Message from Natasha

Kia ora koutou,

It’s an incredibly challenging time for everyone right now. As COVID-19 has affected Aotearoa and the world, the charitable sector has demonstrated its immense value in times of crisis.

Natasha Weight, General Manager

I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge your response to COVID-19. Many of you are on the frontlines supporting our most vulnerable communities. The charitable sector has rapidly and efficiently adapted to provide social care, financial support, and deliver food to those most in need. Times of crisis emphasise the importance of community collaboration. The charitable sector has come together to support both those in need, and each other.

It’s also important to acknowledge those charities that are not on the front lines, but are adapting their services to continue their important role in building strong communities. Some are also making difficult decisions to suspend events and services to limit the spread of COVID-19, and help our communities to remain safe.

In this newsletter we have taken the opportunity to shine a light on some of the amazing work being done in the sector. We spoke to four community groups about their response to COVID-19. They shared their stories about coming together in times of crisis to make positive change. You can read these below. We have also included the latest updates and guidance that is relevant to the charitable sector.

We understand that charities will be facing significant challenges due to the pandemic. Our regulatory approach during this time will be as flexible and understanding as possible. Our biggest focus is ensuring the safety of the charitable sector and the communities that charities serve. You can find guidance on how to get an extension for your annual return, postponing your annual general meeting and more on our COVID-19 page.

We are currently continuing our mahi by working from home. And although we won’t be able to come visit you in the near future, we are rolling out virtual clinics to give advice on reporting, registration and general queries. See below for how you can sign up to our first virtual clinic on Thursday 30 April.

We’ve also included what will be a regular update from our colleagues in the Department, the Hāpai Hapori group, who provide funding and community advice services throughout Aotearoa.

I encourage you to fill out the survey that the National Crisis Management team, in coordination with Volunteering New Zealand, have put together. This will help the Government identify the best ways to support the voluntary sector. We know there have been a lot of questions about how the wage subsidy works, and the Ministry of Social Development has provided some answers below.

Now, more than ever, we must come together to work through adversity. We are in this together and we will come out of the other side of this crisis more united.

Stay safe and be kind.

He waka eke noa.

We're all in this together.

Ngā mihi,

Natasha Weight
General Manager

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Supporting volunteering during COVID-19 Alert Levels

The Government is very aware of the important role of volunteering in our community and the impacts on volunteering from the current COVID-19 restrictions. The COVID-19 National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) is working to provide support for organisations that rely on volunteers to carry out critical social services and also to ensure that volunteers (and the clients they support) are kept safe at this time.

The NCMC has partnered with Volunteering New Zealand and its regional network of Volunteer Centres to co-ordinate matching volunteers with organisations that have need for volunteers. See the Volunteering New Zealand site here for details.

Continuing restrictions associated with COVID-19 Alert Levels are likely to limit the availability of existing volunteers – particularly older volunteers – for several months. A number of initiatives are being considered to expand the pool of volunteers to fill this “gap”. To assist with this, better information is needed regarding potential Alert Level impacts including on funding. A short survey of organisations using volunteers is underway. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey here.

Under Alert Level 4 and 3 there are very significant restrictions on the way businesses and organisations can operate. Please see the guidelines for community organisations working with volunteers here and ensure that you operate in line with these guidelines.

General advice regarding volunteering in the COVID-19 environment is available on the main COVID-19 website here.

Charities Services' response to COVID-19

We want to assure you that our regulatory approach during this uncertain time will be as flexible and pragmatic as possible. We know that charities remain vital in both responding to COVID-19 and keeping us together as a nation.

Over on our website we have developed information and guidance for registered charities and the wider public on how to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and how to support charities during this time. The information covers:

Charities Services is open for business while Aotearoa is at Alert Level 3 and 4. Our teams are working from home. We are not currently able to access our post. Please contact us by emailing info@charities.govt.nz. When we are able, we will contact everyone who sent us post to confirm that we have received and processed it.

Shining a light on the not-for-profit sector

Whenever a crisis occurs, the not-for-profit sector rises to the occasion. As Aotearoa moved into lockdown many of you provided support, awhi and aroha to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. The last few weeks have shown everyone that New Zealanders are strong, kind and committed to looking after each other. The response across the country has been remarkable.

We want to highlight the contribution that charities have made across Aotearoa, because this remarkable story needs to be told. It shows a sector that responds quickly, professionally and empathetically. It also shows just how important your work is to the fabric of our society every day, and in times of extreme need.

Use your Statement of Service Performance

If you’re a tier 3 or 4 charity, you can use the Statement of Service Performance in your performance report to highlight how you have adapted your services. This is a non-financial statement which allows you to talk about your activities over the last year.

You need to describe what you do in words – but you can get creative and use photos and videos too.

