How & why we fundraise

These Centres are run by paid staff and volunteers – around one staff member to every 10 volunteers. All our people are focused on doing everything they can for the over 31,000 animals who need us each year.

Of course it costs a lot to provide for all these animals. With very little funding needed to operate coming from the government fundraising is a key activity for SPCA.

In November 2017, SPCA centres around the country unified to become a single entity. The key reasons for this change were to better provide a consistently high standard of care and service for the animals, no matter where they are, and to ensure that all SPCA centres are supported through the sharing of resources and skills.

Funds raised in communities fund the work of local centres and also support other SPCA Centres that struggle to resource the areas they cover. It is a win-win situation and already the benefits of uniting are becoming evident – long-stay animals are being moved to centres with higher populations so that they can quickly find a loving home; SPCA Inspectors are better equipped with the safety gear they need to do the job and stay safe; and smaller centres have received help to make capital purchases and complete projects in their centres – improvements are continuing to happen daily.

SPCA uses a range of fundraising methods:

• Fundraising activities in local communities – everything from Masquerade Balls to stalls at local fairs
• We write letters to our supporters asking them to help the animals in our care – these appeals tell the true stories of particular animals that our staff and volunteers have helped
• We approach people via phone, in the street, and door to door asking them to support the work with a regular donation – this is one of the most cost effective ways for us to raise funds and awareness for the work. From time to time we telephone our supporters to keep them up to date about our work, let them know how their support is making a difference and to ask them if they would consider renewing or increasing their support.

We always report back to our supporters on how their donations have been used and the impact that their support has achieved.

How do I know if a fundraiser is genuine?

Fundraisers representing SPCA wear SPCA branded clothing and carry ID with a photo and their name.

Please also note that our fundraisers are not permitted to accept cash or cheque donations when they are working on the street or in shopping areas – this is for the protection of the donor and the fundraisers.

If you receive a phone call from one of our telephone fundraisers, they will give you their name and let you know that they are calling on behalf of, or from SPCA.

If you would like to check that a fundraiser is genuine, please email our Supporter Care team at fundraising@spca.nz or give them a call on 0800 888 444 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).

Are the fundraisers paid?

Yes. We don’t have the resources to employ so many fundraisers ourselves, so we employ professional fundraising agencies to fundraise on our behalf. We have carefully assessed this expenditure and it is one of the most cost effective ways to fundraise as we only pay the agencies for new supporters.

Are your fundraisers trained?

Yes, we work with our fundraising agencies to ensure the fundraisers all receive training and represent SPCA in the best and most responsible way.

Where are we currently working?

We run door-to-door fundraising nationally, it is a successful way to generate vital funds for SPCA. Door to door fundraising enables us to talk to thousands of people across the country about animal welfare in New Zealand, and the difference you can make by setting up a regular gift and becoming an SPCA Guardian. This is carried out by our partners Aida and Cornucopia.

With the extended lockdown in Auckland, we had to cancel fundraising events and close the doors to many of our op shops for three months. With very little Government funding, SPCA relies on the generosity of our communities to help animals in need.

It is so important that fundraising for SPCA continues now more than ever.

SPCA has taken a very cautious approach to door to door fundraising during the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand. Along with our fundraising partners, we are ensuring all our fundraising efforts will adhere to current COVID-19 Protection Framework regulations for each specific region. Fundraisers will be following strict Covid-19 related health and safety protocols at all times.

Please note that we have public site fundraisers in the following locations this week:

• Pak 'n' Save Albany (Auckland)
• Countdown Pukekohe (Auckland)
• Countdown Te Atatu (Auckland)
• New World Morrinsville (Waikato)
• Fresh Choice Waihi (Waikato)
• Countdown Te Aroha (Waikato)

And door-to-door fundraisers in the following locations this week:

• Geraldine (Canterbury)
• Lincoln (Canterbury)
• Pleasant Point (Canterbury)
• Rolleston (Christchurch)
• Temuka (Canterbury)
• Timaru (Canterbury)
• Waimate (Canterbury)
• Winchester (Canterbury)

We have a national telemarketing team who call people across New Zealand. The fundraisers speak to potential new supporters about the charity and ask them to set up a regular gift and become an SPCA Guardian. They also contact our existing donors to update their details and talk to them about their donations. This is carried out by our fundraising partners. These phone calls will be made from the following numbers: 09 967 8721, 09 967 8722, 09 967 8723, 09 967 8714 and 09 301 4248.

Our supporters are very important to us. We set high standards for ourselves and the agencies we work with. SPCA and the face to face fundraising agencies we work with are members of the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association (PFRA) which actively regulates all face to face fundraising in New Zealand. All members sign up to a strict code of conduct called the PFRA Face to Face Fundraising Code of Conduct or the Standard of Charity Street Trading.

SPCA is also a member of the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand and complies with their Code of Ethical Practice.

We love to hear from our supporters, and all feedback is greatly appreciated.

If you have questions about our fundraising programme or one of our fundraisers please do get in touch. You can email us at fundraising@spca.nz or phone us on 0800 888 444.

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