A simple idea that could raise millions of dollars for Not for Profits

A new innovative concept has the potential of raising millions of dollars for Not for Profits (NFPs) while saving money for the community. The idea is simple. Switch energy providers with Energy Pledge, save money on your energy bills and earn a $40 donation for your cause of choice. This donation comes from the commission earned as a result of switching providers.

 

The idea originated from Lee White, Founder of social enterprise Energy Pledge. With an extensive career in energy, Lee and some energy executives calculated that over $300 million was being spent by the energy industry on sales and marketing commissions. As large as that sounds, I’m sure a number of us can relate to that with the increasing number of calls that are received from energy providers. That prompted Lee asking the question “What if 1% of this $300 million went to worthy causes?” That 1%, or $3 million would make a considerable difference.

 

This led to the birth of Energy Pledge, an innovative social venture based in Victoria, Australia. Energy Pledge supports Not for Profits such as The Tipping Foundation, Starlight Children’s Foundation and Sands Australia who work with this model as an alternative to their existing fundraising efforts.

 

“We recognized that not all people could support charities by donating money. We also understood that energy prices in Australia were increasing and people who weren’t actively looking for a cheaper deal would likely be paying more than they should be. So we created our service to address these problems. We have saved over 80% of the bills we reviewed and we are confident that we can help many more people to save. If they switch with Energy Pledge to one of our partner retailers, they get the added benefit of supporting a cause they care about with a free donation so everyone wins.” Says Energy Pledge Founder - Lee White.

 

This announcement comes shortly after energy prices have increased in Australia as a result of rising electricity wholesale prices. In addition, research shows that people in Victoria have switched energy providers an average of 2 times in the last 5 years. It’s people that are haven't switched for a while that are likely to paying more for their energy than they should be. In fact Energy Pledge has saved some households over $1,300 a year because they haven’t switched for some time.

 

A lot of people think that it’s difficult to switch, however with the installation of smart meters in most residences makes the process extremely easy. Simply provide your details, and consent that you are happy to switch and Energy Pledge works with the providers do the rest. Plus each person that switches with Energy Pledge can choose a charity to donate the $40 to.

 

These free $40 donations, complement NFP’s existing fundraising efforts, while also rewarding their supporters and organisation with savings and often a reduction in their carbon footprint depending on the retailer they move to.

 

The most recent initiative funded by Energy Pledge’s model was for The Tipping Foundation, a Not for Profiit that supports people with disability. Their goal of raising $1,500 was successfully achieved in less than 2 months as a result of less than 40 people switching to a better deal with Energy Pledge.

 

The funds raised went to buy two lawn mowers and garden trimming equipment that The Tipping Point’s volunteering centre in Morwell uses to maintain their gardens. Previously, they were contracting out this work, however with the purchase of the equipment, the centre will save $3,500 annually. Furthermore, this will enable a group of people with intellectual disabilities to participate in helping their community while growing in confidence and independence.

 

“We have been working towards raising funds for this initiative for a while, however Energy Pledge’s approach helped us to fund this requirement quickly and with little effort. We were very happy with this result and look forward to working with Energy Pledge on the next initiative” Commented Michael Smitheram, Senior Fundraising Manager, The Tipping Foundation

 

“We were excited to work with The Tipping Foundation to fund this great project. It was extremely special spending the day with an amazing group of individuals that benefitted from the purchase of the gardening equipment. We appreciate the support of The Tipping Foundation and we hope this is the start of many more successful pledges to come.” Adds Dinesh Arasaratnam, Managing Director of Energy Pledge.

 

To see the outcome of the day, Energy Pledge worked with The Tipping Foundation to put together a video which you can view here.

 

Energy Pledge’s approach referred to as “No-Cost Fundraising” is a term that is growing within the industry as new, creative ways exist to assist charities in reaching their fundraising targets. However, approaches used to raise funds usually involve people spending money or time in some way. Energy Pledge is unique in that it enables people to give back to the community by saving money.

 

About Energy Pledge

 

Energy Pledge is a social enterprise that empowers people to fund community and Not for Profit projects while saving money on their energy bills. They exist to raise funds for the community using an energy brokerage model where they share an earned commission with respective not for Profit partners.

 

Energy Pledge was founded by 4 seasoned executives experienced in energy, marketing and technology. They started the social enterprise with goal of applying the skills they have learned over their career to give back to the community.