The Surf Life Saving Foundation was born out of the need that individuals volunteering their time, patrolling beaches and saving lives, were not also made to continually shake the tin to raise funds off the beach.
In short, in the early 1990’s Surf Life Saving Queensland saw the need to develop a separate fundraising body to allow the volunteer Surf Lifesavers to focus on core operations, services and outcomes on the beach.
The initial focus of the foundation were primarily appeals and donor communications, fundraising events and the management of a QLD based lottery program.
Today, the Foundation is a far more sophisticated body responsible for core fundraising programs nationally and contracted events, beneficiary events and some state specific activities.
The Foundation has separate staffing divisions for, Fundraising (Donor communications, Bequests, Major Gifts), Events, Lotteries and Corporate services (HR, IT and Finance).
Additionally, the Foundation Board continues as Trustees of the Surf Life Saving Rescue Fund Trust. A Trust, established in 2002 provides a more assured and ongoing source of funding for the movement.
Our Mission
To provide the sound financial base for Surf Life Saving now, and into the future.
Our Challenge
To manage and improve revenue from existing fundraising activities and create new funding opportunities to:
Generate funds for Surf Life Saving to;
- Maintain and replace vital rescue gear and equipment
- Enhance the development and training programs for our volunteer Surf Lifesavers
- Expand community surf safety campaigns
- Fund aquatic safety research and development
Our Vision
As a partner in the service of volunteer Surf Lifesavers throughout the country, the Foundation’s vision is to secure funds to assist Surf Life Saving in making our beaches safer by preventing drownings and saving lives.
To inspire all Australians to Give. Get involved and Be Safe and have the wider community see us as a cause worthy of support.
Surf Life Saving was established out of a simple, but very important need: a need for safe beaches for all
Australians to enjoy.
Surf Life Saving was formed in 1907, following a multiple drowning that prompted a small group of Australians to take action. The selfless actions of the initial volunteers inspired others to join the club, in time resulting in a movement that would spread across the country.
Now over 100 years old, Surf Life Saving has grown to include over 150,000 members across more than 300 clubs.
The result? Over 540,000 lives have been saved to date.