From Giving Day to a Community-Wide Movement

Category: Fundraising Annual Giving

Caulfield Grammar School’s Giving Day has evolved from a 24-hour appeal into a four-week, community-wide peer-to-peer Fundraising campaign, bringing together students, families, Alumni, staff and supporters across all four campuses.

Established in 2018, Giving Day raises funds for the School’s Foundation Scholarship Program, helping Indigenous, Humanitarian and Regional students access a Caulfield Grammar School education. While the amount raised had continued to grow, donor participation had declined from 643 donors in 2018 to 367 in 2023. Reversing this trend became a central priority.

From 2024, Caulfield Grammar placed student-led Fundraising at the heart of the campaign. Senior students at the Caulfield and Wheelers Hill campuses created personalised Fundraising pages and secured sponsorship before completing a one-minute Ice Bath Challenge. Friendly House competition, prizes and strong visual storytelling helped build excitement and broaden participation.

In 2026, the Junior School Dance Challenge extended this approach to the Malvern and Wheelers Hill Junior campuses. Every student participated in a whole-school performance led by Year 6 students, building awareness of Giving Day and encouraging families to support their children through donations.

These activities were reinforced by an integrated Communications campaign featuring:

• Save the Date and countdown eDMs
• Personalised student Fundraising pages
• Videos featuring the Principal, student leaders and former Foundation Scholarship recipients
• Regular campaign updates and extensive social media coverage
• A matched-giving model that quadrupled every donation

The momentum was extraordinary. More than $300,000 had been raised before Giving Day officially began. The original $850,000 target was reached with an hour remaining, prompting a new stretch target of $950,000. By 9.00am the following morning, the campaign had exceeded $1 million.

Giving Day ultimately raised $1,074,099.92 through 1,216 donations from 1,094 donors. This represented a 198% increase in donor numbers since 2023 and included 294 new donors. With direct campaign costs of just $8,129, the initiative delivered an exceptional financial and Community Engagement return.

Most importantly, Giving Day became more than a Fundraising event. By empowering students as advocates for philanthropy, Caulfield Grammar created authentic family conversations, strengthened school spirit and established a scalable model for growing a sustainable culture of giving.

Five Main Takeaways

• Student participation can transform donor engagement.
• Peer-to-peer Fundraising reaches new audiences.
• Matched giving creates urgency and amplifies impact.
• Integrated Communications build momentum over time.
• Giving Day can become a whole-of-school movement, not simply a one-day appeal.