The Generosity Hub - a project to grow the level of giving in all its forms in our communities

The vision for the project is a society where:

• Giving is the norm – “It’s what we do”.
• Everybody is recognising and celebrating generosity in all its forms.
• Giving behaviours are understood, taught and promoted – “Make it magic”.
• Volunteering and giving are supported by government, business and the community.
• Inclusive and engaged communities are built and sustained.
• We are all working together – individuals, organisations and sectors. 

In November 2007, representatives from the community and private sectors and other government departments formed a working group, called the Generosity Hub, to implement a multi-sectoral plan to encourage giving and volunteering.

At a communities-of-interest meeting in June 2009, the Hub updated participants on its progress to date and presented plans and initiatives for future work. The Hub asked participants to give feedback and to assist the Hub in identifying priorities.

Following extensive discussion and strong interest in the proposed initiatives, the Hub developed several key projects, each led by a Hub member.

1. Research
   Ensure research on giving in New Zealand is undertaken regularly incorporating data on motivations for giving; how people are giving; to whom they give; and what they give.
   Project Leader: Nick Jones
2. Promote generosity in young people and influence children to support giving.
   Project Leader: Lani Evans
3. Support new and different ways of giving.
   Project Leader: Kate Frykberg
4. Grow business generosity
   Support a corporate social responsibility network and promote payroll giving.
   Project Leader: Liz Hampton

There are nearly 30 initiatives within these projects, including:

• using social networking sites to promote generosity
• promoting the three money box initiative for children - one for spending, one for saving, one to give to charity 
• encouraging “giving circles” to encourage people to be involved in giving money and time

Help and support the Hub

The Hub is keen to get support from other interested groups and individuals throughout New Zealand. If you wish to be involved in any of the projects please contact the relevant project leader (e-mail addresses are hyperlinked above) with any ideas, information or help you can offer.

Join the Hub discussion group

The Hub has set up a discussion group on Community Central to stimulate discussion and help direct its work.  It wants to hear about New Zealanders’ experience of giving, what works and what doesn’t.

If you are already a member of Community Central, you can join the Promoting Generosity discussion network now.

If not, become a member of Community Central today at www.communitycentral.org.nz, then follow the network link to the Hub discussion. 

The Focus on Generosity series of discussion papers was written to stimulate discussion between Hub members, advisors and others in order to guide the work of the Hub. The Hub also encourages you to use the Focus on Generosity series in your own work, as we know that at times, conversations can in themselves be a catalyst for change.

The four discussion papers released over a six-month period are:

The project has also generated the following:

» Payroll giving underway in New Zealand from January 2010

» Cultural Philanthropy Taskforce  to explore ways to increase charitable giving by private individuals to arts and cultural institutions over and above - not instead of - government funding. (September 2009)

» Learn about tax changes related to volunteer reimbursements and honoraria

» See guidance from the Charities Commission on the costs of fundraising

» Watch TVNZ Close Up story on charities and the cost of fundraising 
- includes comment from the Fundraising Institute of NZ (FINZ) and Givealittle (August 2009)

» Prime Minister encourages culture of generosity in speech to Philanthropy NZ Conference (March 2009).

» Minister Turia suggests Kiwis give it up for a good cause – media release highlighting bigger tax credits on donations (March 2009).

» Read Minister Turia’s media release about generosity and the recession’s impact on philanthropic funding.

» Download and print Inland Revenue’s one-page Tax benefits of making donations guide for donee organisations

» Visit Give it Up – a NZ website encouraging Kiwis to donate tax cuts.

» Visit www.donatenz.com – a  portal where individuals, organisations and companies can donate goods, time and discounts to schools, early childhood and not-for-profit organisations in NZ.

» Visit www.givealittle.co.nz –  where 95% of donations go directly to the donee's chosen charity.

» For a 5% service fee to cover transaction processing costs, charities can set up their own page to raise funds on the internet at FundraiseOnline.co.nz.

» Visit www.ammado.com, which connects nonprofits, socially responsible companies and engaged individuals online.

» Explore Learning to Give – an international curriculum resource site to help teach giving, volunteerism, and civic engagement and build character through service learning.

» See neighbourhood projects supported by TogetherNES.

» Read about Little Elms – a community construction project profiled in NZ Trucking magazine.

International research

» In January 2009, the University of Notre Dame launched the Science of Generosity initiative - funded by a USD$5 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation. The Science of Generosity initiative is particularly interested in better understanding three basic aspects of generosity:

• The sources, origins, and causes of generosity
• The variety of manifestations and expressions of generosity
• The consequences of generosity for both the givers and receivers involved

The following people/organisations are currently on the project hub/working group:

• Elliot Strange (Signify Ltd) - Chair
• Hannah O'Donnell (Department of Internal Affairs)
• Judith Le Harivel (Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector)
• Kate Frykberg (Todd Foundation/Thinktank Charitable Trust)
• Kitty Hilton (Fundraising Insititute of NZ)
• Lani Evans (Volunteering Otago)
• Liz Hampton (IBM NZ)
• Mark Cassidy (Public Trust)
• Nick Jones (Sustainable Advantage Ltd)
• Nicky Wilkins (Acorn Foundation)
• Richard Till (chef, radio personality and host of community dinners)
• Robyn Scott (Philanthropy NZ)
• Tim Burns (Volunteering NZ).

In 2002, Government made a commitment to support volunteering through the Government Policy on Volunteering and associated work programme.

In 2008, this work was summarised and reported to Cabinet in the document Government Support for Volunteering 2002–2008.