Christmas fundraising at work: a guide for Irish teams

Run a Christmas fundraiser at work for charity: who to involve, what HR and internal comms do, how to run an online team page, and which rules to check.

In short A workplace Christmas fundraiser works best with a small planning team of 3 to 5 people, a six week runway and one online team page that everyone can share. Agree the plan with HR, send two or three internal messages, keep raffles inside the rules, and remember that Charitable Donation Scheme relief is claimed by the charity.

Why run a Christmas fundraiser at work?

A workplace is a ready made community: people already know each other, share a calendar and like a reason to get together in December. A team fundraiser gives colleagues a shared goal, and it gives your chosen charity a steady stream of gifts instead of one cheque.

It works for a team of 10 or a company of 500. Pick a format that matches your people. For a wider menu, see our guide to Christmas fundraising ideas for Irish charities.

Who should be on the planning team?

Keep it small: 3 to 5 people is enough. Each person owns one job, so nothing falls between desks.

  • Lead: keeps the plan, the date and the target.
  • HR contact: checks policies, rooms, time off and fairness for all staff.
  • Internal comms: writes the emails, intranet posts and reminders.
  • Money and thanks: watches the donation page and thanks people quickly.

How do you bring HR in early?

Ask HR for a 15 minute chat in week one, before you tell the whole company. HR can confirm working hours, rooms and whether a company match is possible.

Ask three questions. Can staff take part during work time? Will the company add a gift on top of what staff give? Who signs off on emails sent to everyone?

What should internal comms send, and when?

Two or three messages beat a daily drip. People act on a clear ask with one link.

  • Week 2: announce the cause, the goal in euros and the end date.
  • Week 4: share progress and one short story from the charity.
  • Final 48 hours: a last call with the total so far.
  • Day after: thank everyone and share the final result.

Use your usual channels: staff email, the intranet, Teams or Slack, and a poster by the kettle. Every message carries the same link to your team page. Our six week planning guide shows how this fits a full timeline.

Which workplace formats work well?

Pick one main event and one small extra, easy to join in a lunch break.

  • Christmas Jumper Day: staff give a small amount to wear their jumper.
  • Bake sale: cheap to run and popular in open plan offices.
  • Carol concert or quiz: a team competition at the end of term.
  • Santa run or Christmas Day swim: sponsored by colleagues, family and friends.
  • Online team page: works for remote and hybrid staff, with no one left out.

How do you set up an online team page?

An online page is where the fundraiser lives. Your charity builds one donation page, and each colleague or team can start a personal fundraiser page for it, so people give to the person they know instead of to a stranger.

Share one link in every message. A mobile friendly page matters, because most staff will tap through from a phone between meetings.

For more on running the digital side, read our guide to an online Christmas fundraiser with a digital experience.

Can you run a raffle at work?

You can, but check the rules first. Under the 1956 Act, a small charitable raffle can run without a permit if prizes total no more than €1,000, tickets cost no more than €5, you sell no more than 1,500 tickets, nobody profits personally, and you held no other such raffle in the last three months.

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) lists a limit of €2,000 for a similar exemption. We could not confirm which figure applies in December 2026, so treat €1,000 as the safe one. Above it, a Garda lottery permit needs at least 60 days' notice, so decide early. We could not confirm the permit fee or whether online ticket sales fall under the same rules, so ask the Gardaí or the GRAI.

What about tax relief on gifts?

Under the Charitable Donation Scheme, the charity, not the donor, claims relief from Revenue. It applies to gifts of at least €250 per donor in a year, to a charity Revenue has approved, and the gross up rate is 31 percent. A €1,000 gift becomes €1,449.27 for the charity.

The donor gives the charity a certificate and their PPSN so it can claim. Ask your charity whether it is on the Revenue list. If the company itself gives €250 or more in a year, Revenue says it can deduct the gift as a trade expense. Ask your accountant how that applies to you. We could not confirm whether payroll giving or a staff match changes this, so ask Revenue.

How do you handle emails and privacy?

Irish law needs clear opt-in consent for electronic direct marketing, and we could not confirm that charities can treat a gift like a sale. So ask donors to tick a box, not assume yes. Every email needs a working way to opt out.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

WeGlow.world gives your charity a donation page in three steps: amount, personal details and a summary. Donors can give once or monthly, with amounts and labels you choose, such as "A warm meal". It works on a phone, and colleagues can start their own fundraiser page for your cause.

The four Christmas experiences below are still concepts until the official launch. One fits an office well: in the Glow Room, a 3D living room with a Christmas tree, every gift becomes a decoration on the tree.

You can write a thank you text that goes out after a gift, once your charity has filled it in. Ready? Create an account on WeGlow.world and start free. Questions? Get in touch, or visit the Christmas fundraising hub.

Frequently asked questions

Short answers for Irish teams and HR.

How long should a workplace Christmas fundraiser run?

Plan six weeks in total, with the public ask running for about 2 to 3 weeks. That leaves time for HR sign off and a proper thank you in the days after. A raffle permit needs 60 days, so start that earlier.

Can staff give through the online team page from their phones?

Yes. WeGlow.world donation pages work on a phone, and each gift takes three steps: amount, personal details and summary. Donors can give once or monthly.

Do we need a permit for a raffle at work?

Not always. A small charitable raffle can run without one if prizes total no more than €1,000, tickets cost no more than €5 and you sell no more than 1,500 tickets. Above that, ask the Gardaí for a lottery permit.

Can colleagues claim tax back on their gifts?

Not themselves. The charity claims through the Charitable Donation Scheme for gifts of at least €250 per donor per year, if Revenue approved it. Ask your charity how it collects the certificate and PPSN.

Can we email donors about future appeals?

Only with clear opt-in consent. Do not use a pre ticked box. Include a working way to unsubscribe, and ask the Data Protection Commission if you are unsure.

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