We want to hear your stories so we can share them, and help record charities' contributions during this time. They may even feature in our Sector Showcase, on social media or in our newsletter. Please feel free to send us an email at info@charities.govt.nz outlining how you have helped and made a difference.

Hāpai Hapori Community Operations update

Hāpai Hapori (Community Operations) is another business group in Te Tari Taiwhenua (the Department of Internal Affairs). We have advisory teams throughout Aotearoa to support the building of community connection, innovation and the empowering of local people to create positive change in their communities.

Support

These are exceptional times and we want to assure you that even though our teams are all operating from home all of our funding and advisory services are available for you to access and we encourage you to connect with us if you need support. We have successfully held training and governance meetings with groups through Zoom and other mechanisms. Alongside our normal business as usual we are working closely with the local Civil Defence centres and local government agencies across the country to support communities during this time.

Funding

Hāpai Hapori administers approximately $300 million in Crown and Lottery funding and at this stage our funding calendar remains unchanged and any updates to this will be posted on our website. We are being flexible with changes of purpose so if your organisation has been affected by COVID-19 please get in touch with us here to look at options for current funding that has been already been granted.

As you will have noticed a number of funders are looking at ways to support COVID-19. Here is the link to the changes that Office of Ethnic Communities, another part of the Department of Internal Affairs, to the Ethnic Communities Development Fund. The Ministry of Social Development is also still making up to $5,000 grants from the COVID-19 Community Awareness and Preparedness Fund.

We are seeing some good things coming out of COVID-19, including some great collaboration between funders looking at new delivery models; collaboration between organisations that are providing services to communities; and some fantastic wraparound support within regions for vulnerable people. We are looking at ways to share these stories through our networks and Facebook sites, so please connect with your local advisor for any stories that we can share nationally.

You can get in touch with our offices by calling us on 0800 824 824 or visiting our Community Matters website.

Keep safe during this time and we look forward to continuing to connect with communities of Aotearoa.

Hāpai Hapori Community Operations Team.

SECTOR SHOWCASE

When Aotearoa moved to Alert Level 4, charities had to quickly plan how they could continue their work without their usual resources.

Click on the links below to read about how four community groups have responded to COVID-19 and adapted to Alert Level 4. Each showcase demonstrates the incredible resilience, adaptability and generosity of the charitable sector.

Voice of Aroha

Voice of Aroha is a radio show that airs fortnightly on Access Radio. It was established by a group of former refugees with the vision of creating an inclusive platform for the diverse communities of Wellington.

Read their story here.

Challenge 2000

Challenge 2000 is a professional youth development, community and family social work agency. Challenge 2000’s mission is to empower young people to develop their strengths, enhance their wellbeing and make positive lifestyle choices.

Read their story here.

Para Kore

Para Kore (Zero Waste) is a registered charity that helps marae develop the tools to minimise their waste and reduce their impact through composting, growing their own kai and moving away from the ‘throw away’ mentality.

Read their story here.

Student Volunteer Army

The Student Volunteer Army was formed after the Christchurch Earthquakes in 2010 when a team of students organised 11,000 volunteers to shovel liquefaction out of the city. Today the University of Canterbury SVA Club has over 3,000 members every year! The Club works on over 50 community based projects per year, as well as responding to disasters such as the Christchurch Earthquakes, the Mosque Attacks and COVID-19.

Read their story here.

QUICK NEWS OF INTEREST

Free online one-on-one clinics for charities

Charities Services and Hāpai Hapori Community Operations are holding online one-on-one clinics for charities on Thursday, 30 April 2020.

Talk to our team over Zoom or over the phone and get answers to the questions you have about being a registered charity. We have a range of appointments available depending on what questions you need answered. Financial reporting, funding, registration and general appointments are available with Charities Services and Hāpai Hapori staff.

You must register to attend this clinic. Find more information and register here.

We will continue to run these clinics through the year, but if you want to meet outside this time, get in touch at info@charities.govt.nz.

Tools to help you work from home

For many of us, life under Alert Level 4 has meant adjusting and adapting to new ways of working. Online platforms and remote working technology has become key to organisations staying connected. Some companies are offering significant discounts or free tools to make remote working easier.

BoardPro is now free for six months for all new subscriptions and has lots of tools to make working from home less stressful. Microsoft is also offering different Office packages to support not-for-profits during this time, and has tools such as Microsoft Teams to help organisations stay connected. There are a lot more resources out there, so it pays to look around at what’s available.

CommunityNet Aotearoa have published a variety of great resources to support working from home.

Hui-E! Community Aotearoa connecting charities up with grant writers

Hui E Community Aotearoa is connecting community groups and volunteer grant writers during the COVID-19 Level 4 lockdown. They are starting with the $5000 grant applications from the Ministry for Social Development.

Are you a community group providing services during the lockdown and needing funding? Find out more here.

