Il non profit che fa la differenza

Third Factor

Dynamo, a 2 million kilometre fundraiser

To raise resources for the Camp, the foundation puts on the sports challenge in which people and companies participate

by Laura Sconfietti

23 September 2024

Il top foundraiser singoli Franco Taddei, che corre a favore di Dynamo

5' min read

Key points

But what is a fundraiser for?
Corporate Participation.
A challenge born in America
The role of individuals

5' min read

What if practising your favourite sport could support fundraising? This is the aim of the two million kilometres, a sporting event, a non-competitive challenge in which companies and individuals are taking part to accumulate kilometres with a single purpose: that of supporting Dynamo Camp, participating and donating to Dynamo the kilometres travelled by bike, running or practising any other sport. An already consolidated event and already in its fifth edition. The aim? To reach two million kilometres (49 times the circumference of the Earth), collecting donations to support the challenge of Dynamo, a foundation that for 17 years has been offering recreational therapy activities and workshops free of charge to children and families all over Italy..

In just three months, the distance travelled collectively exceeded 1,623,729 km, thus surpassing the 1,124,872 km achieved in the previous edition and collecting donations of more than 123,966 euros, with a total of 1,944,908 kilometres.

And the challenge is still open: started on 1 May and active until 30 September 2024, many teams are still warming up their engines. Corporate participation, already plentiful, is set to increase; many companies have been grinding out kilometres since July and August, making further donations to Dynamo.

But what is a fundraiser for?

"Fundraising serves to find resources for the development of our programmes, through the relationship with donors, individuals, companies and foundations. It serves to develop medium and long-term strategies to support all Dynamo Camp's activities. But, besides the financial aspect, it also manages to involve the community and promote social responsibility, allowing individuals and companies to actively contribute," explains Dynamo Camp's fundraising manager, Mauro Picciaiola.

According to the Social Report 2023: donations and contributions amount to a total of EUR 10.9 million, of which EUR 1 million relates to the utilisation of the donation-in-kind reserve and other income. The remainder, i.e. 9.8 million, is the result of a strategy that aims at an increasingly balanced diversification of funding sources. "In 2023, the most important growth was in the individuals segment, which grew by +21% to 38% of the total," Picciaiola continues.

The participation of companies in fundraising also marks a change compared to other years. Taking the 2023 fundraising as a reference, compared to that of the years 2021 and 2022, in fact, we can see how the performance of the corporate segment alone exceeds 47% of the total and, combined with that of individuals, exceeds 80%: a contribution that allows Dynamo to accelerate its growth and impact.

Corporate Participation

The companies taking part in the challenge enable the continuity of Dynamo Camp's mission through their financial contribution, becoming not only supporters, but real partners who share the foundation's mission and objectives.

In the 2 million km, the role of companies proved to be decisive. Divided by teams, there are many individuals and companies that are running in support of Dynamo: a total of 1,621 registered, with more than 60 individuals and 11 companies, the latter with a total number of 1,653 registered employees, playing a crucial role in grinding out kilometres and collecting donations.

Already in its fifth edition, new this year is a focus on corporate participation, with the creation of ad hoc packages designed to foster engagement. These can take part in the challenge by creating different teams and also challenging each other. The idea is that companies that get on board the 2 million km can encourage the active participation of employees in support of a social cause, increasing the so-called ESG indicators: Environment, Social and Governance..

A physical preparation time for the challenge with a coach was also planned, who - through calls or meetings - could dispense them with all the advice they need to prepare themselves in the best possible way.

Currently, companies of different sizes are competing, from the smallest to the largest such as Amazon, which alone has clocked up over 123,391 kilometres, with a total of over 60 teams registered.

A challenge born in America

The challenge was originally inspired by a major international fundraising initiative, which has raised more than $972 million: the Pan Massachusetts Challenge, one of the major American events linking sport and fundraising, which has been collecting - through sport - donations for cancer research since 1980. Despite the different numbers, due to the different American tradition and culture in supporting good causes, the mechanism is similar: to involve a large number of people around a social cause.

Born in 2016 as a cycling challenge, with the name Dynamo Bike Challenge (a real gran fondo around Dynamo Camp), and renewed in the formula during the pandemic by transforming itself into a widespread event, also cycling, with the new name "2 million km", for two editions now it has been open to other sports: running, swimming, sailing, golf, skateboarding and any other sport in which a distance is covered.

Thanks to the participation of companies such as Intercos and Baker Hughes, the collection was recently opened to employees of all foreign locations, effectively opening the collection to the entire world (allowing anyone - thanks to the international scope of the companies in question - to actively participate in the challenge and making the site entirely accessible in English).

By taking part in the challenge you choose to support the work of the volunteers and all the people who make Dynamo's challenge possible: to offer Recreational Therapy programmes to children with serious illnesses, either by hosting them in Limestre - in the province of Pistoia, where the Camp is located, specially conceived and structured to make children and families experience challenges and emotions - or by reaching them in associations, hospitals and the Dynamo City Camps throughout Italy.

A new Dynamo City Camp has just started in the city of Milan, where it will be possible - thanks to the novelty created and introduced within it - to host parents and caregivers in a coworking space, while their children carry out their activities.

The role of individuals

There are more than 79 entries linked to other teams or individuals. Among individuals, first in the top single foundraisers is Franco Taddei from San Miniato, class of '67, with over 12,519 km collected and 2,890 euro in donations (as of 10 September 2024): a passionate cyclist and great dreamer. Franco's personal goal was to reach Cape North, crossing 7 nations, covering over 4,000 km and crossing the Arctic Circle.

On the occasion of his first visit to Camp Limestre, Franco Taddei explains: 'I wanted to do something more, which is why I chose to dedicate my kilometres to Dynamo. My dream alone was not enough, I needed an extra gear'.

Laura Sconfietti participates in 'Terzo Fattore', a partnership between Il Sole 24 Ore and the Catholic University with the support of TechSoup. The initiative aims to promote knowledge of the third sector. Students carry out internships in non-profit organisations and talk about the most significant aspects of their experiences.