Fundraising ideas that work in Australia
Try these top fundraising ideas that have been proven to generate interest when fundraising in Australia.
1. Online crowdfunding
Reach a wide audience beyond your local community, where supporters can easily make and share donations online. Crowdfunding can build momentum through social media, encouraging friends and family to spread the word.
2. Sausage sizzle or bake sale
Sausage sizzles and bake sales are a low-cost, familiar way to raise money, and they work particularly well at schools, sporting clubs, workplaces, and community events.
3. Trivia night or quiz night
Host a trivia or quiz night to bring people together while raising money through entry fees, food, drinks, and prizes. It can also attract local business sponsorships.
4. Charity auction
An auction can generate strong fundraising results when businesses and community members donate appealing prizes or experiences.
5. Sponsored challenge
Take on a fun or meaningful challenge such as a walk, run, swim, or creative activity, and ask friends, family, and colleagues to sponsor you.
6. Dress-up or gold coin day
This is simple to organise for schools, workplaces, and community groups, with participants contributing a small gold coin donation. A themed dress-up day adds a fun, visible way to boost participation.
7. Facebook birthday fundraiser
Turn your birthday into an opportunity to support a good cause by asking friends to donate instead of giving presents, reaching a broad personal network.
8. Community market stall
Host a stall at a local market or community event with donated goods, crafts, or baked treats, then add what you raise to your fundraiser.
For more ideas, browse our full list of fundraising ideas.
Five quick fundraising tips to build momentum
Once you have your fundraising idea, it’s time to start building momentum. These five quick tips will help you spread the word and get people to engage with your fundraiser in Australia.
1. Add special dates within your fundraiser
Here’s a tried-and-tested way to give a fundraiser a quick boost. Does a date between 1 and 31 mean something special to your fundraiser? It could be the beneficiary’s age, an anniversary, or a birthday. Mark that date on your calendar and make a special fundraising push on that day.
Ask everyone to give $15 on the 15th, for example. The date isn’t intended to be the final deadline for your fundraiser. It’s a special day within the bigger picture of your fundraiser.
2. Post updates to show how you’re using the funds
Never underestimate the power of updates. When potential supporters see updates to your fundraiser, you make them aware of your goals again, which creates a great opportunity to get people involved in your ongoing story. Every time you thank your supporters or include them in your updates, potential new supporters will see how they could become part of your story too.
One of the key reasons for posting updates is to show what the funds that you’ve already received are going towards. Our blog explains why updates matter and how to show supporters what their donations are funding.
3. List your expenses in the description
Clarity and brevity are essential to getting others to react quickly to your appeal. A list of expenses gives people a clear picture of what you need and why, helping them understand the scale of the challenge you’re facing. In your fundraiser story, include an itemised list of the expenses that you’re raising money for. For example, if you’re raising funds for an operation, list the cost of the operation itself along with all related items such as transport, prescriptions, physiotherapy, loss of earnings, childcare, and more.
People who might otherwise wonder what you need so much money for will quickly see exactly why you need it. Also, when people see precisely what their donation is going towards, they know how much of a difference they can make.
4. Slow down your launch to get a boost
It may seem counterintuitive at first. But people who don’t know you as well are more likely to donate if they arrive at your fundraiser page and see you’ve already raised a good share of your goal. Therefore, we recommend sharing your fundraiser with your inner circle of family and close friends first and building up donations from that inner circle before you share it more widely on your social media pages.
5. Focus on the why
To be clear and complete, your fundraiser story needs to answer five crucial questions: who, what, when, where, and why. When it comes to creating a sense of urgency, you need to focus on the why. If the reason for your fundraiser isn’t clear, people will often assume you have other options.
So be clear and straightforward about why you’re doing your fundraiser. What will happen if you don’t raise these funds? What would the negative consequences be? What will you be able to do if you do raise the funds? And why is it so vitally important for you to raise this money?
Fundraising in fast forward
Raising money quickly comes down to one thing: a fundraiser story that’s clear. Explain why you need the funds now, show how the money will be spent, and create a sense of urgency. By doing that, you give your fundraiser the best chance of gaining momentum and support.
At GoFundMe, you can start a fundraiser, share your story, and reach supporters across Australia and beyond.
Look at our website for more fundraising ideas and helpful tips.