Quick Facts

• $2,958 raised (and still growing)
• 31 Donations
• $95 average donation

At just 15 years old, Belle Spicer has already proven she belongs in the ring. From winning national and international titles, to becoming the youngest member of the Victorian Futures Program, she’s working toward her ultimate goal – competing at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

 But getting there isn’t easy. Unlike professional athletes, amateur boxers receive no financial assistance, meaning Belle and her family must cover all travel, accommodation, and competition costs.

To make her dreams a reality, Belle turned to the Australian Sports Foundation (ASF) to help fund her journey.

"The ASF made it so much easier to raise the funds I needed. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to get that international experience without the support of my community."

BELLE’S THREE KEYS TO FUNDRAISING SUCCESS:

1.        Reaching out beyond close family and friends

2.        Using technology to amplify reach and make donating easy

3.        Overcoming discomfort in asking for support

REACHING OUT BEYOND CLOSE FAMILY AND FRIENDS

When Belle and her family first started fundraising, they expected most donations to come from people they already knew. But they quickly realised that there are many people willing to support young athletes, they just need to be asked. 

"Half the people who helped me fundraise, I didn’t even know. So many people want to hear about your story, hear about your journey. Just tell them."

 Belle took this advice to heart, stepping outside her immediate network and connecting with local organisations. One of her biggest successes was partnering with her local football club, where she spoke about her journey and inspired club members to donate. This event provided a significant fundraising boost, showing her the power of community support.

"We went to the local footy club with help from family friends and did a little interview there, and heaps of the players donated, which was such a great help."

By tapping into wider community support, Belle ensured she had the financial backing to compete internationally. This support has allowed her to gain critical international experience, bringing her another step closer to her ultimate goal of competing at the Olympics.

USING TECHNOLOGY TO AMPLIFY REACH AND MAKE DONATING EASY

Belle knew that if she wanted her fundraising campaign to be successful, she had to make it as easy as possible for people to donate.

The ASF platform played a huge role in simplifying the process. Belle’s mum, Nat, found the system incredibly user-friendly, allowing them to set up the page quickly and use the ASF’s fundraising guides to their advantage.

"The process was really easy. The Australian Sports Foundation website was amazing. There were lots of online help guides to step you through the process, and we could preview the page and make changes in real time."

Once the fundraising page was live, Belle used Instagram to promote it, consistently sharing the link and posting updates on her training and competitions to keep supporters engaged. 

The family also printed fliers with QR codes, making it even easier for people to donate when attending local events.

"With all the technology nowadays, it’s so easy to just put your fundraising page on Instagram or print a flyer with a QR code, and so many people donated. I’m so grateful for everyone that did."

By combining the user-friendly platform with a strong digital presence, Belle made donating a seamless experience, helping her campaign gain traction and reach new supporters.

OVERCOMING DISCOMFORT IN ASKING FOR SUPPORT

Like many young athletes, Belle initially felt uncomfortable putting herself out there and asking for donations. She wasn’t used to talking about her achievements, and she found it difficult to promote her campaign at first.

“Putting myself out there was very hard for me because I’m pretty humble, so I had to make sure to stay confident and remember what I've achieved.”

Nat shared the same hesitation, finding it difficult at first to ask people for financial support, but using the ASF platform helped make those conversations easier.

"The best advice is don’t be shy. It’s really challenging to ask people for financial help, but using the Australian Sports Foundation made it so much easier. It gave us a way to show people what Belle was working toward and why their support mattered."

As donations started coming in, Belle realised that people wanted to support her, they just needed to be given the opportunity.

“So many people want to support athletes on their journey, you just have to give them the chance."

Over time, she became more confident in sharing her campaign, posting regular updates about her training and competitions. She also learned that keeping supporters engaged, whether through thank you messages, social media updates, or in-person conversations, helped to maintain their interest and encouraged more people to contribute.

By pushing past their initial discomfort, both Belle and Nat saw how fundraising could be a powerful tool to make international competition possible.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR BELLE?

Belle’s fundraising has already helped her compete at major international tournaments, gaining the experience she needs to take her boxing career to the next level. But she’s not stopping here. 

With a packed competition schedule ahead, including the Australian Club Championships, an international tournament in Fiji, and the Under 19’s National Titles in Darwin, she’s continuing to raise funds to support her journey and goal of competing at the 2032 Olympics.

If you’d like to support Belle on her journey, you can donate to her ASF project today and help her take the next step in her boxing career.

https://asf.org.au/projects/belle-spicer/fundraising-for-upcoming-boxing-tournaments