New Rainbow Initiative means Australian LGBTIQ shoppers can give back to their community when buying on-line.
FIFTEEN Australian LGBTIQ Charities and community groups have joined forces with the Global Fundraising Initiative to create a new online donation service.
The Rainbow Initiative is an online shopping site where people can shop for products and services from Australian retailers and donate for free to a favoured LGBTIQ charity. The free donation is created from sales commission on items purchased via the Rainbow Initiative website.
The new service will work with the existing Global Fundraising Initiative, an Australian based company that provides free and unique fundraising services to Charities and Not for Profits in Australia and around the world through shopping.
“Shopping with the Rainbow Initiative’s participating retailers doesn’t cost shoppers any more than buying from them direct and the donation comes from the commission we are paid on the sale,” said Mr Alex Jordan, CEO of the Global Fundraising Initiative. “We have created a way for our community to donate to charity for free.”
More than 100 participating Rainbow Initiative retailers sell clothes, shoes, beauty products, flowers, sporting goods, office supplies, book hotels and even credit cards, insurance policies or mobile phone account. There is also a food home delivery service participating.
“Australians are spending around $30 billion a year through online shopping. We are hoping that the community will use the Rainbow Initiative first to find their online retailers before going anywhere else so that the community charities and groups get the support they need,” added Mr Jordan.
Australian charities and community groups participating in the Rainbow Initiative include Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, Twenty10 incorporating GLCS, WA AIDS Council, Positive Life SA, NSW Gay & Lesbian Rights Lobby, GLWA the Matrix Guild of Victoria, Living Positive Victoria, InterPride, The Pinnacle Foundation, the Gender Centre, pflag Perth and the Transgender Anti-Violence Project.
People buying products via the Rainbow Initiative can sign up to the site so that commission generated when they shop is donated in their name and to their nominated charity. They will also receive a tax deductible receipt for the donation amount.
“The Rainbow Initiative is the one making the donation, not the shopper,” explained Mr Jordan. “We make the donation in the shoppers name as our way of saying thank you and encouraging them to come back and shop again so even more money can be donated. It is the shopper after all that is spending the money.”
Participating shoppers receive an email confirmation of their purchase listing the donation amount. The tax deductible receipt also acts as confirmation that the donation has been paid.
The Rainbow Initiative went live in Australia, 20 February, 2015. Current plans are to expand the Rainbow Initiative into the USA in March/April 2015.
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