Fundraising idea for community groups
Since the launch of the Container Deposit Scheme in WA, ACT and QLD, more than 7 billion containers have been returned. This means over 700 million dollars went back into our communities!
There's no doubt that collecting and returning containers is a great source of funds raising and social cause awareness for charities and community groups (including sporting clubs, service clubs, schools
or local catchment groups).
How to fundraise by collecting beverage containers?
STEP 1. Get a Member Number
A Member number works as your group/charity ID when it comes to processing your refund or receiving donations. You can also use it to track the change you're making.
Once you set up your Member Number your refund will go directly into your preferred account - whether that's to your bank account or a donation - or you could choose to withdraw the cash.
STEP 2. Plan the best fundraising method
There are three ways you could get the community to support your cause, and the best news is you could go for all three at the same time!
Share your member number
Let the community know your Member Number and encourage them to use it when returning their containers.
Become a donation location
Set up an in-house bin or donation crate and ask the community to drop off their containers.
Partner with your local container refund point
Many depot operators are more than happy to support the local community. Get in touch with them to see what support they can offer.
STEP 3. Run a Container Collection Fundraising Campaign
For some community groups, establishing a full collection program may not be feasible. So why not hold a short-term container collection campaign? This can be done by establishing a specific time frame and location for people to come and drop off containers.
We suggest giving people a fair bit of notice prior to your campaign so they can save up all their eligible containers!
STEP 4. Cash in!
Once you have collected your containers, simply take them to your local depot.
CDS machines have the ability to process 7,200 containers per hour* and are very easy to use (even kids enjoy returning their containers at CDS terminals).
Marketing tip: Recording and taking pics while you drop off is a very useful source of content to continue fundraising. People love to see that their efforts are actually creating an impact.
If your load of containers is too large or you simply prefer to, many depots also offer a Bag Drop option. Simply place your containers in your own biodegradable bags or in the operator’s bags, tag them with your Member Number and name on each bag and leave them in the bag drop area.
Do you run an ongoing collection project?
For community groups with an established location, there is the opportunity to set up a permanent container collection point where locals can donate containers on a regular basis. This means that you become part of the official container circular economy.
Official collection points are responsible for offering a refund to people who bring containers in. They receive a handling fee per container in lieu of the physical 10 cents per container.
Please note that official collection points are managed by the local Scheme Coordinator and applicants must pass a range of requirements, so best to check with your state’s container deposit scheme for opportunities available before planning.
Official collection points can be a ‘drop-off’ service where you can manually count the containers to determine a refund. However, this process can be very time-consuming. A more productive option may be to partner with an existing facility that already has container sorting automation in place. Across Australia, many facilities are utilising the Container Deposit System’s technologies.
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* Based on a site audit performed on an ART during business operating hours.