National day of giving set to boost Aussie LGBTIQ+ projects
14 October 2020 at 5:50 pm
Advocates are looking to address a shortage of funding given to rainbow causes in Australia
An Australian LGBTIQ+ organisation has created a COVID-safe virtual fundraising campaign as it looks to raise money for underfunded LGBTIQ+ projects across the country.
GiveOUT has developed a free app which allows people to buy a digital ribbon in the form of a mobile wallpaper or smart watch face.
Australians can use this ribbon to show their support for GiveOUT Day, a national day of giving to LGBTIQ+ projects, community groups and not-for-profit organisations held on 16 October.
Neil Pharaoh, the managing director of GiveOUT, said this novel approach came about because COVID restrictions meant they were not able to hold workplace events to raise funds.
“So, the question became, how can we distribute a ‘virtual’ ribbon by donation, which people can wear digitally to show their support,” Pharaoh said.
“The watch faces and wallpapers for phones – which have been especially designed for GiveOUT Day – are a way the community can donate with one click, and show their support for the more than 60 LGBTIQ+ charities we support.”
GiveOUT Day offers grassroots LGBTIQ+ organisations a platform to raise money, while also raising the profile of their work, and allowing them to expand their networks and meet new audiences.
This day of giving is designed to address the shortage of funding given to LGBTIQ+ projects in Australia.
Despite 11 per cent of Australians identifying as being of diverse sexuality, research has shown only 0.23 per cent of annual Australian philanthropic funding was specifically allocated to rainbow causes between 2013 and 2018.
The inaugural GiveOUT Day last year raised $85,000 for 39 different LGBTIQ+ organisations in just 24 hours.
The goal this year is to raise at least $100,000, with more than 60 LGBTIQ+ organisations around the country signed up to the platform.
On Thursday, GiveOUT – in conjunction with The Funding Network (TFN) – is also running Australia’s first live, virtual LGBTIQ+ crowdfunding event, to raise money for three LGBTIQ+ charities.
This Virtual Rainbow event will be delivered simultaneously with a virtual event by TFN and GiveOut in the UK.
During the Australian event, Rainbow Families, Transgender Victoria and LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation will pitch their programs into audiences’ living rooms through the Crowdcast platform.
Attendees will then be invited to pledge funding to each organisation via a chat function.
GiveOUT Australia will match funding up to $30,000 in donations, while Macquarie Group will do so up to $15,000.
TFN CEO Julie McDonald said virtual crowdfunding was a great way to bring “together people from all walks of life to magnify their funds and to create lasting social change”.
“We are incredibly excited to be partnering globally with GiveOUT and Macquarie and delivering our Virtual Rainbow event for the LGBTQ+ community,” McDonald said.
“We’re grateful for their matched funding support, meaning pledges by individuals on the night can go even further in supporting these deserving organisations to deepen their impact in the rainbow community.”
You can find out more information about the event here.
