OG’s 2013 Fundraising Report

Operation Groundswell is very proud to release its 2013 Fundraising Report detailing all partner and project details along with a financial breakdown of all fundraising dollars. Through the hard work of our participants, we are excited to announce that 2013’s fundraising efforts summed $181,815 (CAD)! Our summer backpacktivists participated in projects that engaged them in communities and local NGOs, stimulating critical awareness of their surroundings and learning how to transform ideas into action.

Read the full fundraising report here.

Read the full fundraising report here.

Every year, we strive to strengthen our diverse operations and learn from the challenges. Our major areas of improvement from 2012 include streamlining money transfer methods and developing more comprehensive documentation for tracking funds. Despite working in communities that are limited in their proximity to banking institutions and adequate Internet access, the 2013 OG executive team in Toronto and program leaders worked diligently to develop and utilize reliable methods for accurately monitoring participant donations and program budgets.

Our 2013 East Africa team getting their hands dirty with our partners, the Young County Change Makers

The subsequent budget reports and financial summaries completed by program leaders this summer were more precise and detailed than ever before. This not only gives us a better understanding of issues expressed by the local communities we work with and live in during our OG programs, but also enables us to better understand the obstacles that impact access and use of the fundraising money. The unique insight gained by our improved financial reports allows us to follow each penny fundraised by our program participants in 2013.

The following fundraising report details all the partners and projects OG participants worked with in 2013. Everyone involved with Operation Groundswell – staff, program leaders, program participants, donors and community partners – played an integral role that has allowed OG to transform $181,815 of fundraised money into programs and projects that have impacted people around the world. Teams also decided to dedicate a portion of their fundraising money to the OG Project Fund for alumni-proposed projects. This fund provides past participants and program leaders with an opportunity to pitch innovative, self-sustaining projects that can be supported on an ongoing basis.

Learning about coffee production in Guatemala

To our program participants and program leaders: nothing could have been accomplished this summer without your will to explore the world and to put your heart, soul, and sweat into leaving a positive impact on the regions you visited. Thank you for your perseverance, compassion, and hard work.

To our partner communities and NGOs: we are very grateful for welcoming us into your homes and admire your thoughtful persistence in the endeavor of creating a better world. Our raison d’etre is the meaningful work we do with you.

Always working to strengthen our operations and programs, we continue to be meticulous in our approach and are excited to learn and improve as we continue down the dusty path of backpacktivism.

As always, thank you for your support!

Cheers,Kelly Hadfield Fundraising Coordinator