

What is the Direct Revenue Split Model?
The platform automatically distributes net funds according to the agreed split, with each partner receiving its share directly.

Where can we track the income raised?
The Income Report shows the income and associated transactions for Company Fundraising activities, helping your organisation monitor the financial results of the partnership.

Can a company use a members lottery to fundraise?
Only where the proposed lottery and its organiser meet the applicable legal requirements. Confirm the eligibility, membership rules and permitted use of proceeds before planning a members lottery as a commercial partnership activity.

Can Company Fundraising support an existing campaign?
Yes. A company-led activity can support a wider fundraising objective. Where the platform allows it, a suitable fundraising page can also be associated with a campaign.

Ready to build a company fundraising partnership?

Work with a business to create customer-facing experiences that support your cause and give the company a compelling reason to engage customers and promote its products and services. Explore suitable activities and whether an agreed share of the net funds could benefit both partners.

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