Links to sector organisations

The Department of Internal Affairs is responsible for the Charities Commission, which:

• promotes public trust in charitable organisations
• provides education and assistance to the charitable sector
• encourages best practice in governance and use of resources
• maintains and monitors a register of charities
• receives annual returns and monitors the activity of charities
• provides advice on matters relating to charities.

» Go to Charities Commission website

CAB are voluntary organisations providing free, confidential information and advice to anyone about any query or problem, which may include legal, personal, education, disputes, housing, finance or vehicles. CAB is staffed by trained volunteers who can access information by computer or from the extensive range of resources held by each bureau. There are 87 bureaux around New Zealand.

» Go to Citizens Advice Bureaux website

The Coalition of Community Law Centres of Aotearoa Inc is a non-profit organisation that promotes community legal services, participatory justice, community development and helps meet the “unmet legal needs” of communities throughout New Zealand. The organisation provides legal information and resources for members of the public to help meet their own needs.

» Go to the Coalition of Community Law Centres of Aotearoa website

This is an internet resource, maintained by the Department of Internal Affairs. CommunityNet provides a website forum to encourage information sharing between organisations. Community organisations share and comment on their advocacy and social justice work. Also available are practical resources to help set up and run community projects and organisations. Resources include how to register as a legal entity, running a meeting, recruiting, retaining and recognising volunteers, and more.

» Go to CommunityNet website

The DIA is a regulatory body with responsibility for some aspects of how community and voluntary organisations operate. The DIA contributes to community development by administering Lottery Grants, Community Grants Schemes and Trusts; provides support services and policy advice for Ministers of the Crown; and also issues passports; administers civil unions; registers births, deaths; and promotes internet safety.The DIA is also home to the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management, who manage their own volunteering work programme.

» Go to Department of Internal Affairs website

This is a non-profit organisation that collects and distributes information about funding by way of three separate searchable computer databases:

• FundView – contains information about funding for community groups in New Zealand
• BreakOut – holds information about awards, scholarships and grants for individual development
• CorporateCitizens – for organisations looking for mutually beneficial relationships with businesses offering volunteering, mentoring, sponsorship, gifts in kind, loans and other initiatives.

» Go to Funding Information Service website

The Fundraising Institute of New Zealand (FINZ) is the professional body for fundraisers.  A core resource in New Zealand, FINZ provides professional development opportunities, networking events, publications and advocacy.  FINZ prides itself on its large base of members, all of whom agree to adhere to a code of conduct and ethics and maintain a high level of professionalism in all work undertaken.  FINZ members work with over 200 charities and not-for-profit organisations on local, national and global causes.  FINZ also maintains NZ's most comprehensive calendar of awareness weeks/days held in association with national appeals and street collections.

» Go to FINZ website

The Legal Services Agency (LSA) is a government agency that promotes access to justice through legal services, including legal aid, for those who have the greatest need and are least able to pay. It also manages the LawAccess website which provides a catalogue of law-related information and resources, containing resources from over 140 New Zealand organisations.

» Go to Legal Services Agency website
» Go to LawAccess website

The Inland Revenue lists donee organisations approved for the purposes of sections KC 5, DB 32 and DV 11 of the Income Tax Act 2004. When a person makes a donation to an organisation listed, generally they can claim a rebate for that donation or a deduction in the case of certain companies and a Māori authority.

» View the list on the Inland Revenue website

This New Zealand government website allows users to update registration details for an incorporated society, search for an incorporated society or charitable trust and obtain useful information on these organisations. The website was developed by the Companies Office.

» Go to Societies Trust Online website.

The Research Centre was established to "contribute to the strengthening of the capacity of the tangata whenua, community and voluntary sector through research".

The first major project of the Centre has been the development of a web-based research Clearing House for the sector. The clearing house offers free access to research, promotes a code of practice for researchers, connects people to research, allows groups to find researchers, and has the potential for email lists, virtual conferences, and a 'how-to' section, etc.

Some special features of the site include Maori metadata standards, which make it possible to use Maori terms to help search for bilingual or te reo resources online; creative commons, which gives the authors copyright but allows the protected use of resources by others; and a 'Wiki' approach, which allows collaborative work.

Anyone can register in the Clearing House, and then "frolic in the clearing" - to Flag, Rate, Link or Comment on any resource that the Clearing House holds. This process helps verify the validity and quality of resources.

» Go to Tangata Whenua, Community & Voluntary Sector Research Centre Clearing House

A range of umbrella groups (councils, federations, collectives or associations of organisations in the community and voluntary sector) cover various subsets of the community and voluntary sector. Many perform roles for their members such as training, information sharing, research and lobbying. They are sometimes known as ‘peak bodies’ or 'national bodies'.

Volunteering New Zealand (VNZ) is an association of volunteer centres and national organisations with a strong commitment to volunteering. Their mission is to create an environment that supports, promotes, values and encourages effective volunteering by the people of Aotearoa New Zealand. Sixteen regional volunteer centres are listed on the VNZ website.

VNZ and the Tindall Foundation developed the VolunteerNow website to provide information about volunteering opportunities throughout New Zealand.

» Go to the Volunteering New Zealand website
» Go to VolunteerNow website

Your local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) has a list of local community organisations. The CommunityNet website has a listing by region of community organisations. Societies Trusts Online provides information on incorporated societies, while the Charities Commission lists registered charities.

» Go to Citizens Advice Bureaux website
» Go to CommunityNet website
» Go to Societies Trusts Online
» Go to Charities Commission website