Fit 4 Funding – central and local government working with the community
Everyone who attended Hutt Valley’s one day community funding forum agreed it was a really worthwhile event, giving valuable information to community organisations and showing how much can be achieved by central and local government working together.
The forum attracted 253 people from over 142 community organisations all eager to learn about fundraising, from how to apply for funds to increasing your organisation’s chances of securing funding.
As well as running workshops, presentations and panel discussions, local funders operated booths to supply information and advice.
Why a forum?
Hutt City and Upper Hutt City Councils saw many of the groups that are an essential part of service delivery in their communities were struggling to keep their doors open. They decided to provide information about funding and organised a forum with help from the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA).
Stakeholder support
The project would not have been a success without the support of other central government agencies, businesses and philanthropic organisations. These included:
- Community Trust of Wellington
- Hutt Mana Trust
- T G McCarthy Trust
- J R McKenzie Trust
- Pub Charities
- Volunteer Wellington
- Funding Institute of NZ
- Funding Information Services
- Endeavour Trust
- Charities Commission
- Foresee Communications
- Office of the Community and Voluntary Sector (MSD)
- TechSoup Ltd
- Ministry of Youth Development
- Office of Ethnic Affairs (DIA)
- Community Net
- Community Organisations Grants Scheme (COGS)
Cadbury, Aqua Plus, and Glow Stick Company helped sponsor the event, and Koraunui Marae and Te Mangarongo raised funds by selling hangi meals.
Organisations from sectors as diverse as arts, sports, youth and older adults were encouraged to attend.
Benefits of collaborating
The project organisers reported that working together resulted in “unprecedented advantages”. Benefits include:
- building relationships between the councils’ funding officers
- development of a funders’ network which is helping resolve local issues
- integrating assistance to the community organisations that work in both cities
- development of stronger relationships between community organisations and funders
- funders having a better understanding of the work undertaken by fund applicants
- stronger relationships between community organisations, and an understanding of the value of collectively tackling common issues
- organisations successfully sourcing funding
- sponsoring businesses also reported an increase in sales after the forum, as community groups purchased products for fund raising purposes.
Value of consultation and planning
The project team worked with stakeholders to select the right date (early in the year before funding organisations close their funds), the right timing to suit the audience comprised largely of volunteers (during school hours), and the right venue (providing access for people with disabilities, access to breakout rooms and enough space for all the funders’ booths).
Planning including development of:
- a health and safety plan
- the programme
- floor plan with booth locations
- running sheet with location and timing of presentations
- an evaluation form.
Resourcing
Resources were pooled, with the two councils and DIA contributing funding for venue hire, afternoon tea catering, speaker gifts/fees, advertising, microphones, workshop facilitators, subsidy for the hangi, etc. Hutt City provided administration assistance and attendees were charged a $10 entrance fee.
Conclusion
The forum proved so successful another will be held on 11 March 2010. It will include additional sessions on fundraising for schools, obtaining sponsorship and a fundraising auction. The event will be opened by the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector.
The forum sponsors said that by working together “an outcome was achieved that was not attainable had each agency worked on it own”.
