How much does a school keep from a colour run in NZ or Australia?
Reviewed . Read as Markdown
The school keeps donations after any fees it pays and the event expenses. Raised has no setup fee or monthly subscription. Card donations carry a 5% platform fee plus Stripe processing. NZ fees are normally added to the supporter payment; Australian donation fees are deducted unless the donor chooses to cover them. Model the actual fee setting before setting a net target.
What belongs in the budget?
List expected donations, the number of payments, card processing, the platform fee and all event invoices. Add powder, equipment, prizes or other costs only from your own quotes. Keep money received separate from the amount retained after expenses.
The examples below assume 200 domestic-card donations averaging 50 currency units, a total of 10,000, with all fees absorbed by the school. They use the published local-card rates at review and exclude international-card differences, refunds and any tax adjustments. NZD and AUD amounts are separate examples, not an exchange-rate comparison.
What does the New Zealand example look like?
Illustration: NZ$10,000 in donations, a 5% platform fee of NZ$500, plus domestic processing at 2.65% and NZ$0.30 for each of 200 payments. That processing estimate is NZ$325. Estimated receipts after these fees are NZ$9,175.
If the school then pays an illustrative NZ$900 in event invoices, NZ$8,275 remains. The NZ$900 is a made-up budget assumption, not a powder supplier quote or an actual school result. If supporters pay all transaction fees instead, the school's receipt changes and supporters pay extra. Use the actual checkout and payment records for the final report.
What changes for an Australian school?
Illustration: A$10,000 in donations, a 5% platform fee of A$500, plus domestic processing at 1.7% and A$0.30 for each of 200 payments. That processing estimate is A$230. Estimated receipts after these fees are A$9,270.
An illustrative A$900 of event invoices leaves A$8,370. Australian donors can choose to cover donation fees, but the P&C should not budget on every donor doing so. Donation treatment differs from Australian product campaigns with fees built into selling prices. This page models donations, not product sales.
How should we compare another fundraising provider?
Use the same donation total, transaction count and event needs for each quote. Ask whether processing, supplies or organiser support are included. A percentage alone does not tell you the complete cost or how much work the school must do.
For the final result, replace estimates with settled payments and invoices. Report gross donations, supporter-paid charges where relevant, fees paid by the school, event expenses and net proceeds separately. A target is not a guarantee of participation or donations.