The Good Exchange fundraising platform sees donations more than double in last 12 months and celebrates fourth anniversary supporting 600 live good causes.
With a significant growth in donations despite uncertain economic conditions The Good Exchange celebrates its fourth anniversary this month. In its fourth year of operation, public donations made through the platform were more than double the number of donations from the previous year, amounting to £1.1 million – a 51% increase from £730,193 in 2018-19. In addition, over £3.1m in grants (a 52% increase from the previous year) were disbursed through the platform.
The Good Exchange, which disburses grants across West Berkshire and north Hampshire from its owner Greenham Trust, as well as grants from other funders, and donations from the general public and businesses, now hosts 600 live projects fundraising for a variety of good causes. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, these have included; an emergency Coronavirus funding project to support those in need in the West Berkshire and north Hampshire area; a partnership with Berkshire Youth to launch a youth support hub to assist young people, families and agencies through the lockdown; and a fundraising initiative with The Theatrical Guild supported by £40,000 of match funding from Sir Ian McKellen to help theatre workers who have lost their jobs due to the lockdown with bills, services and other basic essentials.
With the Coronavirus pandemic hitting the charity sector especially hard, innovative approaches to charitable funding and donations are needed now more than ever. The Good Exchange and Greenham Trust have spearheaded an approach that incentivises both charities and their supporters to raise significant amounts of money in a short space of time with their ‘Double Matched Day’, which demonstrates the power of match funding to boost charitable donations. In July 2020, ten local charitable causes – ranging from supporting mothers through postnatal care, to providing cuddle beds for terminally ill cancer patients, to helping children through bereavement – were selected to raise up to £50,000 over a 24-hour period. These funds were double matched up to a total of £100,000 by Greenham Trust. Its success has led to demands for another – which will be held on December 11th.
“In times of crisis, more people rely on charitable organisations for support, whereas charities tend suffer from lower rates of giving, increased competition for the funds that are available whilst also having to cut staff costs and facing drastically reduced opportunities to run and participate in fundraising activities,” said Chris Boulton, CEO of The Good Exchange.
