One of our kids is holding a container of food to take home.
That meal, like so much else at REACH, only happens because someone decided to fundraise for it. From a Kindy student opening their first book to a graduate stepping into university on a full scholarship, our supporters make it all possible. Some of them cycled hundreds of kilometres through Cambodia. Others hosted a trivia night, asked for donations instead of birthday gifts, or simply shared their fundraising page with everyone they knew. Whatever the approach, they all started in the same place: with a decision to help, and a few questions about where to begin.
We hope this guide answers those questions. Whether you are planning a charity challenge, a workplace campaign, or your very first online fundraiser, you will find everything you need right here. Please feel free to bookmark this blog and come back to it as often as you like. Our team is always happy to help along the way.
In this guide, we will cover:
- Why your fundraising matters
- What your fundraising actually funds
- Ways to fundraise
- Setting up your fundraising page
- Writing a bio that people respond to
- Promoting your fundraiser
- Tax deductibility for your donors
- The do’s and don’ts
- You are not doing this alone
Why your fundraising matters
REACH Siem Reap supports over 350 students and more than 180 families through 13 integrated programs built on three pillars: Education, Nutrition, and Health.
We are passionate about keeping families together. Poverty touches every part of family life, so we support the whole family, not just the child. Once a family is enrolled at REACH, students and their guardians have access to everything we offer, from daily meals and health checks to English classes, vocational pathways, and employment opportunities.
All of our programs are locally run, delivered alongside respected NGOs, local authorities, and child protection agencies, because lasting change is built by the community itself.
So, when you fundraise for REACH, you are not raising money for an abstract cause. You are helping a student sit her national exam, a mother find stable work, and a family stay together while they build a better future. That is what your support makes possible, every time.
Your fundraising supports over 350 students and their families at REACH.
Want to know what that looks like in real life? Please read Menea’s story, one family whose path from hardship to university shows exactly where your support goes.
What your fundraising actually funds
The most confident fundraisers are the ones who can tell their supporters what a donation makes possible. However you choose to raise funds, whether through an event, a challenge, or a simple online page, here is what your fundraising can achieve at REACH.
Every dollar does something specific, from a single meal, to a year of learning, to well-being support for the whole community:
- $10 AUD can provide a nutritious daily meal for 20 kids at REACH
- $25 AUD helps keep one student riding with our REACH Riders Club each month
- $200 AUD can support a student through an entire year of English classes
- $700 AUD helps provide well-being support to more than 350 children at REACH each month
These figures are a guide to the real costs behind our work. Every donation flows directly to our programs in Siem Reap and is put to use where our kids and families need it most. Whether your fundraiser brings in fifty dollars or five thousand, it all adds up, and it all reaches our kids and families.
Ways to fundraise
Most people default to a bake sale or a fun run because they cannot think of anything else. Both are great, but there are so many more options. Browse the list below and find whatever fits you, there’s a lot more here than a bake sale:
Events: a bake sale, trivia night, dinner party, art show, concert, movie night, market stall, raffle, garage sale, or comedy night. Anything that brings people together.
Challenges: a run, ride, swim, hike, walk, dance marathon, step challenge, or a shave, wax, or sponsored silence challenge. Anything with a target you can track and share, especially through Strava, works brilliantly. If you want the full experience, our Ride to REACH charity bike ride brings riders from around the world to cycle through Cambodia and visit our centre in person.
Milestones: birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, retirements, graduations, baby showers, christenings, or a tribute in memory of someone special. Asking for donations in lieu of gifts is one of the simplest and most effective ways to fundraise.
Workplace: matched giving, casual Fridays, payroll giving, an office bake-off, a lunch and learn, a team step challenge, a morning tea, an office raffle, or a friendly competition between departments. Ask your employer whether they match donations. Many do, and it instantly doubles your impact.
Online: a livestream, a social media campaign, a virtual class or workshop sharing a skill you have, a birthday fundraiser on Facebook, a TikTok challenge, a Twitch stream, an online auction, or simply asking your network to share your page.
Community and group fundraising: schools, sports clubs, universities, book clubs, faith groups, and neighbourhood associations can all run a joint fundraiser, and the shared effort tends to raise more than any single person could alone. Consider a family fundraiser where everyone chips in, or a joint challenge with your regular running, cycling, or social group.
Creative and skills: haircuts, tutoring, photography sessions, art commissions, cooking or baking lessons, music lessons, fashion show, or a day of odd jobs, asking for a donation instead of payment.
