Fundraise for us

As a not-for-profit organisation, YWCA Canberra welcomes donations and fundraising to allow us to continue to provide valuable services to the Canberra community.

You can help us by hosting your own fundraisers to increase awareness of what we do among your workmates, family and friends, while raising much-needed funds for our programs!

You can choose to raise money, goods or services, depending on which of our programs you are fundraising for. Our Lanyon Food Hub is often in need of additional food items and we work with GIVIT to organise necessary household goods for clients in our housing programs.

We recommend contacting us first to see if your fundraising goals meet the needs of the program.

Below are some guidelines and frequently asked questions to help you plan your fundraising activity. If you get stuck, contact us at caf.team@ywca-canberra.org.au.

What can I fundraise for?

YWCA Canberra runs a number of programs that support vulnerable members of our community in different ways. Some of the key programs that we’d love you to support are:

• YHomes, a proposed supportive housing development on a block of land in Ainslie which will provide affordable, safe and fit-for-purpose housing solutions for older women at risk of homelessness and women and families who have experienced domestic violence.
• YWCA Canberra’s Clubhouse: a free, out of school learning space that provides over 400 young people, aged 10 to 18 in the Tuggeranong region with access to the latest technology, as well as mentoring and support to grow their skills in science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics, and music.
• The Lanyon Food Hub, which provides emergency relief to families who are experiencing significant financial distress, with a focus on supporting people from the Tuggeranong region of the ACT.
• Our range of training and education options and front-line support services that help prevent and respond to violence against women in the community and in our workplaces.

What are some ways I can fundraise?

We encourage our members, corporate partners and friends to be as creative as they want with their fundraising endeavours. But we also know it can be hard to know where to start!

Some ideas for how you can fundraise are:

• Set yourself a challenge and get your friends and family to sponsor you!
• Host a special event, and donate entry fees. For example, local band The Touch Moves donated all proceeds from a single launch show to us.
• Have a morning tea at work and get your colleagues to contribute.
• Put together a team for an upcoming fun-run or event, and get people to sponsor your efforts!
• Host a crowdfunding campaign.

Should I contact YWCA Canberra before organising my fundraising activity?

Yes please! We always like to know when our members and community are fundraising for us. You can let us know by emailing volunteer@ywca-canberra.org.au.

Will YWCA Canberra approve my fundraising activity?

Your fundraising activity will not be an official YWCA Canberra activity, so we don’t need to approve it. While we can provide some general guidance as to what sorts of activities are appropriate, we cannot formally authorise you to act on behalf of YWCA Canberra, and we will hold no responsibility for the management of your activity.

Remember to think about things like insurance requirements, how you will collect donations, and any legal requirements. You will not be covered by YWCA Canberra’s insurance.

What are the legal requirements?

Every state and territory has unique laws that govern fundraising and charitable collections. Make sure to research and ensure that your activity meets all requirements. In the ACT, the Access Canberra has lots of helpful information you can access online.

Can I use the YWCA Canberra logo for my fundraising activity?

Unfortunately, you can’t use our logo as your activity isn’t an official YWCA Canberra activity. However, you can acknowledge us by stating that funds raised through your event/activity will be donated to YWCA Canberra.

If you have a special reason why you’d like to use our logo, please contact caf.team@ywca-canberra.org.au and we will consider your request.

Will YWCA Canberra help promote my activity?

We assess fundraising initiatives on a case-by-case basis, and may be able to offer some support in terms of marketing your activity through our social media channels.

Any requests for marketing and promotion support should be made to Zoya Patel, Executive Director of Communications, Advocacy and Fundraising.

How can I deliver funds to YWCA Canberra?

If your donations are made online, you don’t need to do anything further, although you might like to send us an email to let us know how much you raised: we’d love to give you a shout-out and say thank you publicly!

If you collected cash, you can drop it off to our offices in Civic, or mail a bank cheque. Please do not deposit funds raised into your own bank account, as there are different laws across the country that dictate under what conditions this is permitted.

Can donors have a tax deductible receipt?

YWCA Canberra is a Deductible Gift Recipient, which means that donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. If donations are made online, we will send a tax receipt to the donor.