April 22, 2009 | Read Time: 1 minute
Charities that serve rural areas often have a hard time raising money, but some of those groups could take a lesson from IHC, a New Zealand charity that helps people with mental disabilities.
IHC now raises more than $560,000 annually with a fund-raising approach called the Calf Scheme, which takes advantage of the nation’s thriving livestock industry.
Under the plan, farmers are asked to donate one or more calves that would normally be sold at auction after they are weaned. The charity arranges for the livestock to be picked up and delivered to PGG Watson, a livestock trading company that donates its services. The company sells the animals at its regular livestock auctions and delivers 100 percent of the proceeds to IHC.
When the young animals are transported to auction, they are given a numbered ear tag. The number is recorded and serves as the donating farmer’s entry into a lottery to win a cash prize of more than $8,000 that is donated by the company each year.
Since the program was started in the 1980s, it has raised more than $10-million for IHC from the donation of some 80,000 calves.
