Giving Bootcamp: Give By Giving Up

GIVING BOOTCAMP

Give By Giving Up

With so many good causes competing for donor dollars, fundraising has become increasingly creative and engaging. A committed supporter can now fill a calendar year with a different attention-seeking activity each month.

Usually these events involve abstinence or sacrifice – it’s giving by giving up!

ALCOHOL (February or July or October)

FebFast

Over the past three years more than 10,700 people have taken up the FebFast challenge to give up grog for a month. Their efforts have succeeded in raising more than $1.7 million to support 14 organisations in the alcohol and other drugs service sector around Australia. February is perceived to be a good time to abstain from alcohol after the excess of an Australian summer.

Dry July

Founded in 2008, this year’s Dry July raised more than $2.4 million for causes that support adults living with cancer. “Dry Julyers ” are encouraged to sign up as an individual or a team and are asked to clear their head to make a difference. Prizes are given to the highest fundraisers in each state.

Ocsober

The money raised from Ocsober goes to Life Education, the organisation behind the educational giraffe mascot, Healthy Harold, who promotes a healthy lifestyle to kids. It’s all about resisting participation in drug and alcohol abuse. This year, Ocsober aims to raise $1 million and to highlight the growing danger of binge drinking and alcohol abuse, particularly among young Australians.

HAIR (March)

“Be Brave and Shave” is the catch cry for The World's Greatest Shave for the Leukaemia Foundation. Held in March each year, registrations will open in October. This year the event raised nearly $15 million dollars. The philosophy behind The World’s Greatest Shave is to create empathy for those who lose their hair whilst undergoing chemotherapy. Businesses are encouraged to participate as a team-building exercise that boosts employee morale, identifies team leaders and associates the company with a worthy cause. Shaving a head also provides great photo opportunities.

JUNK FOOD (April)

The Great Australia Bite is an Australia-wide community participation event held every April where businesses, individuals, schools, and other social groups are encouraged to get together with friends, family, and workmates to share a healthy bite to eat and, at the same time, make a tax-deductible donation to Diabetes Australia. Money raised from the event goes towards diabetes awareness and education programs, advocating for the rights of people living with diabetes, and research to find treatments and a cure.

A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP (June)

On  Thursday June 17, 2010, 684 business and community leaders slept rough in capital cities across Australia, in a bid to experience first-hand what it is like to be homeless. The $2.6 million raised by the CEO Sleepout will go   towards the ongoing provision of Vinnies ' homeless services across the country.

FOOD (August)

Live Below the Line is a new campaign that ran from August 2 to 6, 2010. Designed to help Australians understand the challenges faced by those currently living in extreme poverty, participants were asked to feed themselves with just $2 per day to raise funds for The Global Poverty Project and The Oaktree Foundation to support life-changing education programs. Many took to the difficult challenge and almost $500,000 was raised.

FACEBOOK (August)

After 35 years, The 40 hour famine is now about more than giving up food. Young participants are opting to give up things that are more important to them than food, like their mobile phone and Facebook . Some more creative supporters this year gave up footwear and others chose to give up use of their arms.

NATURAL COLOUR (September)

Blue September is a campaign created to get the message out about cancer in men. It aims to raise awareness among all Australians about cancers affecting men and urges men to take preventative action by improving lifestyle choices. It is also about encouraging people to organise fundraising events that involve the colour blue – painting faces, dying hair, wearing blue clothing and eating blue food.

A NIGHT ON THE TOWN (October)

Girl’s Night In encourages supporters to invite the girls around, get them to bring a friend and collect donations at the door. Event ideas include a pyjama party, a movie night, a karaoke night or something more spiritual like an evening of meditation. Most supporters hold their events in October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

CLEAN-SHAVEN FACE ( Movember )

Now in its seventh year, Movember encourages Mo Bros to give up their clean-shaven face and to grow and groom a moustache. During Movember , each “Mo Bro” becomes a walking billboard for men’s health and, via their Mo, raises essential funds and awareness for Movember’s men’s health partners – The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue . Last year, 125,000 supporters grew mo’s in Australia, raising more than $8 million for each of Movember’s men’s health partners.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT GIVING UP TO GIVE

Before signing up to give something up – ask some questions:

Q1: How much of the donation is going to the cause?

It’s important to realise that not all the money raised will go to the cause you are choosing to support. Check the websites carefully – many of them announce the fundraising ratio (e.g. Dry July Foundation states that 80c in every dollar goes to the nominated beneficiary.) If the website doesn’t disclose the information, contact them and ask the question directly. For more information about fundraising ratios go to the Fundraising Institute of Australia website.

Q2: Are you comfortable (ethically speaking) seeking sponsorship?

         Not everyone is comfortable asking friends to support their fundraising stunt. Some fear “ guilting ” mates into contributing while others take rejection badly. Make sure you are aware of what’s involved and apply appropriate sponsorship etiquette.

Q3: Are your friends sponsoring you or the cause?

         If you are asking your friends to sponsor you, remember they are supporting you but not necessarily your cause. Make sure that their names don’t automatically go on a mailing list or a calling list for the organisation. This can cause great annoyance and they will be reluctant to ever sponsor you or anyone else again.

Q4: Are the sponsorships donations? Are they tax deductible?

         “Sponsorships” are, in practical terms, the same as “donations”. Sponsors are entitled and should always be given a receipt. Many of the beneficiary organisations, particularly the larger ones, will have Deductible Gift Recipient status so donations of over $2 are tax deductible. (Don’t let the fact that some are not DGRs put you off raising money for them – find out why here.)

DESIGN YOUR OWN SACRIFICE

Inspired by Masterchef and tired of spending a fortune on expensive meals and babysitters on Saturday nights, Sue Blunt of Balaclava in Victoria has given up on eating out. Once a month, she and a group of friends take it in turns to host a dinner party in their home. “Everyone brings a dish so it’s not too onerous on the host and at the end of the night, we all donate what we would have spent if we went out,” says Sue. “During the meal, we discuss what cause we will support that month, so it can make for some interesting conversation too.”