Our funding

Our organisation and our humanitarian work is funded in a range of ways including donations, bequests, corporate partnerships, government contracts for services, investments and our annual appeal.

Fundraising

As a charity, we rely on fundraising and the tens of thousands of people and organisations who support us and our humanitarian work. In addition to fundraising, we receive funding through some commercial activities and through Government contracts.

Fundraising is a vital source of income for us. We fundraise in several ways:

Our annual appeal and special appeals for specific humanitarian causes.
Community fundraising where our members and supporters fundraise on our behalf.
Individual donations to our general work.
Regular donations from our donors.
Receiving bequests in people’s wills.
Donations from trusts and foundations.
Corporate partners who fundraise on our behalf.

We are a member of the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand and the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association. We always follow their best practice standards and ethical guidelines for the sector.

Our income from fundraising varies from year to year. We always appreciate regular giving – it allows us to plan and ensures that we can continue providing our services.

Commercial activity

We are one of the largest providers of First Aid training in Aotearoa New Zealand, training around 70,000 people each year. In addition to raising first aid skills in our communities, our training programmes generate valuable income for our humanitarian work.

We also have more than 50 Red Cross Shops across the country that both support local communities and raise funds for our activities.

Government contracts

Some of our programmes such as our work helping resettle former refugees are partially funded through government contracts and grants. The Meals on Wheels meal delivery service is supported by both volunteers and funding from Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand.