#92 Asking for donations (Med)

Portrait of volunteer holding donation box with goods for people in need

A donation is what you give — like money or things — to help someone or support a group. Credit: South_agency/Getty Images

Learn how to ask for money or donations in English.


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This lesson is suitable for intermediate-level learners. After listening, test your knowledge with our quiz.

Learning notes

Different phrases you can use when asking for support and donations:
  • Would you be open to making a small donation? 
  • I’ve got a little fundraiser going, any chance you’d like to help? 
  • Would you be happy to support this cause? 
  • If you’ve got a coin or two to spare, it’ll go straight to a good cause.  
  • Any help you can give would mean a lot. 
  • Every bit counts. 
  • A little help goes a long way. 
  • We appreciate any support you can give. 

Colloquial expressions:

If you are running something, it means you are organising it, looking after it, or making sure it happens.

When we ask someone for a coin or two, we’re asking for a small amount of money.


Vocabulary:

A charity is a group that helps people in need.

A charity run is a public run organised by a charity to raise money.

A charity appeal is when a charity asks people to give money or help.

Altruistic means helpful others without expecting anything in return.

A fundraiser is an event or activity that collect money to help others.

A community fundraiser is when people in a neighbourhood, school, or local group work together to raise money for something important.

To donate means to give something to help others — like money, clothes, food, or time.

A donation is what you give — like money or things — to help someone or support a group.

To spare extra. If you have some money to spare then you can give it away without causing any problems.

A good cause is a project or group that helps people or animals who need support, like a charity or community group.


Learning focus:

Asking people to do things they might not like to do is always difficult, and so we often ask in ways that allow the listener time to process and think.

We often use the opener-reason/ context/ softened request/ sweetener approach. First, we open up the conversation (an opener), then we explain the reason we are asking and give a little context (a reason/context), then we ask in ways that show we are not expecting too much (a softened request), and finally we offer something good or something that makes them feel good (a sweetener).

This is what Allan did:

Opener: Hey Claire, do you have a minute? (asks if she is busy)
Reason &
context:
I'm running a charity cake stall this Friday to raise funds for a children's hospital. It's part of a community fundraiser I've joined. (provides context)
Request: Would you be open to making a small donation?

But if you got a coin or two to spare.
(asks if she is willing)

(incomplete request + emphasises small amount)
Sweetener: It'll go straight to a good cause.

I'll save you the best cupcake.
(emphasises that she will be doing good)

(offers the best cake)


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A big thank you to our guests Sunila Kotwal from Immigrant Women's SpeakOut Association of NSW. Paul Nicholson and Lily O'Sullivan voiced the characters of Allan and Claire, and Professor Lynda Yates was our educational consultant.

spk_0

Well, if you ask me, learning English helps me to help others.

spk_1

SBS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands and waterways throughout Australia.

Josipa

Hi, my name is Josipa.

Josipa

And I made a promise to my friend that I'd help her raise money for a charity that supports homeless families.

Josipa

A charity is a group that helps people in need.

Josipa

So I signed up to do a charity run of 10 kilometres because I really believe in what this charity does. A charity run is organized by a charity to raise money. People who take part in the run ask their friends and family to give money to the charity because they're taking part in it.

Josipa

And are likely to be very exhausted by the experience and even feel some pain. It's like, I'm suffering for this charity, so please give money to them.

Josipa

Now, I am not a runner. I'm more of a sit down and read a book kind of person. So I will be exhausted, and my feet, my feet are likely to hurt.

Josipa

But that's not the part I'm worried about.

Josipa

The hard part, asking people for money. Like, how do you even say it? Hey, would you like to give me money? Nope. That feels weird, too direct, too uncomfortable. It is difficult to ask people to donate. That is, to give something like money, clothes, food, or time to help others. So I started thinking.

Josipa

There must be a better way to ask, a more polite way, a more English way, and there is.

Josipa

Allan and Claire showed me in this dialogue that there are some polite and friendly ways to ask for a donation without sounding pushy or awkward. A donation is whatever you give to a charity. You don't get anything for it. You give because you want to help. Now let's listen to Alan and Claire at work.