The best fundraiser is one you are excited about. Combine ideas, invent your own, and choose something that fits your life. Your enthusiasm is what motivates people to give.
Cycling 650km across Cambodia and fundraising for the community.
Setting up your fundraising page
Your fundraising page is your personal hub. It shows your donation tally, your target, your photos, your story, and it handles tax deductibility automatically for donors in Australia, the USA, and the UK. Getting it live takes four steps:
- Sign up: Choose your fundraiser type, select your area of interest, and set your goal.
- Personalise: Add your photos and write a bio that tells people who you are, why you chose REACH, and what their donation will make possible.
- Spread the word: Share your page on social media, send personal messages, and add your link to your bio.
- Tell our team: Let us know your fundraiser is live so we can support you, share it, and offer you a free strategy session.
A word on timing: fundraising works best when you give yourself time to build momentum, so we recommend getting your page live at least four to six weeks before your target date.
One tip we have learned over the years: if you hit your target early, you may wish to raise it ? Donors are less likely to contribute once a campaign looks finished, so keep that goal just ahead of you.
Writing a bio that people respond to
The bio on your fundraising page is often the difference between donations and silence, and most people freeze at the blank text box. Keep it simple by answering three questions: Why did you choose REACH? What do you know about Cambodia and the families we support? What will your fundraiser achieve?
Here’s what that can look like in practice:
I’m cycling 400km through Cambodia this June for Ride to REACH, and I’d love your support.
I first heard about REACH through a friend who volunteered in Siem Reap, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the families she met, kids walking hours to school, parents doing everything they can to hold their families together. REACH gives more than 350 students and 180 families the tools to build a different future: an education, a meal each day, and a real pathway out of poverty.
My goal is to raise $3,000 towards that future. Every dollar goes straight to REACH’s programs in Siem Reap. Thank you for standing with me, and with them.
Keep it personal, add photos, and update it as your fundraiser progresses. People give to people, not just causes, so let them see you in it.
Promoting your fundraiser
Social media is your most powerful tool, and consistency beats perfection every time. A few things we know work:
- Share your story and what inspired you to fundraise for REACH
- Post your fundraising link often, and add it to your bio
- Send personal messages directly to friends, family, and colleagues. A direct ask always outperforms a general post
- Celebrate every milestone and thank your donors publicly. Gratitude encourages others to give
- Follow REACH on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and share our content so your supporters can see exactly where their donations go
- Tag us and use our hashtags: #FundraiseForREACH #REACHsiemreap
One note on photos: if you have visited REACH or plan to, please check with our team before sharing any images of our students, and never include students’ names. Protecting our kids always comes first.
Tax deductibility for your donors
Helping your donors give tax-efficiently makes them more generous, so it is worth knowing how it works in each country:
Australia: REACH Siem Reap Ltd. is our registered Australian charity; all donations over $2 AUD to our cause are tax deductible.
USA: Southeast Asia Foundation (SEA Fund) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organisation. REACH Siem Reap proudly partners with SEA Fund which processes tax-deductible donations for our USA tax-eligible donors.
United Kingdom: Globalteer is a registered UK charity that processes all GBP donations on behalf of donors to REACH Siem Reap. Through Globalteer, UK supporters are able to add 25% Gift Aid on top of their donation at no cost.
The do’s and don’ts
Do
- Post regularly and share your fundraising page often
- Tell your story and let people know why REACH matters to you
- Get creative and have fun
- Thank your donors and celebrate every donation, big or small
- Reach out to our team whenever you need guidance or a boost
Don’t
- Start last minute
- Be overwhelmed by the target. Just make a start
- Feel shy about asking for support
If you take one thing away from this guide, let it be this: persistence is key. Keep plugging away, because every little bit counts.
You are not doing this alone
The most successful fundraisers do not wing it. They have a plan, and our team can help you build one. When you register your fundraiser with us, we offer a free strategy session covering a tailored plan for your campaign, ready-to-use copy for your launch, midway, and final push posts, platform recommendations, and workplace fundraising advice.
To get started, email us at info@reachsiemreap.org and our team will be in touch.
Ready to start?
Every graduate, every scholarship, every family breaking the cycle of poverty at REACH started with someone like you deciding to help. We are so grateful that you are considering joining them.
Click here to start your fundraiser today, and do not hesitate to reach out along the way. No question is too big or too small.
Thank you for standing with our kids, our families, and our community in Siem Reap.
#FundraiseForREACH #REACHsiemreap