Month-long abstain or do challenge (Dry July style)
- Raises money for a national charity
Supporters give something up, or do something daily, for a month and collect sponsorship through the campaign's platform.
Typically raises
$115
$50–2,000 per campaignest.
About $19 per organiser hour
Based on one participant for one month
Is it right for us?
- Money
- Under $500
- Work
- A few evenings
- Helpers
- 1–2 people
- Lead time
- 2–3 weeks
- Red tape
- None
Fairly common: familiar from Dry July, but run as an individual effort
- People
- 1 per participant; 1 team captain
- Organiser time
- 2-10 per participant (estimate)
- Lead time
- 2-4 weeks
- Up-front cost
- Nothing up front. None.
- Risk
- None.
How it works
The money, as an example sum
Nothing to pay up front, and the typical result for one participant for one month is about $115 per campaign.
From the typical figure on this page. Your result will differ.
Where the money figure comes from
Per participant. Dry July NZ site showed $573,482 raised by 4,983 participants and 310 teams (about $115 each, calculated); Dry July raised more than $900,000 the year before (Prostate Cancer Foundation). Low and high are estimates.
Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.
Step by step
- Register as an individual or team.
- Set a personal target.
- Share the page with a reason.
- Post updates through the month.
- Thank donors at the end.
Getting the word out
Even a well-run plan fails if nobody hears about it. There are two asks, and the first one goes out first.
- Ask for help
- Participants to sign up and collect sponsors.
- Ask people to buy
- Family, friends and workmates to sponsor them.
- When to start
- Ask for helpers first, as soon as the date is set. Start the public ask about 3–4 weeks out, and book newsletter and paper notices before that: small newsletters close early.
Where to put it
- School, club and church newslettersYour own newsletter is free and read by the families most likely to say yes. Check when it closes.
- PostersPosters at the school gate, the clubrooms and shop windows, with the date, place, price and how to pay.
- Local Facebook pages and community groupsPost in your town’s community page and local groups (check their rules), and share from your group’s own page.
- Email lists and group chatsYour members’ email list and the class, team or church group chats. Short, with one date or one link.
The full guide to getting the word out: every channel from flyers to the evening news, with lead times and costs.
What you’ll need
- Place
- Not neededNone needed
- Landowner’s permission
- Not needed
- Council permit
- Not needed
- Food rules
- Not neededNo food sold
- Alcohol
- Not neededNo alcohol sold
- Gambling rules
- Not neededNot gambling
Money usually goes to the national campaign's beneficiary, not your group, unless the campaign allows it. No permits needed.
Make more from it
Team leaderboard between club teams or workplaces
often doubles participation (estimate)
friendly rivalry keeps people posting
Mid-month social catch-up
a few hundred dollars in extra donations (estimate)
a shared moment renews the ask halfway through
What you can get donated
Nothing needed.
Tips
- Teams raise more than solo participants because of peer pressure.
Watch out for
- Assuming the money can fund your own club; usually it cannot.
Month-long abstain or do challenge (Dry July style): checklist
0 of 7 done
Before
After
Money usually goes to the national campaign's beneficiary, not your group, unless the campaign allows it. No permits needed.
Also pairs with: Team leaderboard, Mid-month social event without alcohol
Sources
* General fundraising information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Money figures are examples and estimates, not promises. Check current official requirements before you commit. About this guide