`Tis the season to raise money

Funny how we associate different charities with different times of the year. In fact, it tends to be an association which has evolved over many years, nurtured by the organisations concerned. Christmastime, "the season of giving", is traditionally a time of year we associate with plenty of food, which may go some way to explaining why Concern holds its annual fundraising event in the form of a fast at this time of the year. It is also a time we associate with the story of a search for shelter, and indeed homelessness is raised by organisations like Simon each year.

Approaching every Easter, Trocaire holds its big fundraising event - we're all familiar with the Lenten campaign boxes.

The Irish Cancer Society has its big day in early spring with "daffodil day". The Irish Heart Foundation raises funds at Valentine's Day.

For most organisations, fundraising appeals are an opportunity to raise awareness about a specific issue, the organisation itself and the work it does.

"You're not selling a product, you're selling ideas and trying to get people to believe in you," says Owen Keenan, chief executive of Barnardo's.

How the idea is sold is also extremely important. "Our starting point is not to resent a campaign which would be offensive to someone who uses our services, nor to give a whingy message," Keenan says. "We would set about creating a clear statement that there are problems, that there are ways of addressing them and that, by supporting the organisation, you can do something positive to address a real problem.

"Sure, disturbing images may be a more effective way to raise funds, but portraying people in a negative way would be the antithesis of our ethos."

Trocaire similarly use its main annual fundraising season to convey messages about the work it does, to raise awareness of an issue (this year it was world debt) and to undermine stereotypical ideas of people in the developing world. "It is an opportunity for us to raise awareness of what's happening, and what we do," explains Caroline Lynch, Trocaire's public relations officer.

"We have rules and regulations as to the kind of images we let out. They have strong messages, but also contain generally positive images of people in the developing work, showing the impact of the work we do - but with a hard-hitting caption."

Television advertising is considered too expensive by most charities, though radio ads seem to work well in terms of generating donations.

Gimmicky initiatives also work well. This year Concern sent a new star emblem to radio presenters across the country, for them to wear. An idea like this - even if you wouldn't think it would make much impact on radio - works to generate coverage on the day of the launch and helps keep the organisation in people's minds over a certain period of time.

The `Trocaire Box' is a classic example of how an organisation concentrates its fundraising efforts on a particular season. It also always carries a positive image of people in the developing world.