About Giving Week – how your community group can take part

Australian Giving Week takes place around the country during December each year to focus attention on the many ways that individuals, families, businesses and groups can make a difference to their community in the lead-up to Christmas.

It's about helping businesses and individuals take some small, simple steps that open the way for a better supported, more inclusive, more vibrant community – not just during the Christmas period but all year long as well.

Our Community will be heavily promoting Australian Giving Week, but we need your help as well. This is a great opportunity for your group to showcase what you do and why you need support.

• Spread the word. Your group can help to spread the word about Australian Giving Week by seeking some publicity. Tell the world what you do, why you're great and why they should support you and the community this Christmas. If you need some help, download the sample media release, adapt it to your purposes and send it out to your local media.
• Add to the listings. The Australian Giving Week website provides listings of Christmas trees for sale (click here to view the current listing), as well as gift ideas - Christmas catalogues, online stores etc. - through the Good Gifts Guide (click here to download the latest guide).
• List your appeal. GiveNow has collected more than $12 million for Australian community groups. Currently, there are more than 1500 community group appeals listed - make sure yours is one of them. Throughout Australian Giving Week (and throughout the year) Our Community will be pushing donor traffic into GiveNow. Some will come to donate to a specific group, others are what we call "trawling donors" - people who come to GiveNow with credit card in hand but no clear view of who they want to donate to. Find out how your group can sign up at GiveNow.com.au.
• Tell people about your appeal. The more people who know about your appeal, the more chance you have of collecting a donation yourself and also spreading the word about GiveNow and why people should be giving to the community this Christmas. Put a link to your appeal on all your printed and electronic materials - every single thing that leaves your office - and encourage people to donate. Click here for more tips about encouraging online donations.
• List a Christmas appeal. Many groups schedule their major fundraising efforts at this time of year. Along with the general appeals listing, GiveNow.com.au has a specific link for Christmas appeals. Find out how you can list your Christmas appeal here.
• Send greetings and help yourself at the same time. Australia Post and Our Community have teamed up to develop the Christmas Giving Card. For every Giving Card that is purchased and sent, $1 will be handed on to a local community group. You can purchase and send out Giving Cards yourself, and get your members and friends to do the same (nominating your group as the recipient). Find out more here.
• Spend wisely. Lead by example by buying your organisation's Christmas trees and Christmas gifts through community groups. There's a listing of community groups with goods for sale at www.givingweek.com.au.
• 'Tis the season. For many people, Christmas provides an opportunity to take a breather from work and other stressors and reconnect with their family, friends and community. Find ways to make life easier for your group's employees and volunteers this Christmas.
• Get others involved. Tell everyone you know about Australian Giving Week. Email them with a link to this site (www.givingweek.com.au). Circulate the '50 ways for Individuals to Give' listing and post it on your group's noticeboard. Ask your local businesses and councils to get on board, and your local MPs as well (there's a section for them on www.givingweek.com.au too).

Australian Giving Week is an initiative of the Our Community Foundation, which also supports the GiveNow.com.au giving website. GiveNow has been used by more than 50,000 individuals and corporates and has collected more than $12 million in online donations for Australian community groups. Both Australian Giving Week and GiveNow.com.au are proudly supported by Westpac.