Blog Article

The different types of fundraising posters used by DIY fundraisers — and why you only want a touch of your brand

Whenever I’m out and about and spot a noticeboard, I can’t help myself — I always have to take a closer look (and often snap a photo too). These boards are full of local service adverts, but you’d also find plenty of charity posters promoting activities run by DIY fundraisers in support of their chosen causes.

In my experience, most of these posters fall into one of four types:

1. The posted fundraising pack poster

These are easy to spot: professionally printed, often with handwritten sections for what, where, and when.

Unfortunately, the handwritten part is often where it all goes wrong. The right pen, neat handwriting, and good spacing make all the difference — but it’s rare. I’ve seen thick marker pens with tiny, cramped writing, biro text that’s only legible if you get up close, and posters where people run out of space and squish the final details in. Sometimes there are scribbles or last-minute additions with arrows and corrections.

So, even with a professional base, these posters don’t always look polished or inviting — and many fundraisers may feel frustrated trying to get them right.

2. The mimic poster

This type looks amazing at first glance. The DIY fundraiser has gone all in: they’ve added your logo, matched your colours and fonts, and even copied your design style so well that it could pass as an official charity poster.

Great, right? Actually… no.

A poster that looks too on-brand can mislead people into thinking the event is organised by your charity directly. This creates risk — if anything goes wrong at the event, it could damage your reputation or leave you facing questions about liability.

Your brand should be reserved for your official events. DIY fundraiser posters should only carry a touch of your brand — enough to show support and raise awareness, but clear enough that it’s a supporter-led event.

3. The DIY poster

For many, Microsoft Word is still the go-to tool for creating a poster. While newer options like Canva have improved things, many of these DIY posters still lack impact.

It’s common to see missing key details such as the time or venue address, which limits attendance and support.

Charity presence is also often overlooked. Some fundraisers will add your logo (or a version they found online), others simply mention your charity name, but many posters miss crucial elements such as ‘in aid of’ above the logo or your registered charity number — both necessary for compliance.

4. The online charity template

Some charities offer a downloadable PDF template on their website. These often include editable fields for what, where, and when, plus the correct logo usage, ‘in aid of’, and the charity registration number.

It’s a great idea in principle and avoids the pitfalls of handwriting.

However, these templates can present practical challenges. Many designs are full-bleed with rich colour — great on screen but tricky to print at home. They can drain ink, result in patchy printouts, and leave uneven white borders if not trimmed perfectly.

A common problem with ALL 4 of these posters...lack of visibility

One thing all these poster types have in common is that they’re largely invisible to you, the charity, You rarely know what’s on them, whether they’re compliant, or even they exist. This means missed opportunities to engage with fundraisers and ensure your charity is presented well.

5. The fifth type of poster — a better way forward

That’s why we created a fifth type of poster: one that gives your DIY fundraisers everything they need, while giving you full visibility.

Using FundraizingHero’s Online Fundraising Hub, fundraisers complete an online form with their activity details. The system then generates personalised posters and materials instantly — including just a touch of your brand, correct logos, ‘in aid of’, and your charity number, ensuring compliance and clarity.

Fundraisers can easily correct any typos or update details before printing or sharing digitally. All designs are print-friendly and optimised to avoid ink-heavy mishaps.

Meanwhile, you get to see exactly what they’ve created, what they’re planning, and when — so you can support them, strengthen relationships, and build trust.

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