CorporateCitizens Database Putting Corporates And Voluntary Groups In Touch
New Zealand’s top companies are embracing CorporateCitizens; a new database that they hope will stem the tide of what is
becoming an overwhelming burden for some of them – fundraisers cold calling asking for money.
The new online service will also assist those seeking financial support to target their efforts and increase their
chance of success. It is being seen as a relationship building tool for business and their communities.
CorporateCitizens is dedicated to putting voluntary sector organisations in touch with the appropriate philanthropic
business. Companies can list information about who they are, their philosophy and what causes they are likely to
support. (See example attached) Fundseekers will then be able to access that information.
Companies from the local butcher to the large corporates are very generous in New Zealand. They give to a diverse number
of groups across the country annually. This philanthropic practice is seen as a legitimate marketing tool. Companies
have moved to a more targeted and strategic approach for allocating their dollars. The days of handing out cash
donations to who ever may call are long gone.
Companies and fundraisers can access CorporateCitizens to ensure good use of the philanthropic dollar. The initiative
behind the database, Louise Parkin, Managing Director of Saints Information saw a gaping whole in this area when she
came back from overseas. “I had been working with the UK Directory of Businesses and there was nothing at all similar
here in New Zealand,” says Louise.
Louise knew the work of the Funding Information Service and she enlisted their help. The Funding Information Service
publishes information about 3,000 sources of funding. They have two searchable databases called FundView and BreakOut.
They were keen to work with Saints because they too could see the lack of corporate information in their collections.
CorporateCitizens will operate alongside FundView and BreakOut to assist charities in making sure they target
appropriately.
CorporateCitizens is broadly based on the hard copy directories from the UK and Australia “But our data base is unique
because companies listed can keep their own records up to date via FunderNet which is an online data maintenance
programme developed by the Funding Information Service. The information is searchable and we are verifying all
information with the companies before we publish it. It is also incredibly accessible because it is electronic rather
than hard copy,” says Funding Information Service’s Manager Andrea Goble. The criteria based system helps people to
identify where they get the best match. They will not be able to go on a fishing expedition of businesses’ financial
details. (See example)
This area is a major focus of corporate philanthropists. “Fundraising today is all about building a relationship between
companies and the communities they operate in,” says Andrea Goble.
CorporateCitizens has around 80 companies already on the database. From the large corporates to very small businesses
such as Saints Information.
ENDS.