The Power of Fundraising

By Jess Paine (Fundraising & Events Officer)

Every penny counts, and right now we are all counting pennies. Fundraising can often feel like an ordeal, and in today’s financial climate, it may even seem unattainable. After all, when everyone is feeling the pinch, how much impact can fundraising really have?

As a community fundraiser, I believe fundraising is one of the most powerful forms of love you can show. With a simple plan and a few hours of your time, you can help to change the world. To acknowledge scarcity in a space that you know requires ‘more’ is profound – and to act on that recognition is radical.

The very existence of the third sector is a testament to the gaps left unfilled by the state or the market. When those gaps remain unaddressed, the financial and social costs only grow. While donations directly fund services, the act of fundraising itself creates many more benefits. It raises awareness, sparks conversations that lead to referrals and builds community resilience. Fundraising events strengthen relationships, inspire hope where it may be lacking and open the spaces for knowledge-sharing, stigma-breaking and transformative dialogue.

Beyond the value of any money raised, it is vital to emphasise the positive social impacts that follow – each carrying immeasurable weight and depth. To reduce fundraising to a mere economic transaction is to deny the inherent value of the work it enables. That concept is not only demonstrably false, but also morally wrong and socially damaging.

Finally, fundraising can also be a form of direct action, helping to repair gaps in the structures in which we all live. It is a moral cry, a call to action, a declaration of intent and an opportunity to reinforce our personal priorities and beliefs. Fundraising generates life-saving resources –including money – but it also fosters connection, relationships, hope and so much more besides.



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If you are thinking of fundraising for Harmless or The Tomorrow Project, please contact Jess at jessica.paine@harmless.org.uk

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