Is Hosting a Murder Mystery Event the Best Way to Raise Money?

Big Event?  Questions You Should Ask.

Every day, we’re bombarded with advertisements for fundraising balls, marathons, coffee mornings—everyone seems to be jumping on the large event bandwagon. So it must work, right?

Not necessarily!

While events can be a fantastic way to raise funds, they aren’t always the best or most efficient method. So before you commit to hosting one, make sure it’s the right approach for you.

Ask Yourself These Key Questions:

1. How much money do I need to raise?
2. How much support do I have to help raise that money?
3. Can I cover upfront costs if the event doesn’t pay for itself?
4. Do I have the time to organize and manage a successful event?

If your goal is purely to raise money rather than gain publicity, you may want to consider simpler and more cost-effective fundraising methods. Start small, and see how much you can generate with minimal effort before committing to a major event.

Even if you’re set on a big event, don’t overlook smaller, low-cost fundraising ideas. These can help cover initial expenses, ensuring that more money from your event goes directly to your cause.

A Quick case study…

A charity came to us late last year after being introduced to us by a business colleague concerned that they were spending a lot each year on a murder mystery fundraising event with a different murder mystery firm.

As one of the few (if not the only) murder mystery event planners who also sell “script only” we hopped on a call.

It may seem counter productive as we nearly always talk fundraisers OUT of hiring us in. (YES we can deliver a super event with our actors, but I’d much rather a charity retained as much money as possible from an event, and hiring us in, was a cost they could do without.) Instead I explained how they could work with a local amateur theatre group, using the SAME script our team would provide at a fraction of the cost (saving them over £1000 on the event costs).

They were very happy with our suggestion and they did as we suggested and decided to opt for one of our DIY games. Planning went well, but for one reason or another they didn’t sell enough tickets to make the event work that year.

Was I disappointed for them? Yes of course. But also mightily relieved, as had they hired in the alternative company – they wouldn’t have been able to cancel without losing that £1000, which would have meant not only had they been unable to run the fundraiser, btu they’d also have had to pay over £1000 for an even that didn’t go ahead.

Big events are often more trouble then they’re worth for smaller charities. They need lots of marketing, and contain lots of overhead costs and organisation. Smaller events raise less each time, but also take less time organisation to run. So make sure you always cost it out… you may find small events generate a much bigger return on investment in the charity’s money and time.

Alternative Fundraising Ideas (That Aren’t Events!)

We’ve compiled a range of effective, low-effort fundraising ideas—many of which you can implement immediately.

• Raffles: Instead of hosting an event yourself, why not ask to run a raffle at an existing gathering (e.g., a Chamber of Commerce dinner, a community meeting, a sporting event, a theatre show)? Most groups will happily allow you to run a raffle if you remove the hassle for them by arranging the prizes and doing the ticket selling and drawing on the night. So don’t restrict yourself to your own events… widen the field!
• Name Cards: Sell “boxes” on a card where people pay to put their name in against a specific slot. Leave these in workplaces, cafés, or community centres. These could be something like “what’s the name of the bear” and the winning name gets the bear. But you could equally name plants, or other objects. The idea with these is to sell the “spaces” that could be representing anything. Once the card is full, the answer is revealed (it’s usually in an envelope sealed to the back of the card) the person with the card hands out the prize to their customers then donates the money raised to your group.
• Guessing Games: “Guess how many sweets in a jar” or “Guess the weight of the cake” or similar games which can be left in shops, offices, or at events to generate passive income. Unlike the name cards – there are no “slots” and the games are stopped at a set point where the person closest to the actual number wins.
• Bag Packing at Supermarkets: Ask a local supermarket if you can offer bag packing for donations.
• Car Wash or Odd Jobs: Offer services like car washing, leaf blowing, or small household chores in exchange for donations.
• Collection Tins: Never underestimate the power of a simple donation tin at a till or in a high-traffic area.
• Selling Goods: Organize cake sales, bric-a-brac stalls, or craft sales at markets or community events. Check regulations if selling food.
• Charity Auctions: As well as objects you can auction off volunteer services, such as a few hours of cleaning or DIY help.
• Selling Donated Items: Ask local businesses for unsold stock to sell on eBay or Vinted. Similarly, collect unwanted clothes from friends and family and sell them online or to recycling schemes.
• Garage Sales or Car Boot Sales: Sell donated goods directly in your community.
• Gift Aid: If eligible, claim Gift Aid on donations to boost funds. (UK specific)
• Coffee Mornings: A simple but effective way to raise money with the help of volunteers. All those who visit put a donation in the tin for the coffee and cake consumed. Unlike organised events, these are supporter run, so there’s often no food hygiene rules to follow.
• Online Giving: Use platforms like JustGiving, GoFundMe, or PayPal to encourage direct donations. If you have a website make sure it’s set up to accept donations.
• Dress-Down or Themed Days: Charge a small fee for schools or workplaces to dress in a theme (e.g., wear red for heart health awareness).
• Sponsored Activities: Whether it’s a silence, a run, a sponsored spin session or a dance-a-thon, sponsorships can be a great way to raise funds. Large organisations will often do things like wing walks or parachute jumps, but remember these also cost more to arrange, so start smaller to ensure you raise as much as possible.
• Cryptic Quiz Sheets: Sell ready-made quizzes for a small fee e.g. 10p to play. All correct answers entered into a prize draw. We have a couple you can download free, along with some other free advice HERE.
• Online Fundraising Games: You don’t need to be face to face to raise money any more. You can run events virtually, which reduces overhead costs and means people from all over the world can join in. We regularly support fundraisers with our virtual escape games and murder mystery games. Many of these are ready to use instantly.
• Small-Scale Social Events: Instead of a large gala, consider intimate dinner parties or our hugely popular Party at Home games which provide a creative and engaging way to raise funds while having fun!

The Smartest Fundraising Strategy? Make It Fun and Easy!

Don’t underestimate the power of small-scale fundraising. Since these methods require fewer resources, they often generate as much—if not more—profit than large events.
Want to explore how our Party at Home Murder Mystery Games can work for your fundraiser?

Download our FREE fundraising guide packed with step-by-step instructions and insider tips! Click here to get started.

If you’re unsure which approach will work best for your charity, gather some supporters for a brainstorming session. You may be surprised by how many creative, low-cost ideas you can implement right away.

Never dismiss an idea until you’ve calculated its potential. The more methods you explore, the more money you can raise. Different people are willing to donate through different activities—having a variety of approaches increases your chances of success!

Fundraising doesn’t have to be complicated. Start simple, think smart, and watch the donations roll in!