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Raising money and awareness for drought relief at Fill The Dams

A young Victorian has created a novel online fundraising initiative to help raise money and awareness for drought relief and water conservation in Australia. The concept of “Fill The Dams” revolves around providing exposure and recognition to water-conscious Australian organisations in exchange for donations to established charities. Contributors are allocated advertising space (company logos or images) on the website as ‘virtual litres’ in a 'virtual dam' - a graphical 1500 x 1000 pixel grid. This creates the symbolism that collectively donating for the drought and raising awareness for water issues will go a long way towards helping our nation fill the dams.

Conceived and developed by 23 year-old small business owner Andy Parthenopoulos, the idea for Fill The Dams came about whilst brainstorming ideas for startup business Noodle Networks. “During late 2006 there was much media hysteria about the state of the water crisis after one of the driest winters on record,” explains Andy. “Drought relief and water conservation issues were flavour of the month but while numerous grand solutions were suggested, nobody was being proactive about it.” And so the idea to harness the viral potential of the Internet to promote a charitable cause was born.

Fill The Dams is loosely based around the 2005 Internet phenomenon “Million Dollar Homepage”, a site through which young UK entrepreneur Alex Tew made $1 million selling pixels for $1 each. According to Andy, the Million Dollar Homepage went by largely unnoticed in Australia. “If Tew was able to generate enough buzz to fill his own pockets with $1 million, a derivation on the same theme could surely generate similar success if the proceeds went straight to charity.”

Individuals may also contribute to Fill The Dams at a reduced rate to ensure wider participation. The minimum contribution for individuals is $10 whilst organisations must pledge at least $100, which includes a permanent directory listing. The more that is contributed, the larger and more visible the virtual dam space becomes. However, to prevent the site from becoming a simple donation-for-advertising exercise, contributors must show they have taken steps to save water or have helped others save water. “We are primarily trying to encourage small-to-medium business owners and households to take action by slashing their water usage. Sending money to charity is fantastic but the true value of Fill The Dams lies in educating people young and old to think and act differently by setting a positive example.”

95% of all contributions from organisations and 100% of individuals’ contributions will be shared between the Salvation Army Drought Appeal, Sustainable Living Foundation, and the Australian Conservation Foundation. The first $385 collected has just been donated. “Partnering with three credible organisations allows us not only to share around the proceeds, but it also means contributors are both helping communities and people who have been affected severely by the drought, as well as investing into water conservation-related projects and initiatives.”

Fill The Dams carries strong incentive for the contributor, as in exchange for a donation to a topical cause, they receive valuable recognition for helping ease the drought and showing they have taken steps to save water and/or help others save water. “Advertisers on the Million Dollar Homepage enjoyed an enormous boost in online traffic as the phenomenon gained speed,” claims Andy. “I have not seen any other examples of not-for-profit organisations offering such lucrative marketing opportunities to supporters in the past. This is a golden opportunity for local green-conscious businesses to show off their generosity to the Australian public.”

The website can be accessed at http://www.fillthedams.com.au