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Black Sheep Cycling, a popular Brisbane-based cycling and running apparel brand, has partnered with Little Phil to support the Movember Foundation through the innovative Shop & Support app.
This collaboration marks a pivotal moment for e-commerce philanthropy, seamlessly integrating charitable giving into every purchase.
In just a couple of weeks, Brisbane-based cycling and running apparel brand Black Sheep raised thousands for the Movember Foundation by donating 1% of each online order through the app.
This early success is just a glimpse of the ongoing commitment by Black Sheep to its ‘Do Good’ program, which has raised over $304,743.54 for charitable causes to date.
With the help of Shop & Support, these figures are poised to grow as the brand ramps up its fundraising efforts for Movember, using the app's scheduling features to further engage customers and support men’s mental health initiatives.
"The Little Phil team have been instrumental in helping us get our 'Do Good Program' operational" says John Polson, the Managing Director from Black Sheep Cycling." This app allows us to support causes like Movember effortlessly and transparently while engaging our customers in a way that builds loyalty and purpose."
In contrast to the 'round up' system at Coles or Woolworths, this model puts the brand’s contribution in the spotlight, with customers getting to select the charity they want to support post-purchase—making every purchase both personal and purposeful.
“If you’ve ever eaten at a Grill’d burger shop, the experience is similar to their ‘Local Matters’ campaign,” says Matias. “Except now, it’s available to any of Shopify’s 2 million merchants across 175 countries.” Matias credits Grill’d's campaign—and their delicious burgers—for inspiring the idea.
The Shop & Support app, created by Matias Salinas and the team behind Little Phil, allows Shopify merchants to donate a percentage or fixed amount from each sale to Australian charities.
Merchants can select up to three charities at a time, and customers choose which cause their purchase will support post-checkout.
The partnership demonstrates how conscious consumerism and micro-philanthropy are reshaping both retail and fundraising.
E-commerce businesses now have an accessible way to incorporate corporate social responsibility (CSR) into their operations, appealing to customers who value ethical business practices.
For small nonprofits like Letters of Hope, this partnership helps them gain awareness with a broader audience of potential donors and unlocks a new recurring stream of donations.
Founder Abbie Williams says, “For every $1.50 donation, we’re able to send out one more Letter of Hope to people who are struggling in the community. With the support of Shopify brands, we’ve been able to continue our mission even through these uncertain economic times.”
With increasing cost of living pressures also affecting the nonprofit sector, fundraising managers are seeking new and alternative sources of donations. An insight that Matias says “can be found in Little Phil’s highly anticipated annual ‘State of The Sector’ research report.”
Due out in early November, the report, completed in partnership with the Universtiy of Western Australia and their Centre For Public Value, seeks to highlight and share the most up to date charity research from over 500 Australian Nonprofit leaders.
What’s encouraging says Matias is that “As more brands like Black Sheep Cycling adopt this model, the industry could see a wave of integrated giving becoming the norm in e-commerce, benefiting both businesses and charities.”
Little Phil is on a mission to double philanthropic giving in Australia by 2030. "Our vision is to provide nonprofits with access to alternative and sustainable fundraising streams," says Matias. "The Shop & Support app is just one example of how we’re using technology to empower businesses and consumers to make an impact."
Little Phil plans to scale the Shop & Support app by expanding into international markets like the USA, adding multi-currency support, and enhancing its analytics and reporting features to help merchants measure their impact. The app’s success with Black Sheep Cycling is only the beginning, with plans to onboard more e-commerce brands in the coming months.
