The Best Charity Event Venues For Hire

Introduction to Charity events

Modern and spacious or creative and unusual, the charity event venue you choose says so much. Whether you're hosting a fundraiser, gala dinner, charity ball or simply a workshop for your team, make sure you find the venue that will give you everything you deserve at the best price possible. Most of our featured venues offer rates for charities so make sure to let them know what you're booking for when enquiring with them.

We're here to show you the coolest, quirkiest, most impressive charity event venues in the UK, so you'll be able to plan the perfect event in no time at all. With over 20,000 venues listed on our site, we provide the largest selection of venues for hire in the UK. You'll certainly be spoilt for choice here when it comes to charity options. So, just enter your specifications into our venue search bar and discover the ideal charity event venue for your needs.

VenueScanner also offers an exclusive concierge service for our business clients. If you're booking a charity event - or any other event for that matter - our concierge team will be able to help you source the perfect venue. We'll find you a selection of impressive charity event venues that match your specifications, produce an event brief with pricing, arrange viewings and confirm the venue.

Understanding Your Event Needs

Before you start planning your charity event, you’ll need to figure out what your event needs are. This can be anything from the size and scope of the event to identifying the target audience to determining what sort of event you’d like to plan. The size and scope will have the largest impact on your budget so when you’re looking for a charity events venue, keep this in mind. While non-profit event planning can range from sorting a small dinner to a large gala, you want to know your upfront costs whenever possible. Once you’ve decided if you’re going to have a big event or a smaller one, you can figure out who you’re going to invite. Corporate charity events are often thrown for corporate donors, community members, or VIPs. If you know who you’re targeting ahead of time, you’ll be able to plan your event better. It will also help you determine the event format you want. A gala would be wonderful for your corporate donors or VIPs, while a dinner or auction would be great for your community members.

Types of Venues Suitable for Charity Events

Whether you’re looking for a hotel and conference centre or a community hall or local space, there are lots of charity event venues for you to choose from. Here’s a breakdown of some of the best fundraising event venue types:

Hotels and conference centres

If you’re looking to host a large-scale, formal event, a hotel or conference centre is a great shout. Many of these venues will be familiar with non-profit event planning and will be able to help you plan a stunning gala or dinner dance. They’ll be equipped to deal with large capacities and often offer in-house catering or will have preferred partners they can recommend. You’ll also have an events team on hand in most cases when dealing with hotels and conference centres as your charity events venue. It’s a nice perk to have a team on the day of your event to ensure it goes smoothly.

Community halls and local venues

Planning a community focused event to support a charity is a great idea. You’ll bring the community together for a good cause and people will be able to mingle with neighbours or other local business owners. Hire out a hall or local venue and you’ll give your charity event a community feel. You may be able to get a discount with a charity events venue if you keep it local as well.

Unique venues

From museums or art galleries to historical sites, you can create a memorable experience for your charity event if you choose the right venue. Finding something unique will leave guests talking about your event for days to come.

Outdoor spaces

If you’d prefer a more casual environment, and your event lands in the summertime, why not find an outdoor venue. There are lots of outdoor spaces that would make great charity event venues. You can throw a picnic or BBQ or enjoy drinks in a garden or on a rooftop while promoting your favourite charity.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Venue

When it comes to choosing a charity events venue you need to consider a number of things from location and accessibility to available amenities to budgets. Here are some things we suggest you keep in mind when choosing a venue.

Location and accessibility

Where you have your event is super important. You’ll want to plan your charity event in the city where most of your guests are based. Ensure it’s close to public transportation so everyone can get there easily. If you do have it in an area you need to drive to, make sure there’s parking available. You’ll also want the venue to be accessible. Check ahead of time if there are lifts and accessible toilets. You want to ensure that all of your guests can have a great time.

Capacity and layout

Your charity event venue will need to have a large enough capacity to fit all of your guests. You’ll also want to think about what sort of layout you’d like. Most venues can arrange their spaces in different ways ranging from theatre-style to cabaret to classroom, depending on what sort of event you’re arranging. If you’re having a gala, you’ll want your venue to be set up cabaret style and have a dance floor. If you’re having an auction, you’ll need a stage. These are all things you need to consider.

Available amenities

When it comes to non-profit event planning, you should discuss the available amenities with the venue before you even decide to book it. Fundraising event venues should have AV capabilities so you can speak about the charity at your event. There should also be catering options, especially if you’re planning a gala or drinks reception. It can be bowl food, canapes, or dinner. The venue can either have internal catering or share preferred partners with you. Either way, it’s worth discussing beforehand.

Cost considerations and budgeting for non-profits

Planning a charity event can be hard because of budgeting. Charities don’t often have as large a budget as other companies will have. Because of this, you may need to get creative. First and foremost, speak with the venue to see if they offer any sort of discount to non-profits. Next, you can ask your donors to help cover some of the costs. This can be in the form of paying for a table to attend the event or hosting an auction, where a portion of the proceeds goes to your charity and the rest covers the event costs. You might also be able to work with vendors at a discounted rate or even get donations from local businesses.

Working with Venues for a Successful Charity Event

When you start working with a venue for your charity event, you’ll want to collaborate with them to make it a successful event. Make sure you let the venue know that you’re a charity or you’re planning a charity event as they may offer a discount on venue hire. This will be different at every venue, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. You should also discuss customisation of the space. You’ll want it to be set up so the event flows nicely. If you’re hosting a gala with a cocktail hour, followed by a sitdown meal and dancing, you’ll need a space that can be set up the right way. If you need a stage or podium, you need to let the venue know ahead of time. Another thing you can do is see if they’d like to collaborate on marketing and promotion. You may find that the venue will be happy to have their name attached as an official partner for the event - just ask!

Who Can and Should Book a Venue for a Charity Event

Booking a charity event venue is possible to do if you’re a non-profit or a corporate sponsor. If you’re planning a large-scale event, you may want to use a professional event planner. It could be helpful when it comes to sorting out the logistics of your event.

How VenueScanner can help plan your charity event

If you’d prefer to not use a dedicated event planner, VenueScanner can help you find the perfect venue for your event! You can either browse through the venues we have on platform on your own, fill out a Venue Finder form and get some suggestions, or use the Concierge service.

When you choose to browse yourself, you’ll need to provide the event type and location. You can then add the venues you like to a short list and then send out enquiries all at once. Alternatively you can fill out a Venue Finder form. We’ll ask for key details like budget, amount of people, location, and event type and then match you with some great venues.

The VenueScanner Concierge service is available for corporate clients. You’ll speak with a dedicated account manager about your venue and event needs and they’ll provide you with a list of venues for you to choose from. They will arrange viewings for you and help you secure your booking. The Concierge team can also connect you with suppliers if you need them!

Book your venue today!