In the straightened world of charity finances, raising money for a flash website does not always wash well with donors.
It can be seen as an extravagance or a diversion from the core work that community organisations were set up to do.
That's why Elliot Strange feels that building community groups free top-notch websites is one of the most effective things he can do as part of his company's sustainability programme.
''We are not big enough to run a big programme, it's just opportunity-based. We don't actively solicit for (clients) but I can't remember having to turn someone down, even if it was helping them at a small level,'' he says.
''I think it adds more value than going and volunteering in an area where we are not experts.''
Strange's web development company Signify has a goal of spending ten per cent of its time on pro bono work each year, blending free work for community-building initiative Neighbours Day Aotearoa and the Kilbirnie Lyall Bay Community Centre with paid projects for clients such top tier law firm Minter Ellison and Crown Research Institute IRL.
Community involvement was one of the strongest results from the 2012 Sustainable Business Council/Fairfax Business and Consumer Survey, with more than two thirds of respondents saying their organisations made a contribution, whether it was financial donations to charities or community groups, employee time, gifts or products or long term partnerships.
Thoughtful Giving project manager Rachel Roberts says professional services from companies like Signify can be of huge benefit for community groups that find it difficult to win grants for less tangible ''back room'' projects.
Strange, whose company also works to cut its impact on the environment and actively limit staff hours of work, says any service business could follow similar practices.
''It is hard to say to stakeholders we are going to spend all this money on a piece of software, whether it is a mobile app or website, because it's not core (work) and people donate money to charity to achieve an outcome. So having people do pro bono work in an area that they are expert in means it is not such a big question for them and money can be spent on other things.''
Allowing an employee to work long-term within an organisation was also helpful, says Roberts, who cited the Vodafone Foundation's World of Difference campaign paying people's salaries to work in the community for a year as another excellent example.
''You are making a real difference to the capacity of the organisation.''
NZ Federation of Voluntary Welfare Organisations executive director Tina Reid said donating time to work within an organisation in a? mentoring role or to help complete accounts or write job descriptions or policies could be ''fantastic''. However there were risks involved. ?
It can be a bit difficult if people have got good intentions but not much experience of what it's like in the community sector,'' she said.
''It is a two-way street, and people doing it will learn as much about their community as they teach.''
Entries are open for the 2012 Sustainable 60 awards, promoting sustainable business practices. To download the entry criteria see sustainable60.co.nz.
How to help
You don't need to be big to make a difference. Tina Reid, executive director of the NZ Federation of Voluntary Welfare Organisations lists some easy things that small businesses can do to help.
- Make a spare room available for functions or meetings
- Let a community group use a computer with internet access
- Let a sports team hold a sausage sizzle outside your busy premises
- Give counter space to a raffle or donation box
- Offer a community noticeboard
- Offer your services as a mentor to help with tasks like accounting/writing policy/job descriptions
- Contact your local volunteer centre, who can match your skills with a need
- Walk into your local community centre or citizens advice bureau, introduce yourself and say you are interested in finding a way to help
- ? Fairfax NZ News
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