In its first year, environmental fundraising platform Edge Pledge went national, with the support of comedians like Tommy Little and Rove McManus.
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Founder Sam Marwood, an environmental scientist from Albury, now has the likes of Qantas interested.
“I think we did really well in 2016, raising about $34,000,” he said.
“Australia’s Threatened Species Comissioner Gregory Andrews went on Weekend Sunrise and had his head shaved into a mohawk.
“We launched a week ago through Facebook at Melbourne Zoo … this year, people can elect give half their fundraising to a school or community group.”
People are encouraged to ‘be on the edge’ raising money for endangered wildlife – participants pledge to complete the most popular of three challenges, as voted by family and friends.
Mr Marwood said for Tommy Little, that challenge was to tackle the world's highest commercial abseil in south-west Tasmania.
“He raised money for the Eastern Quoll,” he said.
“For every seven dollars raised for charity, one goes to the environment, and we want to make that higher.
“We want bosses to do challenges voted in by their colleagues – you can have some fun and really help.”
The first Edge Pledge campaign involved 10 environmental partners and benefited 16 species, with $2000 donated per animal.
On the Border, pledges were made for squirrel gliders – with Albury Conservation Company’s Nigel Jones sleeping in a tree – paying for 42 nest boxes.
The campaign is ramping up again this month, and with National Threatened Species Day falling on Thursday, it’s the perfect time to make a pledge.
