Member Survey - Donations platform
David Cox | Published on 6/29/2024
SURVEY & DONATIONS
MEMBERSHIP SURVEY
Our youngest committee member, Ben Brice, has just completed our first membership survey. Ben did this as part of his studies for Masters in Environment and Climate Emergency, which he is doing with support from the Friends of Black Hill and Morialta. He's found out a lot of useful information, which we'll share with you over the next few newsletters.
Along with his participation in the Committee, Ben also leads the Olive Hill project in Morialta, and provides support at a number of the regular habitat restoration activities.
In the meantime, see below for the first results of the survey.
Thanks to everyone who completed the recent membership survey. It has provided valuable feedback about how we are going, and how well we communicate with you. Ben identified that we haven't done a very good job of explaining:
- why we seek donations AND
- how to make donations.
Why Donations?
Along with whatever government and private grants we can secure, donations help pay for:
- specialised weeding contractors who can do work that complements the work of volunteers. Common examples are treating olives and other large woody weeds.
- tools, chemicals and plant stock that we can't fund from membership fees
How Important are Donations?
- Over the last couple of years, donations have made up about a quarter of our income.
- There is a lot of important work that we couldn't have done without the support of donations.
What Are Donations Being Used For?
- This year we have spent $1,100 on tree guards to protect significant trees in prime bandicoot habitat along Colonial Track in Morialta, and have allocated $8,000 to remove olives around 10 large eucalypts in Black Hill, as well as treating the invasive weed Erica across 3 hectares. We've also allocated $1,400 to complement volunteer work around Far Crag in Morialta.
Are My Donations Tax-Deductible?
- Yes - donations above $2 are tax-deductible. We will send you a receipt that you can use for your tax return.
- All tax-deductible donations are kept in a separate bank account and reported to our Management Committee every month.
Can I Say Where Donations Go?
- When you donate, you can ask that it goes to one of our three headline projects OR
- You can give to Wherever It's Needed Most, and we will choose where to allocate it
- Under income tax law, If you make a tax-deductible donation, you can't require that it be used for a particular purpose, but we keep very careful records of how much donors have requested for each project and haven't had any difficulties accommodating donors' preferences.
How Do I Donate?
- You can make a donation at any time through the FOBHM.ORG.AU website (just follow the links)
- Add a donation when you renew your membership
- Click on the link below to go to our donations page.
I Have a Question - how do I find out more?