Surfrider Foundation calls for support

SURFRIDER Foundation says it needs to raise $150,000 to survive the year, after losing its largest source of funding.

To keep operating at their present level, the foundation needs to raise around $150,000 to keep the lights on and their small team employed.

Surfrider Foundation chief executive officer Steph Curley said as a grassroots surfing operation, Surfrider relied on a certain number of grants and funders to run.

“This year we found [it] particularly challenging with fundraising and a large part of that is people just don’t have the same amount of money at the moment; things are a little bit tight at home.

“Sometimes situations change for funders that are completely out of their control and out of our control, given the world is a little bit topsy-turvey at the moment and what it’s led to is a funding gap that we need to fill.”

The foundation has strong plans to continue its work around Australia protecting the coastlines and supporting communities when waves, beaches or oceans are threatened, but cannot act on it without funding.

If the funds cannot be raised, an immediate reduction in staff hours and team numbers will occur and without funds to run campaigns, their work will not exist.

Volunteers will continue to donate their time to the cause, however the operational support, campaign support and national presence risks being jeopardised.

“We rely so much on these individuals and the everyday people who love the beach and love to surf and have that really special connection that we all do with the ocean to fund us,” Ms Curley said.

“I’ve seen how potent such a small team can be.

“In the past five years, stopping three major oil and gas projects from the destruction that would cause in the ocean and I know we’re potent and we know we punch well above our weight.”

There are two ways to support the foundation: people can get behind the end of financial year campaign and donate what they can; or become a member for as little as $5 a month.

“That ongoing support provides us with a lot of reliable, consistent funding and we hope it provides members with the opportunity to be part of something much bigger,” Ms Curley said.

“We’re really focused on making sure that we can keep the lights on for the year ahead and that comes down to making sure we’ve got cash in the bank.”

For more information or to donate, head to surfrider.org.au