Why do we need to generate income?
Men’s Sheds in general are typically very well supported, particularly those that spend time making local connections, share their stories or live in close-knit communities. It’s one of the best things about Sheds, they strengthen and benefit communities far beyond the men that attend them. That said, almost every Shed will have costs; things they need to pay for. Even those that don’t right now, should be planning for a day when they might, because even the most comfortable circumstances can change.
To give themselves the greatest chance of staying around and maintaing the availability of their facilities for ‘generations’ of men to come, Sheds should implement robust and sustainable income generation strategies right from the start. UK Men’s Sheds Association advises Sheds to get to a point of self-financing as soon as possible, if not right away. Although grant funding is great, we encourage its use for the ‘nice to have things’ and never for the essential running costs of a Shed. This is because it can be easy to become reliant on grant funding and struggle when it runs out, and it always runs out!
When thinking about sustainable income streams, diversity is key. The less you rely on one source of income the better, particularly if it is a time-limited funding stream. That’s not to say you should carry them all out at once, you don’t want attending the Shed to feel like work, because then it becomes pressured and stressful, minimising the fantastic benefits Sheds bring to people’s lives.
Below is a number of simple ways to generate some income for your Shed, either as a one-off or on an ongoing basis.
Memberships
Even if your Shed’s rent and utilities are provided free of charge, we still recommend asking members to pay a membership fee or donation. Even if you spend your membership fees on improving the Shed, buying tools, providing free training to Shedders or building a small reserve, charging from the outset means if ever you want to buy or rent your own premises (if not already), you won’t be implementing a big culture change and finding yourself up against resistance or bad feeling.
There are many different variations and models on which to base your memberships on. What you ask for usually depends on the price and availability of premises in your area, the size of your premises, the affluence of the area, whether you have everything you need in the Shed, the number of members (and so the amount that can be raised quickly), and so on.
Here are some examples:
- A £15 per year fee, plus £1 for every session
- A £5 fee per month, regardless of attendance levels
- A suggested £3 donation per session
- A suggested £10 annual donation, plus a suggested £2 donation per session
There is no one-size fits all, and no right answer. Talk through the factors and circumstances of your Shed with your Trustees / Committee and members to decide on the right model.
Note where we say ‘suggested’. If you charge a session and there is no choice about whether to pay, you can’t claim Gift Aid, but if you make it a suggested donation, you can. A suggested donation also helps your Shed to be as inclusive as possible. You should avoid a system that excludes people facing financial hardship. In these circumstances, you could consider a volunteer role so the person still feels like they’re contributing.
Collect Donations
Consider investing in a donations box and ask a local retailer to have it by their till, with a short story about the Shed to encourage donations. Many supermarkets also allow volunteers to pack bags for their customers, taking along a collection bucket in the hope of humbled shoppers dropping in their spare change. Print out a picture of your Shed with a few words about it and chat to the shoppers about it. They won’t all give a donation, but it also helps to spread the word about Men’s Sheds and their benefits.
Generally getting out into your local area and telling individuals, companies and organisations what you do often results in donations too.
Gift Aid
Think about registering for Gift Aid to earn an extra 25% on donations from individuals. See our Gift Aid guide for more information on this, as well as our Gift Aid Declaration to start capturing donors’ details.
Product Sales
We see the most incredible products coming out of Sheds, from bird, bat and hedgehog boxes to guitars! It makes sense that if you can get the products to a good, safe quality that you sell these on for the enjoyment of others. You don’t have to do this all the time, and you may want to avoid doing it on a timed contract, but products that you’ve casually made can be sold at fates, markets (especially at Christmas) and even online as commissions through your own website or those like Folksy or Etsy.
But be careful…
You’ll need Product Liability Insurance if you want to sell your Shed’s products, so check with your insurer first. You should also be careful not to get to a point of competing with a local business though.
Workshops (by you or a professional)
If some of your skilled Shedders want to give more of their time to raising money for the Shed, you could consider offering workshops and ‘experience’ days to the general public. Workshops where people get to come along and learn how to make something that they can take home after half a day in the Shed go down very well and can often bring in a significant income. Making a fruit bowl, jewellery stand, leather belt or ring; weaving a basking; building a stool or carving a spoon are just a few ideas. If you can do this with donated or reclaimed materials, even better.
