Personal giving

JBWere’s New Zealand Support Report developed in collaboration with Philanthropy New Zealand | Tо̄pūtanga Tuku Aroha o Aotearoa estimates philanthropic giving at $3.8b in 2018. Of the 3.8b, over half is derived from private donations, with the rest from organisations. However you choose to give, it pays to ask yourself a few questions first to make sure your donation is as effective as possible:

  • What issues do you feel strongly about and what causes do you want to support?

  • How much of your income do you want to give? Many people recommend between 1% and 5% of your total household income but it’s entirely up to you

  • How effective are the organisations you support? You can find information to help you decide this in the annual returns all registered charities must make to Charities Services.

 

Direct giving

Direct giving includes everything from putting money into a bucket on the street to setting up regular online banking donations to the charity of your choice.

Providing you have an approved receipt all direct donations of $5 or more; are a New Zealand tax resident; and earned a taxable income during the tax year, you are eligible for a 33.33% tax credit on your total donations. More information on how to claim from IRD is here.

 

Community foundations

There’s a growing network of community foundations across Aotearoa New Zealand, investing gifts and donations, and giving to local charities and causes. Community foundations’ aim is for every New Zealander to be able to effect lasting change wherever their home or heart may be.

You can give through a community foundation in a number of ways:

●      By leaving a gift in your will

●      By setting up a fund for a specific cause you care about

●      By contributing to a general community fund which provides grants to local causes, and invests for community impact.

 

Donor-advised funds

A donor-advised fund is a philanthropic vehicle established at a registered charity. It allows donors to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax benefit and recommend grants from the fund over time.

 

Payroll giving

Payroll giving means you can have donations to IRD approved charities taken directly out of your pay. By April 2021, payroll giving had generated over $60 million of charitable donations.

Payroll giving is easy, and you don’t need to worry about claiming tax credits.

You can also set up payroll giving through your local community foundation. See more at Community Foundations of New Zealand.

 
“I do it every fortnight. My payments go out and I don’t even see it. I get the tax back straight away. It’s so simple.”
 

Bequests

Leaving money to a charity in your will is easy and it’s becoming increasingly popular.

JBWere’s New Zealand Support Report developed in collaboration with Philanthropy New Zealand | Tо̄pūtanga Tuku Aroha o Aotearoa estimates total bequests in 2018 to be around $200m annually. Find out more:

 

Crowdfunding

Online fundraising platforms are an increasingly popular way of giving.

New Zealand sites include:

  • Givealittle: a service for charities and individuals, run by Perpetual Guardian

  • Boosted: a service run by the Arts Foundation to raise money for artistic projects

  • PledgeMe: a service to raise funds for a wide range of projects; PledgeMe can also be used to raise equity funding

  • Raisely: If you're working for a charity or a nonprofit in New Zealand, Raisely can help you get online with your own, branded, fundraising websites.

 

Giving circles

Giving circles are groups of people who pool their resources and then pick charitable causes to donate to. You may choose to donate monthly, or you might prefer to accumulate funds and then decide later what to do with them. Find out more.

Community foundations around New Zealand can help you set up your own local giving circle. Find out more at Community Foundations of New Zealand.