Allan

Hey Claire, do you have a minute? Sure, what's up? I'm running a charity cake stall this Friday to raise money for a children's hospital. It's part of the community fundraiser I've joined. Would you be open to making a small donation?

Claire

Oh, that sounds lovely, Alan, but I've already donated to another charity appeal this week. Sorry.

Allan

Totally understand, no pressure at all. But if you've got a coin or two to spare, it'll go straight to a good cause.

Allan

Every bit counts and hey, I'll save you the best cupcake.

Claire

Alright, you got me. I can't say no to a cupcake.

Josipa

Alan is organizing a charity cake stall. That's when people bake cakes and muffins, sell them, and give the money to a charity.

Josipa

Alan is really altruistic. That means he helps others just to do something good, not to get anything back. Hmm. To be completely honest, I'm not sure I'm doing my charity because I'm altruistic. I want to help, yes, but the real reason is it makes me feel good about myself, and that's OK, right? Doing good and feeling good can go together.

Josipa

Now, let's do some good for our English and learn the phrases from the dialogue. Let's listen again to how Alan asked Claire for a donation.

Allan

I'm running a charity cake stall this Friday to raise money for a children's hospital. It's part of a community fundraiser I've joined.

Allan

Would you be open to making a small donation

Josipa

Before asking for money, Alan explained what the fundraiser was for by saying,

Allan

I'm running a charity cake stall this Friday to raise money for a children's hospital.

Josipa

If you are running something, it means you're organizing it, looking after it, or making sure it happens.

Josipa

Alan is running a charity cake stall, but you can run other things too. For example, if you are running a business, that means you are managing or owning it.

Josipa

Allan then said,

Allan

It's part of a community fundraiser I've joined.

Josipa

A fundraiser is an event or activity that helps collect money to help others, and the community fundraiser is when people in a neighbourhood, school, or local group work together to raise money for something important.

Josipa

After saying what the money is for, the reason for the fundraiser.

Josipa

Alan asked Claire.

Allan

Would you be open to making a small donation?

Josipa

This is a polite way not to direct or pushy, to ask someone if they're willing to give a little money to help. Would you be open to? It's the same as saying, are you OK with, or would you say yes to?

Josipa

And making a small donation means giving a small amount to help.

Josipa

For example, I often make a small donation by giving away clothes that I don't need. I hope that my donations make life a little easier for someone in need.

Josipa

Now let's hear a few more ways in which we can ask for donations.

Claire

I've got a little fundraiser going. Any chance you'd like to help?

Allan

Would you be happy to support this cause?

Josipa

Any help you can give would mean a lot.

Josipa

Claire initially said she couldn't donate to Alan's charity, she said.

Claire

I've already donated to another charity appeal this week. Sorry!

Josipa

A charity appeal is when a charity asks people to give money or help. They may ask for people's donation in a letter, online, on TV, on the radio, or like Alan did in person.

Josipa

It's called an appeal because the charity is asking for support.

Josipa

Allan then said,

Allan

Totally understand. No pressure at all. But if you've got a coin or two to spare, it'll go straight to a good cause. Every bit counts, and hey, I'll save you the best cupcake.

Josipa

Notice how Alan showed that he understood Claire's response, but then he tried one more time.

Allan

But if you've got a coin or two to spare, it'll go straight to a good cause.

Josipa

That's another good phrase we could use when asking for donations. When we ask someone for a coin or two, we are asking for a small amount of money. We also often use the phrase a gold coin donation.

Josipa

This means that you don't have to give a large amount like a $5 or $10 note.

Josipa

And to spare means extra. So if you have some money to spare, that means that you can give, donate a little without causing any problems. Allan said the money he is raising will go straight to a good cause.

Josipa

A good cause is a project or group that helps people or animals who need support, like a charity or community group. For me, running 10 kilometres will be hard, but, but I believe it will be worth it to support a good cause. Alan also said.

Allan

Every bit counts.

Josipa

This means that even a small amount is helpful.

Josipa

You could also say,

Claire

A little help goes a long way.

Josipa

Or if you want to sound more formal, you could say.

