Setting up your fundraiser
1. Select a fundraising activity
Once you’ve decided how you would like to fundraise, determine what is required to hold the event. Who needs to be involved, who you will ask to attend, how you will reach and communicate to your audiences, some costs to set everything up… and of course, how much you are hoping to raise.
2. Tell us about it
Before you start any fundraising for Meli, please contact us and let us know about your plans. This way we can support you as best as we can with logos and images, but we may also be able to promote on our own marketing materials – we love sharing stories of our wonderful community supporting us! You can reach our fundraising team at donations@meli.org.au or call our office on (03) 5226 8900.
3. Decide on how you will collect the money
Online Fundraising page
We have set up a page on My Cause to help you set up your event page that you can share with your friends and family. When someone makes a donation to your fundraiser through your page, they will automatically receive a tax-deductible receipt. You will also see a running tally of all your efforts and all the donations will go directly into the Meli account. Click here to set up your fundraiser on Meli’s My Cause page.
Donation tins
If you are holding an event as part of your fundraiser, you could place Meli fundraising tins around the room to encourage your guests to donate. Contact us at donations@meli.org.au to access tins, or we can send you logo artwork to print and stick on your own customised containers.
Tickets to an event
If you are selling tickets to an event and 100% of the proceeds are being donated to Meli, you may want to set up a ticketing page on Try Booking or Eventbrite. Tickets and receipts are automatically sent to your guests upon purchase.
Donate directly
If you are simply collecting money directly from people, you can donate the funds directly into Meli’s bank account or online via our donation page. Just make sure you email us to let us know you have made the donation.
Start Fundraising!
Tell your friends! Spread the word far and wide! A great way to get started is by letting your friends and family know about your fundraiser on Facebook and other social media channels. If your fundraiser is an event, you might want to create an event page on Facebook and Invite your friends to join.
Hosting a virtual fundraiser
Here’s some ideas below:
Take on a Challenge
Set up a challenge such as walking, running, cycling, sailing a certain distance, give up something for a month or do something each day for a month – here’s where you can have fun!
Host a movie night
Select your favourite new or classic movie and host a virtual movie night with your friends and family – set up a time, date and send popcorn of course. You could ask for a donation for the amount of a movie ticket.
Hold a virtual morning or afternoon tea
Donate and catch up via one of the video platforms to connect with your friends and family. Your friends could donate the money they would normally spend at a restaurant.
Commemorate a special occasion virtually
Celebrate and connect with your friends over video and instead of gifts, ask for donations.
Let Meli know you are hosting your Fundraiser by contacting us at donations@meli.org.au
Click here to set up your fundraiser on Meli’s My Cause page if you need.
Popular ways to go online with your friends include Zoom, Google Meets, Facetime, Messenger and Houseparty.
If you have an idea you’d like to discuss, need advice or have any questions regarding fundraising for Meli, please contact our Fundraising team at donations@meli.org.au and we’ll be happy to help.
Your Responsibility as a Fundraiser
There are a few things to consider before you begin fundraising. If you need any assistance in working through these, reach out to our fundraising team at donations@meli.org.au and we will happily provide you with support and guidance.
- Your fundraising activity should only begin once you have contacted our fundraising department. Only then will permission be provided for the Meli name and logo to be used on marketing collateral.
- You must comply with obligations imposed by the Charitable Fundraising Act and applicable state/territory laws and regulations and must obtain relevant permits, authorities and licences as needed. Meli is unable to provide insurance of any kind including public liability for your event and cannot be held responsible for any accident or injury that may result from the activity.
- The event will be conducted in the organiser’s name who will be solely responsible for managing the operational and financial components of the fundraiser.
- Any promotional material produced for the fundraising activity must clearly state the activity is raising funds to support Meli as opposed to the activity being a Meli managed event.
- Meli reserves the right to terminate its support for the fundraising activity/event at any time if it appears that there is a likelihood of the organiser failing to meet any of the above responsibilities.
Frequently asked questions
There are a few different ways that you can collect donations. If you wish to collect donations through an online portal we recommend using our Meli page. This is an easy, secure way to collect donations and is also a great way to promote your fundraiser online. If you want to collect cash donations on the day of your fundraiser, we recommend collecting all of your donations and donating these funds in one lump sum to the Meli bank account via our donation page or through a direct transfer or a cheque donation.
You can donate via our online donation portal, by making a bank transfer, or by cheque. Please contact us at donations@meli.org.au if you would like to make a bank transfer or pay by cheque.
When your supporters donate directly through an online platform like My Cause they will automatically receive a receipt from that platform. If your supporters are donating directly to you and would like a receipt, please collect their names, email address and amount of their donation and provide to Meli via sending an email to donations@meli.org.au. We can arrange individual receipts from there.
Yes, Meli Inc is a registered charity in Australia (ABN 38 633 820 168). We also hold Deductible Gifts Recipients (DGR) status.
Yes, you can absolutely raise funds for a specific Meli program that matches with the main cause you are hoping to support. Meli runs a broad range of programs to:
- Help build better relationships
- Support the education, care and wellbeing of children
- Support parents in their parenting role
- Support women and children affected by family violence
- Assist men who use violence become accountable for their behaviour
- Assist people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
- Assist people experiencing financial stress and provide material aid
- Help those affected by problem gambling
- Get your school or workplace involved. Let your school or workplace know about your fundraiser and make it easy for them to get involved. Something as easy as selling baked goods for a gold coin donation can be really effective.
- Ask local businesses for a donation. It may be something as simple as bread for your sausage sizzle, or a voucher for the raffle – every little bit helps. You’ll be surprised at how supportive your community can be.
- Set yourself a fundraising goal. Be ambitious! This will get people’s attention and could inspire them to help you out.
- Thank your supporters personally. Make this message personal, it could be a text, a Facebook or Instagram shout out, or a simple page mention. This public thank you could motivate others to also give.
There are some activities/events that Meli cannot be associated with. We cannot endorse activities that include:
- Use of weapons, firearms or fireworks
- Events that promote smoking, drugs or alcohol (including sponsorship of companies that sell these products)
- Events that promote illicit behavior
- Any activity or event that demeans women and/or girls
- Events that encourage gambling
- Events that demean or disparage any minority group or are racist in nature
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