Dry July is a not-for-profit organisation that challenges people to abstain from drinking alcohol for the month of July to support people affected by cancer. Since its inception, more than 200,000 participants have collectively raised over $50m AUD, helping to support more than 80 cancer support organisations across Australia and New Zealand. The campaign is run almost entirely via their website.
The Campaign
Dry July encourages people to give up drinking alcohol for July and invite people to sponsor them for their efforts. Participants nominate a cancer service where they want the funds they raise during the campaign to go. Dry July provide a number of tools, used to assist people with their fundraising. These include Golden Tickets; a donation minimum of $25, which allows participants a night off from their Dry July campaign, posters, social media images and general fundraising tips.
Dry July Beneficiaries
Dry July raises funds to create better environments and support networks for adult cancer patients and their families. To do this, Dry July partners with cancer services organisations across Australia and New Zealand. In order to become a Dry July beneficiary, cancer support organisations must submit an Expression of Interest. The cancer support organisation must meet the Dry July beneficiary guidelines in order to ensure the projects they wish to fund are patient-centric and focus on improving the wellbeing of adults living with cancer. Examples of eligible projects include entertainment systems, accommodation facilities, transportation to treatment, complementary therapy program costs, and improving waiting and treatment area facilities. The list of Dry July Australian beneficiaries can be found at . In 2016, Dry July New Zealand moved to a full grant program funding model. Previous beneficiaries of fundraising can be found on .
Dry July Grant Program
For the first time in 2014, the Dry July Foundation offered a grant program for cancer support organisations in Western Australia. Participants who signed up to take part in Dry July could choose to support the 'Dry July Foundation supporting WA', where the money raised would then be distributed via a grant program. In 2015, the Dry July Foundation expanded this grant program to the other states in Australia as well as in New Zealand for their New Zealand campaign. Eligible organisations may request funding for projects via a Grant Funding Application. As per the Dry July campaign beneficiaries, projects funded via the Grant Application must be patient-centric and focus on improving the wellbeing of adults living with cancer.
In 2008, Phil Grove, Brett Macdonald and Kenny McGilvary pledged to give up alcohol for a month to raise some money for their local hospital. After the challenge was picked up by 702 ABC Sydney's Adam Spencer, over 1,000 people signed up to Dry July, raising over $250,000. In its second year, Dry July supported 6 cancer services around Australia. With 4,000 participants, the organisation raised over $1.3 million. In 2010, 9,000 people signed up to Dry July, raising $2.4million+ for 10 cancer services across Australia. In 2011, Dry July had 11,500+ participants sign up and raise over $2.8million for 13 cancer services. Dry July expanded internationally in 2012, with the first Dry July New Zealand taking place. Over 2,000 New Zealanders signed up and raised NZD$550,000+. In Australia, Dry July added an additional 7 cancer services to its beneficiary list, and raised over $3.7million from its 15,000+ participants. In 2013, Dry July in Australia had over 18,000 participants raise $4.3million for their 31 beneficiaries. For the second Dry July New Zealand, over 4,000 people participated and raise over $765,000 for three beneficiaries; Auckland City Hospital, Wellington Hospital and Christchurch Hospital. 2014 saw Dry July raise $3.8 million for 37 cancer services across Australia, with 19,600+ participants signed up to the challenge. In 2015, Dry July had 21,400 participants sign up and raise $4.1 million for 42 cancer support organisations in Australia.
Governance
Dry July Foundation currently has six board members.
