RSL Queensland Annual Report 2020

69 RSL Queensland Annual Report | 2020 SUSTAINING OUR BUSINESS RSL Queensland delivers an extensive and comprehensive range of support and services to help veterans and their families through various stages of their Defence journey. To enable us to deliver these services, increase our support and grow our reach under our Strategic Plan, we need sustainable financial sources. The RSL Art Union was created to provide a secure funding source for the work of RSL Queensland, and 65 years later, it remains our largest and most critical source of income. About 99 per cent of our funds are generated directly through the lottery program, with the revenue from ticket sales from the luxury prize home lotteries run by RSL Art Union allowing us to continue to provide support programs to veterans and their families. The remainder of our funds come from investments and a small number of government grants. The RSL Art Union is Australia’s largest and most successful prize home lottery program. But in 2020, the lottery’s resilience was tested as COVID-19 brought a level of uncertainty. Sales channels were heavily impacted when the effects of the pandemic were first felt, as discretionary spending among customers decreased, shopping centre sales booths were closed and door-to-door sales were suspended. These sales channels, along with outbound telemarketing, are key to reaching the customer base and providing greater resilience to the lottery. Annual Highlights Sustaining our Business "Not only are we focused on achieving income goals to financially support programs for veterans, but we are also providing opportunities for the Australian public to give back to veterans with the benefit of potentially changing their life. It’s a donation with a dream." TRACEY BISHOP General Manager RSL Art Union al Manager, RSL Art Union Australia’s biggest ever prize home lottery Continued on next page