Giving DIFFerently to homelessness

Every year, FOR Cardiff – the business improvement district for Wales’ capital – surveys members to understand challenges to develop its strategic priorities. Growth in homelessness and a desire for businesses to provide meaningful support repeatedly topped the list.

FOR Cardiff approached homeless charities across the city to create a partnership approach to tackling the issue and Cowshed was brought into develop a creative solution to improve the issue.

Our core objectives were to:

• Create a campaign to bring businesses, homelessness charities and the public together on the issue
• Public embrace the campaign and alternative way of giving with £1,000 raised (based on campaign of a similar type in Bristol)

There was a public perception that giving money or food directly reinforces rather than helps people to move away from homelessness. The introduction of contactless technology was resulting in fewer people carrying cash but opened an opportunity to introduce a new way of giving – Give DIFFerently was born.

Working with Clear Channel, we brought the first contactless giving for homelessness to Wales via a full frontage takeover of an empty shop on one of Cardiff’s busiest shopping streets.

For every tap, a fixed fee of £2 was put towards grants for those who are currently experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. The grants were distributed through the city’ frontline services.

• 17 pieces of coverage with over 40.8 million OTS
• 430 donations made
• £11k raised
• Clear Channel’s most successful contactless giving campaign