Businesses and not-for-profit organisations will be linked for the first time thanks to a new website which aims to help them create meaningful partnerships.
Yesterday the NFP Connect website was launched by founder Grace McLean, a veteran fundraiser and the 2015 Lake Macquarie Citizen of the Year and the Lake Macquarie 2014 Young Business Person of the Year.
Grace said the website was created after she saw a disconnect between businesses who wished to assist not-for-profits but didn’t know where to start, as well as not-for-profits who had little idea of how to approach businesses for support.
NFP Connect was founded in 2012 and began as a simple monthly coffee and breakfast meeting in Newcastle where experts would speak about a topic that is relevant to those working in the community sector, including grant writing, marketing, corporate relationships and major donors.
“With all that we were doing in our daily roles, we just needed little bits of information at a time so we didn’t feel overwhelmed, but we could take the bite size learning back to our office and use,” Grace said.
Soon after starting the breakfasts Grace began to realise that whilst she was solving a problem of lack of training and support for those working in the not-for-profit space, she wanted to bring long-term change.
“That’s when I started to form the NFP Connect Business model,” she said.
The aim of NFP Connect is to be the bridge that connects, businesses, community and charities together locally.
Grace said the services provided by NFP Connect are going to help those working in not-for-profits with education and mentoring as well as connecting businesses and the community to support those charities.
“Businesses want to support the community locally, local charities need the support there’s just been a shift with what business want and how charities can support that want,” Grace continued.
“Giving isn’t just about the money, a good partnership has so many levels that can support and improve the impact a charitable organisation has on the community not just now but into the future.
“NFP Connect exists to support, connect and grow those partnerships.”
