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Ms Grant said donors included individuals, businesses, groups of friends and families.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fantastic thing is parents are loving getting their kids involved so that they can be educated and understand the power of being able to give a relatively small amount and be part of a collective approach.\u201d<\/p>\n
Three organisations will be shortlisted to pitch at a P500 event in November, with the successful applicant voted on by the donors themselves.<\/p>\n
Last year\u2019s recipient was Feed Me Bellarine which benefited from a significant grant of $46,000.<\/p>\n
One donor who jumped on board three years ago is aborist Kev Chisholm who owns the Surf Coast-based business KC Tree Care.<\/p>\n
\u201cI loved the idea of being able to make a difference and being part of something bigger but also local,\u201d Mr Chisholm said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s empowering to be part of donating so much more than I would be able to personally donate.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said while other options felt quite corporate, the P500 appealed to him for its community-based collective approach.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a very positive experience, good vibes, transparent and empowering,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Ms Rodgers said the foundation was confident of reaching 200 donors, with $50,000 of the total raised allocated to fund the high impact grant for a local community organisation and $50,000 invested in the P500 Endowment Fund.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are bringing a brand new grant opportunity to this community and I\u2019m just so grateful for the great bunch of volunteers I have who are helping me on a volunteer committee to drive this program,\u201d Ms Rodgers said.\u201cThey get out and contact their friends to help us raise the funds and then any organisation delivering a community wellbeing program in this region can apply.\u201d<\/p>\n
Applications for a P500 grant open on August 16. For more information about becoming a donor or applying for a grant visit the Geelong Community Foundation website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A giving circle fundraising effort by a leading Geelong charity needs just a handful of donors to get on board to achieve its goal for 2021. Geelong Community Foundation is in its fifth year of running the Philanthropy 500 (P500) program \u2013 an initiative which encourages 200 people to donate $500 each, with the money […]<\/p>\n