The Surf Life Saving Foundation is a nonprofit organisation in Australia dedicated to supporting Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA), the country's peak coastal water safety, drowning prevention, and rescue authority. The Foundation plays a crucial role as the national fundraising arm for SLSA, enabling it to maintain and expand its lifesaving services and community programs.

Overview

The Surf Life Saving Foundation exists to underpin the financial efforts necessary to sustain volunteer surf lifesaving activities across Australia's extensive coastline. Australia has over 11,500 beaches along more than 50,000 kilometers of coastline, attracting an estimated 300 million visitations annually. With over 50,000 volunteers from 314 surf clubs nationwide, the Foundation’s fundraising helps ensure these beaches remain some of the safest in the world through lifesaving patrols, education, and public safety initiatives.

Purpose and Activities

Funds raised by the Surf Life Saving Foundation are primarily used to:

• Maintain and replace lifesaving rescue gear and equipment frequently exposed to harsh coastal conditions.
• Enhance the training and development programs for volunteer surf lifesavers.
• Expand community surf safety campaigns.
• Support aquatic safety research and development.

The Foundation supports SLSA’s mission to prevent drowning and improve coastal safety, helping to deliver services such as beach patrols that conduct over 10,000 rescues annually and more than 1.6 million preventative actions by volunteers each year.

Fundraising Programs

The Foundation operates several key fundraising initiatives, including:

• Guardians of the Surf: A monthly giving program where donors provide ongoing support to train new surf lifesavers, improve volunteer skills, and replace critical equipment. Guardians act as behind-the-scenes heroes contributing silently to lifesaving efforts.
• Bequest Program: This program allows supporters to leave a legacy gift to Surf Life Saving through their wills, including the "10,000 Club Circle of Friends," specifically designed for members wishing to support their surf club’s future.

Impact

Surf Life Saving Australia, supported by the Foundation’s fundraising, has a remarkable record of saving lives with nearly 700,000 rescues to date. On average, surf lifesavers perform more than 10,000 rescues annually and deliver lifesaving education and safety services to millions of beachgoers. The cost for a single beach patrol can reach approximately $80,000, highlighting the essential role of ongoing community support and donations.

Through its efforts, the Surf Life Saving Foundation helps sustain Australia's culture of volunteerism and commitment to water safety, ensuring that surf lifesaving services remain effective and widely available to protect the public across Australia’s vast coastal regions.

Note: The Surf Life Saving Foundation operates independently but in close partnership with Surf Life Saving Australia, sharing the common goal of reducing drownings and enhancing water safety nationwide.

[1] https://slsfoundation.com.au [2] https://www.surflifesaving.com.au/about-us/surf-life-saving-foundation/ [3] https://sls.com.au [4] https://sls.com.au/about-us/ [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surf_Life_Saving_Australia