Can you write grant applications? Find out more here.

UPDATES FROM WIDER GOVERNMENT

New Zealand Government Covid-19 information

In times of uncertainty it can be difficult to know where to find accurate information. When your charity is planning their COVID-19 response, ensure you are following advice from the government. The New Zealand Government COVID-19 web-page has information specifically for community groups. They have also released fact sheets in 11 different languages.

Questions on the Ministry of Social Development wage subsidy

Charities and other non-profit groups who have been adversely affected by COVID-19 are eligible to apply for the wage subsidy for their employees.

Revenue Decline

Your charity must have had a minimum 30% decline in actual or predicted revenue, when compared with the same month last year, as a result of COVID-19. Revenue includes income from business activities (e.g. if you have an op shop), grant or service funding, fundraising activities (e.g. a street appeal), and direct donations.

If you haven’t been around for a year, compare your revenue against a similar month this year.

Employees

The wage subsidy is to help pay for employees' wages (not contractors or other expenses), and to keep employees connected to their employer for the duration of the wage subsidy period. Self-employed contractors can apply separately.

Employers should keep accurate records detailing the amount of subsidy received and the details of employees it has been paid to.

You must retain the employees named in your application for the period of the subsidy, which starts on the date you applied. You must make your best efforts to pay those employees at least 80% of their usual wages, or at least pass on the full amount of the wage subsidy. If this is not possible, you need to pay at least the subsidy rate (ie. full-time or part-time), if your employee normally receives less than the wage subsidy, you should pay them their normal pay and use the remainder to support other impacted staff.

Active Steps

To qualify, charities must also have taken active steps to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

This could include:

drawing from your cash reserves (as appropriate)
activating your business continuity plan
making an insurance claim
proactively engaging with your bank
seeking advice and support from:
- a relevant umbrella organisation
- your funder.

Charities with reserves need to remember to take that into account in taking steps to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. Consider: can your charity afford to spend the reserves? If yes: you should use those reserves before applying for the subsidy.

More information

The information you need to know to apply is available on the work and income website. More information on the tax implications is available on the Inland Revenue website.

If you have questions about the details of the COVID-19 wage subsidy, please phone the MSD helpline on 0800 40 80 40.

Non-profit institutions contribute $8.1 billion to New Zealand’s GDP

Stats New Zealand has released the latest non-profit institutions satellite account. This analyses the contribution of non-profit institutions on the New Zealand economy. Non-profit institutions contributed $8.1 billion to GDP for the year ended March 2018. This equated to 2.8% of New Zealand’s total GDP. The account estimated the value of volunteering at $4 billion, with 159 million volunteer hours worked for the year ended March 2018. These figures show the incredible contribution of the not-for-profit sector.

COVID-19 and the workplace

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) released guidance for employees and employers on managing workplace obligations. COVID-19 raised a number of employment questions for people, so the guidance includes information on the wage subsidy, leave and pay entitlements, and guidance for essential businesses among other things. You can find this information here.

Inland Revenue update

Inland Revenue has made changes to its online services from Thursday 16 April:

enhancements to online services, specifically myIR, including improved navigation, more information available online and in one place, and more self-service options
better services for student loan and KiwiSaver customers, along with some changes for Working for Families customers
some enhanced Gateway Services capability
a new employee onboarding process. Information sent to employers will be more streamlined and consolidated.

Inland Revenue continues to make changes to support businesses through COVID-19, some which will apply to charities. See their website for more information and we would encourage you to visit the website on a regular basis to see whether other changes implemented may assist you.

GOVERNANCE TIPS

Governance Matters

Your charity and the work that you do may have changed considerably over the past few weeks. If you are on the board or committee, your role is to support your charity advance its purpose, while remaining safe. Here are a few tips on what you can do right now.

Keeping safe and stopping COVID-19 –This is Aotearoa’s main priority at present. Make sure your charity is following the appropriate guidelines for the Alert Level. Keep an eye on guidelines released here.

Plan your activities to be safe - Take some time to consider what the different alert levels mean for the operation of your charity and if you can, plan how you will return to your work as the alert levels shift. For an example, you can see what Bellyful have been planning here.

Keep your people informed – Members, service users, funders and other stakeholders all have an interest in your charity. They will want to see how you are managing now and how you will manage in the future. Stakeholders will welcome a message from you letting them know what is happening. If you aren’t sure, be honest. They will appreciate that too.

We will continue to update our COVID-19 web page with governance tips for your committee or board.

RESOURCES

Latest blogs

COVID-19 information

Options when ending a charity

What to be or not to be - Incorporated Societies and Charitable Trusts

Restricting information from the register

Annual reporting is crucial and here's what you need to know

Good governance across Aotearoa

Feedback on the 2019 Charity Reporting Awards

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