Canberra Day Appeal 2025 – FAQs

The CDA is a collaborative fundraising effort between Hands Across Canberra (HAC), participating charities, and the Canberra community. It aims to encourage Canberrans to donate locally in the lead up and especially on Canberra Day. Charities can raise funds directly for their causes through the appeal.

Launched in 2019, the CDA started as a digital campaign raising awareness about local needs and encouraging Canberra Day giving. Over the years, it has grown significantly mixing digital and on the ground activations, supporting various charities.

• To motivate Canberrans to “give where they live” and donate to the Appeal, whether to participating organisations directly or to Hands Across Canberra and raise much-needed funds for the community sector. Funds donated to Hands Across Canberra will be made available in the following grant round. 

• To raise awareness on the need that exists in Canberra and the incredible work our community partners are doing each and every day to support! 

The official Canberra Day Appeal website is www.canberraday.org.au. During the campaign period, donation buttons on the Hands Across Canberra website (www.handsacrosscanberra.org.au) will also redirect to this page.

Jo Dean-Ritchie (lead) and Julia Lieser (support) will assist you throughout the campaign. Contact Jo (jodean-ritchie@handsacrosscanberra.org.au) or Julia (julia@handsacrosscanberra.org.au) for inquiries.

Chris Wagner from Talkforce Media (chris@talkforcemedia.com.au) will be managing media relations. 

Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) have developed a number of advertisements for us which they will broadcast in the lead up to the CDA. 

OneX will develop creative assets and communication materials for the campaign.

In 2025 Hands Across Canberra/the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund will provide $2,500 in matched funding per charity. 

We’re also seeking additional corporate matching partners. If you know a company interested, please contact Jo Dean-Ritchie (jodean-ritchie@handsacrosscanberra.org.au). 

Important Note: there will not be matching partners for specific organisations in the CDA 2025. 

We develop a suite of communications assets and even an interactive calendar that you can use to support your fundraising efforts (you can, of course, also customise assets or create your own if you prefer).  

This is an active digital campaign requiring organisations to promote and fundraise in their own networks. HAC will also disseminate the campaign through social media (HAC & allies) and general media activity, including TV and FM. 

Past CDA’s have taught us that those organisations who were most active in promoting also raised the most funds.  

There will be fun fundraising incentives throughout the appeal like prize money for early milestones and social media engagement.

In 2025, Raisely will be the official campaign platform partner for the appeal. Each charity will have its unique tile and url, which they can promote and share – donated funds through the URL/tile will be tagged to the organisation.

By joining the Canberra Day Appeal (CDA) 2025, your organisation commits to: 

1. Registration and Profile Creation: 

• Complete the contact form to let us know you’re participating (https://forms.office.com/r/nn1kajpvtt) 

• Create a compelling profile on the CDA platform to showcase your work and mission (more information on this to follow –in a nutshell this will include uploading a logo, a picture, an ‘about the org’ paragraph and a paragraph about what you are fundraising for this year). 

1. Active Campaign Promotion: 

• Share CDA campaign materials (e.g., social media posts, email templates) across your networks, including social media, newsletters, and donor emails. 

• Encourage your followers and supporters to donate to your cause. 

1. Fundraising Goal: 

• Aim to raise $10,000 through your organisation’s efforts. 

1. On-the-Ground Fundraising (Optional): 

• Consider hosting a physical fundraising event, such as a dinner, auction, or community gathering, to engage your supporters directly. 

Remember: The CDA is a collaborative effort. Your active participation is crucial to its success. By promoting the campaign and encouraging donations, you’ll help make a significant impact on the Canberra community. 

• November 27 from 2:30-3:30 PM // Information Session & Catch-Up for Participating Charities. Hybrid – online or in person at our offices in Deakin (Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/R6KZwZ1Wdj) 

• January 15 from 2-3 pm // Campaign Assets Walkthrough & Fundraising Ideas Brainstorming. Hybrid – online or in person at our offices in Deakin (Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/8aBtb9nUCV) 

• 24 January CDA Campaign Soft-Launch at the Festival of Speed (Media Launch, details to come) 

– From this date, organisations can start promoting their campaign profiles and collecting donations. 

• 24 January – 20 March Campaigning Period – Media, social media push, and fundraising events. 

• 19 February Launch Event (in-person) with Charities & Supporters (Details & Registration link to come) 

• 10 March Canberra Day Appeal Fun Run (details being confirmed and will be here soon) 

We will continue populating this space with fundraising events as they come up. If you have an idea or will be hosting one please let jodean-ritchie@handsacrosscanberra.org.au know! 

YES! Stay tuned for opportunities to incentivize your fundraising.  

Do you have a compelling story about your organisation’s work? 

We’re partnering with media outlets like Riotact, SCA, Canberra FM, Canberra Times, and ABC Radio to showcase the amazing work charities do in Canberra and promote the Canberra Day Appeal. 

• Share your story: If you have a story or project you think would be great for an article or interview, reach out to Chris from Talkforce Media (chris@talkforcemedia.com.au) and Jo Dean-Ritchie from Hands Across Canberra (jodean-ritchie@handsacrosscanberra.org.au). 

• Showcase the Impact of Last Year’s Appeal: We’d love to share how funds raised in the 2024 Canberra Day Appeal made a difference. If you participated in the 2024 Canberra Day Appeal and have a success story to share, please contact Jo and Chris directly. 

The only fees applied to donations are standard Stripe processing fees (1.75% + $0.30 for domestic cards, 2.9% + $0.30 for international cards). Donors can choose to opt-out of a small, optional contribution to cover Raisely’s fees. Hands Across Canberra does not take any fees. 

Donations over $2 are tax-deductible. 

If a donor prefers not to donate online, they can contact Hands Across Canberra (jodean-ritchie@handsacrosscanberra.org.au) for bank transfer details. This is recommended for larger donations to avoid Stripe fees. 

At the end of the campaign, you will receive information about donors who chose not to remain anonymous, allowing you to thank them for their generosity. 

Funds raised are expected to be transferred to participating charities in early April, following financial reconciliation of the appeal.