Philanthropy and Fundraising
Imagine if solutions to social problems across Australia were mapped out for everyone to see? "Solved" does just that, but it needs your input.
Ever wished that donation you made could be used again? The Origin Foundation have recently supported an organisation that will let you do just that. Here's how Good Return does it.
BP has brought back its "Vouchers for Volunteers" program, offering chosen charities the opportunity to receive free fuel. For nonprofits that rely on vehicles for their daily operations, this can be a great chance to save money and get on with the great work they're already doing.
A handful of the Connecting Up Australia team had the pleasure of meeting and hearing from Tom Dawkins, co-founder of crowdfunding website, Start Some Good. Tom has been visiting Australian cities (thanks to TACSI and The School for Social Entrepreneurs) over the past week. He visited the Vibwire Enterprise Hub in Sydney, The Hub in Melbourne, and finished up his speaking mini-tour in Adelaide in front of a small, intimate audience.
Tom spoke about events in his life, culminating in the creation of Start Some Good. His story was amazing, starting from the discovery of a trodden-on brochure for a student exchange program - which led him to a life changing experience in the USA. He shared how over the years, he has spent time with world leaders such as Margaret Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev, started his own youth media organisation, VibeWire, and been at the cutting edge of digital marketing. As he brought us up to speed with his current work with Start Some Good, it was clear that his wealth of experience and passion to see positive social change happen were real drivers in his efforts to break down barriers facing social entrepreneurs.
It wasn't too long after the post-Christmas sales before the hot-cross buns hit the shelves, reminding us that Easter was only a few months away. It really isn't too far away now, and we're once again surrounded by Easter sales and sugary treats wrapped in coloured foil.
Easter is really about new beginning and the celebration of life. It's easy to forget this in the hussle and bussle that it's become as people prepare for holidays, make sure they've bought enough chocolate for everyone, and organise family gatherings (not unlike what Christmas has become!).
So, this Easter, to help you break out of that hectic routine, here are three ways that you can do some good this Easter!
In the non-profit sector's never ending search for better fundraising ideas, online fundraising has entered into the spotlight. Websites are popping up which are designed to make fundraising easier, allowing people to make electronic transactions to individals and organisations. As part of this surge of online fundraising sites is the new "crowdfunding" phenomena.
