News

PayPal Giving Fund today announced that it has achieved the significant milestone of raising $200 million to support Australian charities since launching in 2018.

Working with partners that include PayPal, Meta, GoFundMe, Humble Bundle and Catalyser, PayPal Giving Fund helps charities reach and engage new audiences, using technology to help make giving a part of everyday life. 

Donations are made to PayPal Giving Fund, who then provide grants to nominated charities. Operating costs are covered by partners like PayPal, removing the need for PayPal Giving Fund to charge charities or donors, and 100 per cent of funds received by PayPal Giving Fund are granted to charities[i].

Eligible charities can enrol with PayPal Giving Fund for free and join more than 6000 Australian charities that have already benefited from PayPal Giving Fund and its partner’s platforms[ii].

PayPal Giving Fund Executive Director, Erica McLernon, said she was humbled by what the organisation had achieved for Australian charities in less than four years.

“The most amazing thing for us is seeing the lasting impact that the support of our programs can have for some charities,” McLernon said. “We enable our partner programs to operate at scale and this can literally change what a charity thought was possible for their charitable programs.”  

An online lifeline for charities and communities

The pandemic halted traditional fundraising activities for most Australian charities, but for Foodbank it also drove the need for their support to record heights.

“During the first few weeks of the pandemic our rescued food supply dropped by more than 60 per cent in some states, while demand for our service jumped by 72 per cent, forcing us to purchase more food over three months than we had over our entire history,” said Foodbank Australia CEO, Brianna Casey. “Thankfully, we were supported across many industries to help fill this shortfall, including the much-needed increase in donations through PayPal Giving Fund partner programs which helped us rapidly scale up.”

Foodbank was featured in PayPal Give at Checkout during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, resulting in more than $100,000 in donations. This was an increase from a few hundred dollars per month to tens of thousands, with 100% of the donation going to charity. This surge of support through PayPal Giving Fund enabled Foodbank to provide about 200,000 meals to vulnerable communities across Australia while demand for this support reached unprecedented highs.

“As the current cost of living crisis worsens, demand for Foodbank’s services will continue to grow, so we hope that those who chose to Give at Checkout during the pandemic will consider donating again,” said McLernon. “We’re confident that over time digital giving, including donations made through PayPal Giving Fund, will become an increasingly important source of revenue for organisations like Foodbank and the families and communities that rely on them.”

More ways to give back

PayPal Giving Fund enable partner programs that support thousands of Australian charities through digital fundraisers, microdonations at checkout, employee giving programs and more.

Meta enables its users to create and donate to charity fundraising campaigns via Facebook Fundraisers. Here people can share fundraisers with family, friends and communities to amplify their collective impact. Donations in Australia, Canada, UK and Ireland may be made to relevant PayPal Giving Funds globally, which makes grants to the charities recommended by fundraisers. 

Catalyser is a female led, Australian based start-up powering employee giving. By partnering with PayPal Giving Fund they expanded their network of charities to more than 20,000, enabling countless new connections between donors and Australian charities.

“Employee giving is most engaging when it can respond rapidly to local needs, so more choice gives companies more options and flexibility,” said Catalyser co-founder and co-CEO Aivee Robinson.

The Australian Giving landscape

PayPal Cause Marketing Research* shows that 70% per cent of consumers give to charities that help in times of need, with 24% saying they’ve become more likely to do so since the pandemic began.

“Supporting charities that help during crises is incredibly important, but we also know that making it easy for someone to support a cause they care about could inspire a lifetime of regular giving,” Ms McLernon said.

PayPal’s research showed that 86% of respondents had seen the option to make a $1 donation in their checkout, and among those respondents, 80% have added a $1 donation at checkout, while 32% said they donate more because of PayPal.

For more information on PayPal Giving Fund, visit the PayPal Giving Fund Australia website.