The flex that’s changing the mental health game.
Push-ups might be the most universal (and humbling) workout out there. Whether you smashed out 100 in the gym last week or haven’t touched a push-up—well, ever—you know the deal: one movement, repeated again and again, until it burns.
That’s what makes The Push-Up Challenge so brilliant.
It takes something familiar—something often reserved for sunrise bootcamps (or the living room floor under the watchful eyes of your pets)—and flips it into a vehicle for real connection, compassion, and community.
This is movement with meaning. And that’s what makes it our Site of the Month.
About the campaign: Push-ups for a purpose
Participants will complete 3,214 push-ups in 23 days. This number represents the lives lost to suicide in Australia in 2023—the most recent available data.
It’s a heartbreaking figure, and it changes each year to reflect the latest data. That simple connection keeps things real. It’s not just a challenge—it’s a quiet reminder of why mental health matters.
You can take it on your own or as part of a team. Do all the reps, share the load, or set your own goal. However you approach it, you’re part of something bigger.
The app makes it easy to log push-ups, learn a little each day, and stay connected along the way.
A smart platform that supports real progress
The magic of The Push-Up Challenge isn’t just in the clever, accessible concept—it’s in how easy it is to do.
The purpose-built app integrates beautifully with their Funraisin platform, making the full challenge feel cohesive, intuitive, and low-fuss for fundraisers.
From the moment you sign up, it’s easy to:
- Log your push-ups (manually or with a fitness tracker)
- Track your progress against daily targets
- View your team leaderboard to stay motivated
- Share updates with your network straight from your phone
- Learn something new every day via mental health facts and resources
- Get fundraising tips that feel timely, not spammy
For fundraisers, that means less time figuring out how to participate and more time focusing on why they’re doing it.
We love when the 👏 tech 👏 just 👏 works.
Three charities, one united mission
This isn’t your typical fundraising model. The Push-Up Challenge supports three mental health organisations—Lifeline, headspace, and The Push for Better Foundation.
Participants choose where their funds go.
In a world where charities can sometimes compete for attention and donations, this campaign breaks the mold. There’s no rivalry here—just three orgs backing each other, sharing the spotlight, and working together toward a single, urgent mission: better mental health for every Aussie.
Clever fundraising levers
You and your team may already be all over these tips, but we love talking about it anyway! Here are a few things that The Push-Up Challenge does that we love… and we think make their campaign so brilliant.
The mission is emotionally intelligent
The Push-Up Challenge built the challenge experience from the supporter back. It meets people where they’re at. It doesn’t preach... It invites.
The challenge is accessible for all–can’t do push-ups? Sub it for lunges or steps.
It’s easy to do, simple, fun, and self-explanatory.
The tech supports the story
A clean interface, smart reminders, and just the right mix of gamification and education.
Registration is seamless, pages are easy to share, and the experience is smooth across app and desktop.
Managing teams, logging push-ups, and tracking progress feels effortless—and fun.
Team functionality makes it sticky
Whether you're joining your footy club, workplace, or family crew—this campaign turns fundraising into a shared effort, not a solo slog.
Leaderboards and Funraisin’s team management software make it easy to start, join, and donate to a specific team, so it feels like a whole bonding experience.
It’s got history, but it’s always evolving
Since 2017, The Push-Up Challenge has kept things fresh—updating the push-up target to reflect current suicide stats, sharing real-time impact stories, and collecting live photos from the community with #pushforbetter.
It’s a campaign that stays culturally sharp and emotionally current, without ever losing its heart.
The Push-Up Challenge is more than a challenge... It’s a catalyst.
The impact of this campaign goes way beyond dollars raised or push-ups done.
It lifts people up—physically and mentally.
A 2024 University of Melbourne study found that The Push-Up Challenge didn’t just fund mental health support—it actively improved it for those taking part.
Participants reported feeling less anxious and less down during the event—and those positive effects were still being felt months later. Even more powerful is that those already navigating mental health challenges were more than twice as likely to seek help and over three times as likely to adopt new self-care habits.
Fundraising that feels good and does good?
That’s the kind of impact we love to see.
Feeling inspired?
Book a free call today with a member of our team to discuss how Funraisin can help you take your next campaign to the next level. We love making fundraising magic!
