3 easy ways for businesses to fundraise for a good cause

And get your staff and customers on board

Plenty of people and businesses make monthly charity contributions, or one-off donations when tragedy strikes. But if you’re searching for ways to do more and fund your donations, here are a few ideas.

1. Make it easy for customers to donate

For retail, bars and cafes, a great option is encouraging your customers to donate when they buy something. This can be super simple, like a charity tip jar explaining where the funds are going, or slick and built into your payment system.

For example, businesses like Macpac are matching every $2 donation that customers put toward the Australian bush fires, as well as making a 20 cent contribution each time you refuse a paper bag. Other retailers are making one-time donations to Australian charities or contributing a percentage of their online profits.

2. Donate the income you make with Parkable

If you’re a Parkable host or use Parkable to manage staff parking, you can do something extra to give back to the community. Donate this month’s Parkable income to a charity of your choice, or make the change permanent like IAG staff at the NZI Centre. IAG staff have been donating their proceeds to the Red Cross since they started using Parkable last June, and have since raised thousands for the charity.

To send your Parkable earnings straight to a charity, simply open the app or dashboard, and switch the bank account number.

3. Round up your team and resell what you don’t need

Make a day of it! Gather your staff, bring them on-board with your donating vision, and then get busy Marie Kondo-ing. Resell those less-than-joyful or can’t-remember-when-this-was-last-used possessions, selling them online or going old-school and trying a garage sale. You could even make a competition out of who in your team donates the most. Once you’re done, you’ll have a wad of extra cash that can go straight to the good cause of your choice.

If that’s too much effort, donate your (clean, good-quality, not broken) clothes, books, and other items to your local charity shop. The Salvation Army, Red Cross, Hospice, City Mission - whatever floats your boat. Just remember to call first, as they fill up after Christmas.