Turning five bucks into millions

Posted on 10 Oct 2024

By Matthew Schulz, journalist, Institute of Community Directors Australia

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Five Bucks founder Brianna Kerr has high hopes for the philanthropic effort.

A low-cost philanthropy effort dubbed Five Bucks is building a great deal of buzz with its combination of creativity, great data, excellent networking and start-up culture.

As the name suggests, budding philanthropists need only pledge five dollars a week to join the Five Bucks movement.

That money is funnelled into three areas of philanthropic focus: climate, living standards and education. Five Bucks has the backing of the Australian Communities Foundation, which lists Five Bucks as a “named fund”, enabling donors to claim a tax deduction.

Founder Brianna Kerr, who is running her operation from Our Community House in North Melbourne, is starting small, but has high hopes for the fund.

“If one million Australians chipped in five dollars a week, we’d raise $260 million a year.”

Five Bucks has not been heavily promoted, but in just three months more than 200 people have joined. Its next goal is to reach 500 “Buckeroos” or supporters, a relatively modest target that would raise $100,000 by June 2025.

“I think it could be something that kicks people into action who haven’t been giving in the past,” Kerr said.

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Charities Minister Andrew Leigh - speaking at the Philanthropy Australia conference - said he believed the Five Bucks concept was an example of a new wave of philanthropy.

The concept has attracted the attention of Charities Minister Andrew Leigh.

Kerr said she was shocked to be namechecked by Minister Andrew Leigh in a keynote address at the recent Philanthropy Australia conference.

Dr Leigh was outlining the federal government’s agenda to double giving by 2030, and in front of 1000 leading philanthropists declared, “The status quo tends to suit established players. But if we’re going to double giving, we need to find ways to boost new types of giving, and support organisations and practices that aren’t currently mainstream.”

The example he chose was Five Bucks.

Leigh described Kerr’s effort with Five Bucks as “one young Australian’s invitation to her generation to join a community of givers”.

“It provides a light-touch gateway for a future generation of impact-driven donors. Five Bucks was established as a named fund under the umbrella of the Australian Communities Foundation. We need more organisations playing this kind of accelerator role to back innovation. We need to try new things to find out what works.”

Soon after that endorsement, Kerr met the minister personally, and they spoke at length about community building and the decline of giving.

“We just talked about kind of the fracturing of society and community, and that one of the reasons that giving in Australia has been declining is because we're living these hyper-individualised lives, we don't gather like we used to. And that has impacts that go beyond the monetary… [What] does it mean about our social cohesion, our responsibility to one another?”

It’s no accident that Kerr is targeting younger givers in their mid-20s to mid-30s, a cohort of donors who feel locked out of traditional philanthropy.

A survey Kerr conducted in June found that more than 80% of that group wanted to give more and could give more but were held back by financial constraints (65%), alongside cynicism and distrust (57%) about big philanthropy.


Five Bucks is trying to take a different approach – one that's focused on community building. We're working to get people to connect, come together, and feel part of something bigger than themselves.”
Five Bucks founder Brianna Kerr

The opportunity to give at a much lower entry point has been a game changer for many.

That’s the evidence from social media posts, mostly from new participants.

Asked about the “secret sauce” driving her campaign, Kerr said she believed building a community was the key, more than the lively chat about Five Bucks on social media, or her new podcast explainer.

"I don't have a background in campaigning, but something that's been a thread through much of my work is relational: community building and connecting with people.”

“While I'm not a campaigner, I'm a community builder and maybe there's some overlap between the two.”

“When we talk about young people, many point to technology as the solution to all their problems. In charity, for example, we often hear, 'Let's just build an app for young people, and they’ll engage or donate.' But we know that doesn’t work. Five Bucks is trying to take a different approach – one that's focused on community building. We're working to get people to connect, come together, and feel part of something bigger than themselves.”

She said young people want “to hang out with their mates, talk about what matters to them, and come together around common causes”, prompting her to host Five Bucks parties in Melbourne and Sydney to encourage greater involvement.

Kerr believes that connection is a great foundation for giving big.

“Someone said to me the other day, ‘Imagination is infinite. Execution is limiting.’ So why can we not imagine that a million Aussies would give $5 once a week?”

“You're better off having that big hairy audacious goal and be moving towards that and trying to make moves to get closer to it than setting your scope too small.”

Either way, Five Bucks is well on the way to becoming a new force in philanthropy.

Why Sam is now a Buckeroo

Sam Horsburgh
Sam Horsburgh has joined the Five Bucks movement.

Community Directors Intelligence spoke with recently joined “Buckeroo” Sam Horsburgh at a Melbourne Five Bucks event to see what prompted him to sign up.

Tell us a little about yourself, and why you came to the Five Bucks launch.

I’m a team leader in the not-for-profit sector, mainly working on economic empowerment for financially disadvantaged people at Anglicare. My job has always involved a lot of interaction with a range of different types of philanthropy.

I came to the Five Bucks launch to support my friend Bri [founder Brianna Kerr]. We always have great chats about how we can help those around us. Meeting more people who share a vision for positive change made this event really special for me.

Why did you sign up for Five Bucks?

I joined Five Bucks because it tackles many of the issues I’ve seen in philanthropy, both at work and in my personal life. It finally offers an accessible way for people to contribute to meaningful causes, cutting through the cynicism and lack of trust that often stop people from getting involved. Five Bucks makes it easy for everyone to be part of a bigger community and make a real difference.

What are your thoughts about being labelled a ‘Buckeroo’?

I love it! Being a ‘Buckeroo’ is fantastic because it means being part of something bigger than yourself. I’ve already met so many like-minded people who share my passion for making a difference. The sense of camaraderie and shared purpose is incredibly motivating, and I can’t wait to meet even more inspiring folks as a Buckeroo.

What’s the difference between Five Bucks and just donating regularly to a favourite cause, or getting involved in other kinds of philanthropy?

The personal engagement is huge. We have fun events like pool parties and have the potential to support a diverse range of causes beyond the bigger charities that already dominate the philanthropy scene. Giving just $5 a week is manageable and impactful. It lets people contribute without financial strain while being part of a collective effort that can drive significant change. The vision of Five Bucks, where small contributions collectively make a big difference, is incredibly appealing.

With the relatively small amount you’re giving, are you still confident of making a difference?

Absolutely. The unique approach of Five Bucks, which fosters a sense of community and engagement, can lead to substantial positive outcomes. Even though individual contributions are small, the collective impact is significant. This model of giving is innovative and has the potential to inspire greater participation and support for various causes, leading to bigger and better things.

What are you hoping to learn from being part of the movement?

I hope to gain valuable insights from the smaller community groups and charities we’ll be supporting. These grassroots organisations have a deep understanding of the needs and challenges faced by vulnerable communities in Australia. By learning from their experiences and perspectives, I aim to become more aware of the critical issues that need our support and better understand how we can effectively address them.

What potential do you see for Five Bucks?

I see immense potential for Five Bucks to revolutionise the way young people engage with philanthropy. Many young people feel disconnected from traditional giving methods, which can seem impersonal and inaccessible. Five Bucks offers a fresh, inclusive approach that (hopefully!) resonates with a more diverse range of people. By making philanthropy more engaging and approachable, Five Bucks can empower a new wave of donors eager to make a difference in their communities.

More info at FiveBucks.au

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