Fundraising Ideas For Charity Success: Easy, Awesome, Fun.

While it's important to stand out from the crowd, no one likes complicated rules and fuss.

Great fundraising ideas weave technology, opportunity and a good sales pitch into a focused, easily communicated idea.

Keeping it simple means keeping the effort your donors need to make low. The harder you make it to give money or participate in your program or event, the less inclined people will be to get involved.

Additionally, keep your overheads low and making your pitch easy to understand for volunteers, supporters and the public.

If your pitch can't fit into one quick sentence, it's most likely too complex.

It may surprise you (or not!), but the bulk of all charity comes from individuals.

Much of that giving is casual donations without a paper trail – money stuffed into a box at a checkout or a quick PayPal transfer done. But how do you get to the front of the queue?

- Aim your mailings and communications at households. Decisions about donations usually involve the whole family, with one person driving the giving.

- Craft your fundraising appeal with a personal touch. It may seem faceless, but it's people reading it. Write for them.

Remember the ice bucket challenge? So simple, so strange, so successful.

In fact, post ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, things will never be the same.

If you want to raise buckets (excuse the pun!) of money for your charity, you have to leverage the power of the individual and the power of the Internet.

All it takes is one person to create a fundraiser online - on a crowdfunding site like Kickstarter or fundraising site like GoFundMe - then spread the word.

With a creative idea up your sleeve, channelling that individual, their friends and networks can potentially reach hundreds of people. If it's a brilliant concept, possibly thousands.

Organisations host parties and events all the time to raise money – why not you?

The key is considering who your donors are or who you want them to be.

If your current donors are of an older demographic, a charity ball or swing dance may be the answer.

But if you want to attract a younger demographic of donor or supporter, consider something more sassy.

Hire a professional DJ (shop around for the coolest in town) and throw a massive dance party!

You can rent a space, solicit food and drink donations then ask guests for donations or a flat entry fee at the door.

Be sure to convince the venue to give you a charity discount or even a free space (if you’re willing to schedule the event on a week night).

Let's get this party started right. Let's get this party started right now!

Very young kids aren’t suitable for many fundraising activities, but the wonderful thing about a lemonade stand is they can make and sell the product themselves.

It's the easiest and simplest way to make kids feel like they’re part of their community while teaching them a bit about business, money and charity.

All that’s needed is a table, a sign and a jug of lemonade.

With the power of social media, all you have to do is publicise the stall on your local Facebook group and the community will love it.

Who can possibly walk past a cuteness bomb like a lemonade stand staffed by tiny tots and not buy a cup?

We all love to dress up, but we also love to dress down.

This event gives everyone the opportunity to dress in jeans and tshirts while chomping on a hot dog.

There's a catch though. Donors pay a high price to attend.

You might even ask they bring their own food, drinks and music. Pot luck dinner? Volunteer band who's never rehearsed?

Low end events like this require almost zero preparation, will appeal to almost everyone and cut through the 'charity ball' noise.