Alma Doepel update

Fundraising for the restoration of Docklands’ historic tall ship the Alma Doepel continues and an innovative crowd-funding platform is being used to reach targets.

The Alma team are utilising act., which is the newest division of community sector banking and is part of the Bendigo and Adelaide Bendigo Bank Group.

The new banking model uses crowd-sourcing to raise money for a wide range of social enterprise projects.

The Alma Doepel team has already raised $5000 to replace some of the structural bracing for the Alma’s hull through act.

The team is currently attempting to raise the $7000 needed to build a new 15-metre-long course yard, a horizontal spar on the foremast, through the platform. Watch their progress at http://www.letsact.com.au/projects/the-long-yard/

Each project is live for a maximum of 60 days and, like other crowd-funding models, if the target isn’t reached in time, the project won’t be funded.

The platform allows act. customers to generate “impact dollars” through their banking habits. A customer who holds a $250,000 mortgage with act. will generate around $31 a month to reinvest in a project of their choice.

So far act. has helped to fund more than $155,000 in social projects since it was launched in November last year.

“letsact.com.au is a world-first crowd-funding model. It provides opportunities to social enterprise, charities and not-for-profit organisations to raise funds for projects outside of their traditional fundraising initiatives,” managing director of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Mike Hirst said.   

The fundraising tally for November is: $8150
Valerie Vernon: $100
Michael Morris: $250
ADSC: $2200
DCC: $4500
Freemason Y2KERS: $500
Freemasons Foundation Australia: $500
Cruising Yacht Association of Victoria: $100