Emergency Action Alliance re-imagines disaster fundraising
If experience has taught us anything, it’s that Australians are desperate to help in emergencies, but are sometimes unsure where to turn. When all you want to do is donate to a good cause, half the battle can be figuring out which charity is most appropriate and reliable.
March 30 marked the launch of a charity partnership that aims to solve this issue and transform the way Australia can fundraise and respond to emergencies. Save the Children is proud to be a founding member of The Emergency Action Alliance (EAA), a joint fund comprising 15* of Australia’s leading charities, combining their reach and resources to save lives around the world. The EAA was inspired by the incredible success of the UK’s Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which has used a collective approach to fundraising that has helped raise almost AUD$3 billion (GBP £1.7 billion) since it was launched in 1963.
So, you might be asking, what difference will this make for you and people living through emergencies?
Your donation will go further
By pooling the available funding for an emergency response, Save the Children and other EAA members can reduce costs, ensuring that more of your donation reaches those who need it most. Working together throughout the world, the members of the EAA are better prepared to respond quickly to both large-scale disasters, and smaller emergencies that might otherwise struggle to attract attention and support.
Donating will be easier than ever
Working together can also cut the cost of competing with multiple appeals and make contributing a simpler and more secure process for Australians. EAA executive director, Kerren Morris, says that in light of the increasing frequency of disasters, a single fundraising appeal can simplify things.
“In these emergencies there are so many players, so many charities, all asking for funds, that it can be confusing. This alliance [makes] it really easy for donors who want to help,” said Morris.
Your support will go straight to those who need it most
The EAA allocates the combined funds to the organisations that are in the best position to help. This ensures that resources for an emergency response aren’t wasted or used inefficiently. Instead, more of the funds can be used to support programs that can make the greatest difference to people’s lives.
Ukraine response puts EAA vision into action
Matt Tinkler, acting CEO of Save the Children, says the Ukraine crisis highlights the importance of this new initiative right now, and over the long term.
“The escalation of conflict in Ukraine has caused the fastest and largest displacement of people in Europe since WWII. Millions of children have been forced to flee the safety of their homes, disrupting their education and putting them in grave danger of physical harm, emotional distress and lasting trauma. This major new appeal will help aid agencies like Save the Children continue responding to immediate needs on the ground, as well as scale up to provide the longer-term support many refugees will need to rebuild their lives,” says Tinkler.
Look for the EAA logo when donating to find joint appeals.
Australians should not have to turn to social media fundraisers to help when a crisis breaks out. If the EAA launches an appeal to respond to an emergency, Save the Children will fundraise for the combined EAA appeal rather than fundraise individually. But don’t worry, when you see the EAA logo above the donation box you know that your support will go directly to the people who need it most.
*The EAA is made up of ActionAid Australia, Act For Peace, ADRA, Anglican Overseas Aid, Australia for UNHCR, Australian Lutheran World Service, Baptist World Aid Australia, Care Australia, Caritas Australia, CBM Australia, ChildFund Australia, Oxfam Australia, Plan International Australia, Save the Children Australia and Tearfund Australia.