Let Play Connect For! - Patrick Davies Hot Take

Patrick Davies • February 10, 2025

Neighbourly Natters: Connecting, Sharing, and Strengthening Our Sector

I hope everyone has rested well and we’re back into the mahi with a vengeance.

We’re looking to strengthen our bonds with you and between all our members – finding ways to connect, share, collaborate whilst keeping within our tight operating parameters. Big words I know – but its 2025. We’ve been talking with members and looking for ways to connect you all without breaking the bank of time and resources. There’re so many good ideas out there, it’s important to CNA to connect you all so you can hear them directly. It’s by keeping our ear to the ground that we’ve managed some great progress with banking for For Purpose organisations and getting the excellent State of the Sector report done.

In the very near future, I’ll be in contact to introduce our ‘Neighbourly Natters’. Yes, everything needs a corny title. Basically, we’re aiming to have a quick zoom where you can meet all the CNA members in your area. You may know some of them, a lot of them, or none of them. Its just a very quick meet and greet to put a face to the name and a quick elevator pitch of what your organisation does. A couple of minutes tops.

We’ve come across members who find out about common ground issues and solutions but don’t realise this is happening in their back yard. And we feel that connecting in this simple way is a win/win. We’ll send out everyone’s emails from that meeting so that if you want to you can catch up to korero about any specific idea. We also feel it might provide more support – just knowing there’s another person doing the same kind of role nearby. You might end up going for a drink and a good natter.

In this Government’s environment of collaboration and social investment this will be a great opportunity to add to any report you write, as well as what it might possibly lead on to. I’ll be reaching out shortly to sort out the best date in your region; and prior I’ll provide a very quick cheat sheet on the attendees, so you’ve got something to go on. Any chance for a quick cupper with like-minded folks is always a good mental break.

And that’s what we’re for (see what I did there 😉 )

See you out there!

Patrick Davies, Engagement Officer

info@communitynetworksaotearoa.org.nz

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Hapori Aotearoa Conference Wrap-Up

By Community Networks • March 10, 2025

Last week Patrick represented CNA at the Hapori Aotearoa – Growing Communities Together in sunny Tauranga presented by Inspiring Communities and the Tauranga City Council. A two-day conference focused on providing practical resources amplifying community development. With each day having multiple concurrent workshops there were difficult (and esciting) choices to be made. The hottest topics were Social Return On Investments / Social Investment, Te Tiriti, and (no surprise) funding within the Sector. There were great speakers and a lot of table korero, spilling of tea, and sharing ideas and resources. Did you know there is a Regional Data Explorer on the Social Investment Agency website ? How might organisations use this to target their mahi and applications? “The Social Investment Agency’s Regional Data Explorer supports access to data for regional and sub-regional decision-making. It brings together 70 datasets or 'indicators' which can be filtered to meet a particular need." Another great workshop (Belinda Gorman ) looked into connecting with businesses to explore various ways of funding. Looking at alignment, how to approach and creating that relationship. One contribution we were able to make was a handy dandy doc on how to use the free version of ChatGPT to create a start – how to create a document that begins your journey on support, sponsorship and funding. Here it is – Using ChatGPT to Get $. And it was a great chance to catch up with Members – SociaLink (also a supporter of the conference); Volunteer Kapiti and Community Networking Trust. It was a time to catch up with friends from other organisations and to make new connections, both strengthening our reach around the Motu. Whilst conferences are expensive, attending can hit many birds with one stone and its important to get out of your own area, headspace to remind yourself that you are not alone in what’s going on; that there are people with ideas around you; and that (while it can be a draining experience) it is a fantastic way to recharge your spirit. We look forward to hosting our Members at our Members’ Only Hui on Friday, 7th November in Te Whanganui-a-Tara /Wgtn for exactly those reasons. Oh, did I mention it’s also our 50th Anniversary celebrations? Patrick Davies, Engagement Officer

End-of-Year Finance Checklist for Community Organisations in Aotearoa

By Community Networks • March 6, 2025

As we approach the end of the financial year, it’s a great time for community organisations and NFPs to check in on their finances.

Need Help Making 1+1 = 6?

By Community Networks • March 6, 2025

This month, we’re focusing on financial health—cash flow, grants, audits, and long-term stability. But this isn’t just a checklist—it’s an opportunity to tap into the collective wisdom of our community!