If you don’t have willing Shedders, or don’t want to add pressure to them, you could bring in a professional volunteer or even pay someone to run the course. The fee you charge members of the public will depend on your geographical area, local price tolerance and materials needed. Sheds have charged up to £100 for a 6 hours course. Do your research first and ensure you’re not risking your Sheds assets in order to make this happen i.e. risking losing money if people don’t come.
You can advertise such courses locally or use sites like Craft Courses, Not on the High Street or Funzing (London only at the time of writing).
Services
Is there a need for a service in your local area that isn’t already provided? Particularly one that wouldn’t take up too much time from Shedders, still allowing them to do their own projects. For example, a bicycle or furniture repair service, gardening or house and garage clearance? This could be something to consider charging a fee for, or welcoming a suggested, but not compulsory donation for.
But be careful…
Never promise too much and put pressure on yourself and other Shedders to deliver on demand or to a specific timescale. Consider having a request board, where Shedders can take on projects if they wish. Also let the requester know that you can’t guarantee a time-frame, but you’ll put it on the board. That way they can opt out if they need it done urgently and everybody knows where they stand.
Hire your space out
If you own your Shed, or your rental lease allows you to sub-let, you could consider renting out your workshop, or an adjoining space for a fee when the Shed isn’t in use. If you’re lucky enough to have a large premises where certain space isn’t used, you could rent out a proportion to help you cover your own costs. If the building isn’t yours, always ask the owner first, and get confirmation in writing if they say yes. Check local rates to determine a price, but don’t try to be too competitive if you want a loyal, long-term hirer.
Lottery
Charities are eligible to hold lotteries, with the profits being exempt from tax whether you’re VAT registered or not (and you don’t have to be). Men’s Sheds could hold small lotteries for their members or local communities to raise money for the furtherance of their charitable objects. It’s easy to carry out a regular lottery; you charge a small ticket price and put a percentage of each into the prize pot, with the charity keeping the rest. It’s a great way for individuals to donate to the charity whilst having the chance of winning a small prize. There are rules for charity lotteries, set out in section 3 or section 5 of the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976, depending the type of lottery you want to hold.
Use an online donations platform
Online donations platforms like Local Giving and the Big Give help charities to attract donations, and they often offer match funding campaigns and promotions too, enabling Sheds to double their earnings through donations. They have the power to advertise and provide valuable insights to charities that they may otherwise not be equipped for. Some of them even have automated Gift Aid services. They come with a subscription (and sometimes commission) fee, so do your research and weigh up your options when choosing the right platform.
Hold a fundraising event
Hold a Shed (product) sale, put on a Christmas craft session, ask a local green space owner if you can host an open-air cinema or theatre night, put on a charity lunch in your local church or village hall, hold an auction, the options are endless! Ensure the expenditure on any such event is minimal to minimise your risk and maximise your profit. Getting the support of local businesses is a good way to minimise costs, as they may donate the things you need given that the event is for charity.
Charity Challenges
Do you know someone who’s always wanted to jump out of a plane? A friend of a friend who’s running a marathon soon? That person that wouldn’t dream of cutting their hair or shaving their beard? Ask them if they’ll support your charity and raise money to do a challenge.
Apply for Grant Funding
If you and your fellow Shedders need a cash injection to repair (or even build) a building suitable to become a Shed; you want to get First Aid or tool safety training for a group of Shedders and kit the Shed out with PPE; you want to buy a dust extractor to allow you to do dusty work, grant funding might be the way to go. There are many well-known and lesser-known grant funders out there. In fact, the funding provided to charities and other voluntary groups in the UK is billions each year. Make sure you subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Shoulder to Shoulder, where we give you the lowdown on the latest funding at least once every three months. You can contact us directly to help you find local funders too. It’s one of the many things we can do to help Sheds in the UK.
Summary
This isn’t an exhaustive list, but should give you a taste of the options out there to generate a diverse range of income for your Shed. We’ll add things every now and again, so do check back.
If you’re planning to carry out any of these activities, you should speak to your insurer to make sure you are covered for your new activities. There are certain insurance products, like Product Liability Insurance that are absolutely vital when carrying out some of these activities.
You should also read our other guides related to income and expenditure before planning which income generating activities you are going to embark on.
Download a PDF version of this guide.