We did it! #SaveOTN campaign raises more than £17,000
THANKS TO the extraordinary generosity of more than 100 supporters, the Open Table Network (OTN)'s emergency fundraising campaign has exceeded its £16,000 target, raising £17,272 through Crowdfunder and direct donations.
When we launched the #SaveOTN campaign in July, OTN was facing a critical financial situation following the end of our multi-year infrastructure funding and unsuccessful applications for new grants.
We needed to raise £16,000 to give the charity vital breathing space while we worked to secure longer-term funding. The response has been incredible!
£17,272 raised
When the Crowdfunder closed at midday on Monday 7 September, it had received £10,258 in donations.
A further £7,014 was donated directly to OTN's bank account, taking the total raised during the campaign to £17,272.
More than 100 people contributed to the campaign, alongside many others who shared our appeal, encouraged others to donate and kept OTN in their prayers.
We are enormously grateful to every single person who supported the #SaveOTN campaign.
The campaign also coincided with the publication of OTN's new Research & Case for Support, bringing together independent research and stories from across the network. The research found that:
84% of members said taking part in an Open Table community had very much or extremely reduced their feelings of isolation
94% said it had directly improved their wellbeing.
During the campaign we also released Find your place at the table, a short film bringing together voices from across the Open Table Network, talking about belonging, friendship, faith, healing and hope, and the difference it makes to know that you are genuinely welcome.
The support continues
Crowdfunder will deduct around £218 in fees, meaning OTN expects to receive approximately £10,040 from the Crowdfunder donations.
Crowdfunder has also estimated £1,876 in Gift Aid on eligible donations. If that estimate is realised, the total raised through the Crowdfunder will be around £11,916, taking the total from the Crowdfunder and direct donations to £18,930.
OTN has also received a £5,000 grant from Dignity & Worth in response to the emergency appeal.
This means that, once the estimated Gift Aid is received, the total support generated during this campaign could reach £23,930 - almost £8,000 more than our original £16,000 target!
What happens next?
The emergency appeal has given OTN important breathing space, but the longer-term funding challenge has not gone away.
We are continuing to pursue longer-term funding and explore ways to make the charity financially sustainable, while continuing our work supporting Open Table communities, local leaders and volunteers and helping new communities to develop.
The Crowdfunder project is now 'Always On', meaning people who discover Open Table after the emergency campaign can still donate and help us build a sustainable future for the network.
Kieran Bohan, Director of the Open Table Network, said:
‘When we began this campaign, we knew we were asking a lot. The response has been extraordinary. Our Open Table prayer begins, “Glory to God, whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.” During this campaign, we have seen something of that power at work through the generosity, solidarity and prayers of people across and beyond our network.’
The generosity shown during #SaveOTN has made a huge difference. It has helped ensure that Open Table can continue to be there for LGBTQIA+ people of faith who need a place where they can come as they are.
