Have you ever wondered about all the money you give to ‘charity’? What is it used for, and how much is wasted? Does it make a difference? These are sensible questions. The challenge is often that the answers are shrouded in so much mystery that it is impossible to know.
Over the last couple of years, the POPUP team and I have been on a journey. We have been challenged by what it means to be a force for social good. We desire to see whole cities. The first step is to consider how we contribute to or harm the wholeness of our city. This revelation inspired us to be radically accountable. We are a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO), after all. In 2023, we took a brave first step by publishing our first annual impact report. As we finalise our 2024 report, I offer an overview of our financials and impact.
Sources and Employment of Funds
Figure 1 below shows the revenue and expenses for POPUP in 2024.
This is a picture for which we are immensely grateful. By December 16th, we were still 12% short on budget but ended the year with a 9.6% surplus. This is a testimony to the generous hearts and hands of our countless donors. Your sensitivity, wisdom, and partnership are awe-inspiring and fill us with hope. Your trust in us to effectively steward your impact towards a brighter, more hopeful South Africa is an enormous privilege.
Key Observations
We are proud of our progress towards becoming a more sustainable and resilient organisation. We generated 40% of our income from shared value activities. We have also been able to invest in the social and non-profit ecosystem through partner empowerment initiatives, which account for 10.6% of our expenses. This is more than the funds we retained in reserves and speaks to the importance of developing impact eco-systems as a key strategic imperative.
Perhaps the most profound observation is revealed in the catalytic nature of our business model. Our self-generated funds equate to more than our total non-training expenditure. We are committed to maximising impact returns for our funders to the extent that we become a co-founder of educational outcomes after covering our operational overheads, including the costs relating to our training facilities. This amplifies impact returns for our funders, as indicated in Figure 2 below.
Why this matters to you
Despite high inflationary pressure on education, our cost per learner day (L/D) in Tshwane has reduced by 10.4% in real terms compared to 2023. Compared to 2022, our cost per L/D in Tshwane is 26.1% lower when adjusted for inflation.
Our self-funded contribution covers 35.8% of our cost per L/D. These funds are generated through value exchange activities. The funding we receive from the government covers an additional 14.1% of the cost base. Tax mechanisms such as 18A allowances further reduce the funder’s costs by 4%. Our funders contribute 35.7% of every rand of educational value delivered. For every R1 a funder spends with us, we create R2,80 worth of education value, a 280% impact return.
Impact Delivered
There has never been a better time to partner with us. Your money makes a difference. We deploy it efficiently and effectively, leveraging it to deliver exponential value. And this is only the beginning. We continue interrogating every part of our education, social, and business practice. We prioritise progress over perfection.
Your contribution doesn’t just fund education—it multiplies impact. Every R1 you give helps create R2.80 worth of educational value.
🔹 Partner with us today– Invest in real change. Contact us
🔹 Sponsor a learner – Empower someone with skills for life.
🔹 Share this message – Help us reach more hearts and hands.
Start now by supporting the We Ride Cape Epic team at the Cape Epic during March: https://www.givengain.com/project/eugen-raising-funds-for-popup-people-upliftment-programme-79436
Let’s build tomorrow, together.