Local Giving Centres

 

For the past 10 years, Our Community has operated an online giving centre (GiveNow.com.au, formerly the Australian Giving Centre) – an initiative designed to provide any not-for-profit community organisation in Australia with access to a secure online donations facility.

This service has now been extended to allow local councils to set up their own ‘division’ of GiveNow.com.au, allowing you to:

•  Encourage members of the local community to give more, and give locally; and

•  Provide support to your local community organisations , giving them access to a bigger pool of donors and access to a free online donations service.

Your Local Giving Centre will list community organisations operating in your local area that would like to receive online donations.

But it’s not just about money. Your Local Giving Centre can be configured to list a range of ways people can give, providing local lists and links where relevant:

•  Donate

•  Give money

•  Give to an emergency appeal (e.g. bushfires, natural disasters)

•  Make a bequest

•  Give land

•  Give shares

•  Give blood

•  Become an organ donor

•  Give food

•  Recycle

•  Mobile phones

•  Computers

•  Clothes

•  Blankets

•  Bikes

•  Corks

•  Stamps

•  Furniture

•  Volunteer

•  Learn about volunteering

•  Find a local volunteering position

•  Learn about board-based volunteering

•  Find a board/committee position

•  Join a community group

•  Find out more about giving

•  Join the giving revolution (monthly newsletter)

•  Tips for giving wisely

•  Australian Giving Week

•  Help for community groups

•  Fundraising basics

•  Sign up for online donations

•  Grants

•  Community-business partnerships

•  Members/friends/alumni

•  Special events

•  Earned income

•  List a volunteer vacancy

•  List board/committee vacancy

As part of the Local Giving Centre initiative, Our Community can also provide online fundraising help for your local community organisations , face-to-face workshops and PR support for host councils.

In partnership with your Council, Our Community carries out the following tasks to maintain the ‘back end’ functions of your Local Giving Centre:

•  The design, development and build of the Giving Centre. Your Giving Centre will be designed with the look and feel of your Council’s existing website (development is done in consultation with Council). Choose from or suite of options for your Local Centre.

•  Registering and listing local community groups. Our Community works to identify and list on your Local Giving Centre local community groups, and works with them to develop a fundraising appeal page. This includes the development of a logo for each group to display on their Giving Centre appeal page and a “donate now” button for use on the community group’s own website (linking to the secure online donations facility). Not that neither a website nor technical expertise is needed for groups to participate.

•  Delivery of Community Fundraising Forums. These forums are designed to improve the effectiveness of the fundraising efforts carried out by local groups and to ensure maximum take-up by the groups of community giving. The forums are delivered by Our Community and hosted by Council.

•  Takes responsibility for managing donated funds. Our Community takes responsibility for ensuring groups listed in the online donations section of your Giving Centre are legitimate groups and have authority to fundraise in their state. We also take responsibility for the collection of donations, receipting and distribution of donations to each community group.

•  Assists with marketing of your Local Giving Centre. Our Community provides copy for Council newsletters and other media communications channels to ensure maximum exposure for your Local Giving Centre. Your centre will also be promoted by Our Community on our own website and through our own communications channels.

•  Provides updates. Our Community provides regular updates to the Local Giving Centre’s host Council, including an online monthly report on progress.

All of the services provided via Local Giving Centre are free to community groups.

The host Council will be levied a small annual service charge.

More information

For more information on pricing and implementation procedures, please contact Kate Caldecott on (03) 9320 6804 or email katec@ourcommunity.com.au