Allan

We appreciate any support you can give.

Josipa

You know what? After hearing all the great examples Allan and Claire shared in this episode, I feel ready to help my friend make a difference. So why don't you listen to their dialogue one more time while I make some phone calls to ask for donations for my friend's charity appeal.

Allan

Hey Claire, do you have a minute? Sure, what's up? I'm running a charity cake stall this Friday to raise money for a children's hospital. It's part of the community fundraiser I've joined. Would you be open to making a small donation?

Claire

Oh, that sounds lovely, Alan, but I've already donated to another charity appeal this week. Sorry.

Allan

Totally understand, no pressure at all. But if you've got a coin or two to spare, it'll go straight to a good cause.

Allan

Every bit counts and hey, I'll save you the best cupcake.

Claire

Alright, you got me. I can't say no to a cupcake.

Josipa

Hello. We're from SBS. Learn English. I'm. So I got up early, got in my car, and now I'm at Immigrant Women's Speak Out organization in a company of Sunila Kotwal, who is executive officer and works with other women who dedicate all their time to help other women.

Josipa

Hello, Sunila, how are you?

Sunila

I'm good, thank you.

Josipa

Why are your services so important for women who need help?

Sunila

OK. Immigrant Women Speak Out Association of New South Wales, that's a proper name, has been working to support women experiencing domestic family and sexual violence. Our services exist because we are a specialized service for migrant and refugee women.

Sunila

Unfortunately, mainstream services don't always work for migrant women, especially for those on temporary visas.

Sunila

Many of the women who come to us have never asked for help before. Some didn't even know that they could.

Sunila

They've come from places where services are limited and women are silent. So when they come through our doors, we know that it has taken them a lot to get there.

Josipa

And what kind of help do you give to women who are leaving family violence or have no safe place to live?

Sunila

Years ago when women visiting us to seek support, they begged to sleep at our office just to stay safe. That's when we knew that we had to do more. So we opened our own crisis accommodation in 2016, a shelter specifically for migrant women on temporary visas.

Sunila

We now run 2 crisis accommodations, accommodating 12 single women at any time.

Sunila

Each woman can stay for up to 6 months while we support them through every step of rebuilding their lives. We provide culturally appropriate support from a caseworker, a counselor.

Sunila

We provide them groceries, food vouchers, transport cards, and emotional support. We run programs to improve their mental and physical health, such as self-care, gardening, self-defense, and more.

Sunila

We help women find jobs, help them write resumes, prepare for interviews, and accompany them to the interviews.

Sunila

We also offer practical skills building in areas like baking, sewing, and alteration to help women earn an income, regardless of their English level.

Josipa

You also help them with English, don't you?

Sunila

We do. We run English conversation classes and we also run basic computer classes where we get them email addresses and help them understand what the government emails are asking from them.

Can you tell us how can someone in a very practical, concrete way help your organization? What can we do?

Sunila

There are 2 key ways to support us financially and practically. Financial donations, both one time and ongoing, are essential to keep our services running.

Sunila

On the practical side, we welcome volunteers to help run our programs. That might mean teaching English, basic computer skills, helping in our garden, or helping us organize one of our 5 annual women's picnics.

Josipa

And if one wants to join you, try to become a volunteer in your organization where they can find information.

Sunila

We have a website www.speakout.org.au. All the information about the volunteers is available there.

Josipa

Thank you, Sunila for this interview.

Josipa

Let's now practice different ways we can ask for donations. Just repeat after Alan and Claire.

Claire

Would you be open to making a small donation?

Allan

We appreciate any support you can give.

Claire

Any help you can give would mean a lot.

Allan

If you've got a coin or two to spare, it'll go straight to a good cause.

Josipa

If you'd like to practice your speaking skills, and I really recommend it, listen to our bonus episode. It's short, fun, and great for speaking practice. Practicing out loud really helped me. It gave me confidence to speak to people in English.

Josipa

You can also check out our socials, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more tips and fun language learning videos. Just search for SBS Learn English. I'm Josipa. Thank you for learning English with me today.

END OF TRANSCRIPT

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