Painless giving to good causes

Which charities do we give to? How do we decide and how much is enough?

The answers to these questions are entirely personal but have you heard of the One Percent Collective? ‘Collective’ is the operative word. This Kiwi-based group gives to multiple charities so your choice is bound to be among them, but in choosing to become a partner, you commit 1 per cent of your income to the Collective.

The Collective is made up of charities from the following key areas to ensure donors from all walks of life are catered for: Health & Wellbeing, Arts & Culture, Environment & Nature, Youth Development, Community Development, International Development. The partner charities from each of these key areas all meet the Collective’s criteria, meaning they’re small enough that small donations will make a real difference, and they have a track record of making a real impact.

They pass on 100 per cent of public donations to their partner charities, so how do they fund themselves? Another arm of the One Percent Collective is The Future 50. This is made up of 50 members, either individuals or businesses, all giving $20 per week to fund the Collective’s operating costs.

“This allows us to seperate our own expenses from public donations so that we can pass on 100 per cent of Collective members’ contributions to the charities they choose,” says One Percent Collective Head of Digital, Reuben Harcourt. “The Future 50 members also act as an extended network of connections and helping hands that often go the extra mile to push the growth of this project. Many of them have been here since day one, however, the management and operations of the charity are taken care of by the two part-time staff and volunteer members of the Board.”

Mangawhai resident Steve Green is a member of both factions and is happy to explain how the Collective works for those who want to channel their donations towards specific charities. You can contact him on stevegreeninnz@gmail.com, or visit onepercentcollective.org.