Donorbees Launches To Super-charge Payroll Giving In New Zealand

Kiwis want to give but for too long, technology has let them down. That’s the gap Donorbees wants to close through a platform that unifies the needs of corporates, charities and everyday donors to make every donated dollar go further and create real impact.

A handful of seasoned finance and technology founders have joined forces to launch Donorbees, a payroll giving platform designed to take the pain out of giving and unlock the generosity of thousands of New Zealanders.

“We want people to feel the buzz that giving creates - the helper’s high,” says co-founder Pip Youngman, adding that “A healthy giving community is an essential part of a well-functioning society and our mission is to super-charge the process of giving, removing barriers and providing a safe, secure and simple way for people to support the causes they care about.”

Unlike most other platforms that focus only on automating payroll-giving to a nominated single charity, Donorbees has gone a step further using the concept of a ‘Giving Wallet’ for each employee and a unified ‘marketplace’ that turns payroll giving into a more engaging and rewarding journey.

“Our vision was to create a single platform where every charity in New Zealand could be found and supported. Instead of donors having to search across dozens of different sites or be overwhelmed by endless appeals, Donorbees brings all the causes together in one trusted marketplace. It’s about giving people choice, convenience and confidence that their dollars are making an impact,” explains Pip.

How Donorbees works

Donorbees makes payroll giving simple and seamless. Employers can activate payroll giving through their existing payroll systems - most of which already have this functionality built in. Once enabled, employees can choose to make regular or one-off deductions directly from their pay into a Donorbees Giving Wallet. From there, they can decide when and how to distribute their donations to any participating New Zealand charity, in any amount and at any time. They do this via the Donorbees app which currently features 32 registered charities and is growing daily.

Charities can set up a profile page on Donorbees completely free of charge, giving them a direct connection with donors who already have funds available in their Giving Wallet. In the next stage of development, Donorbees will launch a dedicated Newsfeed that will allow charities to share updates and engage directly with supporters inside the platform. This means less expensive fundraising campaigns, no time-consuming broadcast emails and no competing with digital noise.

The tax benefits happen instantly. Instead of waiting until the end of the year and managing piles of receipts, donors see their tax credit applied immediately in their pay which means a $10 donation only costs $6.70. By streamlining the process for both employers and employees, Donorbees removes the friction that has hindered payroll giving from reaching its true potential.

Donations also remain anonymous which means donors avoid being added to endless mailing lists or pressured with repeat asks.

“We’ve seen time and again how under-utilised technology is in the charity sector. Donorbees levels the playing field. We collect the resources, just like bees collect pollen, and then dish the goodness back out to donors passionate causes,” says Pip. “Also by separating out the donor decision of how much’ and ‘to whom’ we are reducing the decision-friction.”

Why payroll giving matters

Payroll giving has long been recognised as the most tax-efficient way for New Zealanders to donate. For every dollar donated, employees instantly receive 33 cents back through reduced PAYE, with no need to claim tax credits at year end and no receipt management. But despite this, uptake has been limited because of compliance challenges and the lack of easy-to-use platforms.

“Charities face donor fatigue while their needs grow, and donors themselves are often overwhelmed by the sheer number of causes asking for support,” explains Pip, adding that “Decisions about where to give and how to give are harder than ever. Donorbees is about connecting givers with causes in a way that works for everyone. We also want to create a culture of giving, a regular payment to your Giving Wallet every payday at a level that doesn’t cause any financial friction means it just becomes a habit”.

Enabling businesses to ‘prove’ they care

Employers who enable payroll giving through Donorbees can choose to support their people even further by paying the small administration fee or matching employee donations. In return, they gain access to reporting and benchmarking that shows them (in aggregated form) the kinds of causes their workforce cares about most. This can be a powerful way to align business values with employee priorities and demonstrate leadership in corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Driven by purpose

By removing friction, amplifying charities and making giving easier for both employers and employees, Donorbees aims to normalise payroll giving as part of everyday life.

“This is just the beginning,” says PIp. “Our first product is payroll giving, but additional giving options and digital wallet features are coming soon. We believe New Zealand can become a nation where giving is easy, efficient and energising - for donors, for employers and for the charities who rely on us all - and we’re proud to be playing a part in making that a reality.”

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