Closing Decade One
As the charity of choice for the coffee industry, we believe it’s wrong that while we enjoy the purest filtered water in our coffee, the communities at the end of its supply chain face a water crisis.
This is why it’s so important for our industry, one of the largest and most powerful in the world, to support and invest in the communities at the heart of it.
It’s also why we’re putting in place a new charity strategy for the coming 18 months…
Since 2011, Project Waterfall has raised over £1 million and changed more than 50,000 lives in Nicaragua, Tanzania, Rwanda, Vietnam, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia.
Between now and 2021 - when we’ll move into our second decade of work - we want to:
Reach a further 50,000 people with clean water, sanitation and hygiene
Increase awareness of the water crisis
Give individuals and businesses further ways to make a tangible difference
To do this we have an ambitious target of raising £1 million before the end of 2021.
Our £1 million plans
Going forward, our main focus is on generating donations through the following fundraising activities:
UK Coffee Week - a nationwide celebration of coffee that sees thousands of participating coffee shops, retailers and foodservice outlets fundraise for Project Waterfall.
Brand Partnerships - our long-term partnerships are with companies both directly and indirectly connected to coffee-growing communities through their products and services. They typically involve a financial commitment of £50-150k per year, collaborative campaigns and co-branded opportunities.
Drop a Dime - a mouth-watering initiative where restaurants encourage their customers to donate to Project Waterfall through a bill, water, dish or round-up donation.
Turn on the Taps - where we provide coffee shops with a ‘tap to donate’ reader, that sits alongside a till or water point, which customers use to make a contactless donation to Project Waterfall.
Our approach
While some of the above initiatives are new to us as a charity, our core approach will remain as it has been since 2011.
1. Focused on water: Access to water, sanitation and hygiene is a crucial step in breaking the poverty cycle as it underpins all other development issues.
2. Concentrated on coffee-growing countries: The majority of the worlds coffee comes from developing countries where many people lack access to safe water. We’re committed to supporting those who make our daily coffee possible.
3. 100% promise: Every single penny of public donations goes to funding clean water projects. This is thanks to corporate sponsorship which covers our running costs.
4. No overpromising: We support projects that have a high-reach and long-lasting impact, and only commit to a project once we have secured the funds to see it through to its end.
5. Funding sustainable projects: All the projects we fund train local people who can continue to maintain the water source long after we have left, ensuring a permanent supply of clean water.
Let the work begin!
We’re incredibly excited about the future and scope of Project Waterfall as we close out our first decade as a charity.
Our goals for the coming 18 months are ambitious, but we have a clear plan of how we’re going to achieve them.
Of course we would love your support, so do get in touch if you’re keen to run any of the above, or other(!), fundraising activities.