Ask local businesses for donations

Also called: Business donation (no advertising in return)

Ask local businesses for cash, goods or services towards a clear need. Keep donations separate from sponsorship that promises advertising in return.

Typically raises

$1,000

$250–10,000 per sponsorest.

About $286 per organiser hour

Based on one business gift

Is it right for us?

Money: $500–2,000
Work: An afternoon
Helpers: 1–2 people
Lead time: 2–3 weeks
Red tape: None

Common: asking local businesses is a standard first step

People: 1
Organiser time: 2-5
Lead time: 2-6 weeks
Up-front cost: Nothing up front
Risk: none
Who can use it: For the business to deduct it as a donation, the recipient must be a donee organisation.

Suits: Sports club or team, Charity, Community group, marae or service club

Less usual for: Kindy or early learning, Primary or intermediate school, High school, Church

When: Summer (Dec–Feb), Autumn (Mar–May), Winter (Jun–Aug), Spring (Sep–Nov), End of the school year

How big a job: An afternoon, 1–2 people

How it works

The scorecard and money example describe one version of this fundraiser. Other versions have different costs, helpers and results. Choose a version below before making your budget.

The money, as an example sum

Nothing to pay up front, and the typical result for one business gift is about $1,000 per sponsor.

From the typical figure on this page. Your result will differ.

Where the money figure comes from

ESTIMATE: illustrative.

Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.

Ways to run it

Cash donation: Ask for a specific amount towards a named cost, without promising advertising in return.
In-kind sponsorship and donated goods or services: Ask businesses for goods, services or spare capacity instead of cash.

Step by step

Confirm you are on the IRD donee list.
Ask the owner directly, with a specific use.
Issue a donation receipt to the company.
Thank them (a mention is fine; substantial advertising would make it sponsorship).
Report back on what it paid for.

Plan your chosen version

These notes come from the October 2026 research. Figures describe separate examples, not extra money to add to the headline amount.

In-kind sponsorship and donated goods or services

Ask businesses for goods, services or spare capacity instead of cash.

Separate example: $1,000 per sponsor after costs (estimate). one business's goods or services

ESTIMATE: retail value of goods and services received. Not cash: it saves you spending.

Helpers: 1-2. Lead time: 2-6 weeks. Cash risk: none

List what you'd otherwise pay cash for.
Match each item to a business type that has it cheaply.
Ask using the short script; offer specific recognition.
Confirm in writing (what, when, retail value).
Thank publicly and send a photo of it in use.

Rules to check for this version

Individuals get no donation tax credit for goods or services given (IRD).
Business: donated trading stock given to a donee organisation is deductible without deemed market-value income; services given as sponsorship are deductible if intended to benefit the business (IS 26/10 FS paras 15-18).

Tips for this version

Spare capacity (empty seats, off-peak slots, by-products) costs the business least.

Watch out for

Accepting things you then have to store, transport or dispose of.

Sources: ird.govt.nz, taxtechnical.ird.govt.nz

Getting the word out

Even a well-run plan fails if nobody hears about it. There are two asks, and the first one goes out first.

Ask for help: Members to pass the ask on to people they know.
Ask people to buy: People and businesses to give.
When to start: Ask for helpers first, as soon as the date is set. Start the public ask about 3–4 weeks out, and book newsletter and paper notices before that: small newsletters close early.

Where to put it

Asking people yourselfMost yeses come from someone asking directly. Give every member a short message they can send to family and workmates.
Email lists and group chatsYour members’ email list and the class, team or church group chats. Short, with one date or one link.
School, club and church newslettersYour own newsletter is free and read by the families most likely to say yes. Check when it closes.
Local Facebook pages and community groupsPost in your town’s community page and local groups (check their rules), and share from your group’s own page.

The full guide to getting the word out: every channel from flyers to the evening news, with lead times and costs.

What you’ll need

Place: Not neededNone needed
Landowner’s permission: Not needed
Council permit: Not needed
Food rules: Not neededNo food sold
Alcohol: Not neededNo alcohol sold
Gambling rules: Not neededNot gambling

For the company to deduct it, the recipient must be an IRD donee organisation. Substantial advertising in return makes it sponsorship, not a donation.

Tips

Ask whether they'd prefer it as sponsorship (with recognition) or a donation; the tax result for a company is similar.

Watch out for

Promising advertising and then issuing a donation receipt.