14 September 2022

Does the money really get there?

It’s the question I hear most about charitable intentions… ‘but does the money really get to where it needs to go?’

The reality is unfortunately, that in some cases it doesn’t. We live in a world where there can be corruption within governments, scammers that have set up false charitable initiatives and on-the-ground partners that ‘take the money and run’.

I have heard the horror stories of people turning up on the field to discover all those bore holes they paid to get installed are non-existent!

That is why partnering with a strong and integral charitable partner is absolute key! Being personally invited by some of our charity partners to participate in multiple field trips across the world, I can testify firsthand to some of the amazing developmental work I have seen and the impact it’s having in communities.

When you truly PARTNER with on the ground charities – you can forge lasting relationships that produce real impact.

At One Co. we are extremely thorough and intentional with who we choose to partner with. They are well established “on the ground” aid organisations.

Our carefully chosen local partners have a community-centered approach, excellent reporting practices and years of experience implementing effective, sustainable solutions.

On my last field trip to Zambia, I was fortunate enough to witness a community that had been dramatically transformed over the years since my first visit three years prior. This community was being supported by one of our partners, World Vision. Their community development approach across multiple areas of water, micro-business, sanitation, to name a few – was nothing short of amazing.

World Vision engage the local people to lead the change. It is a fantastic example of a ‘hand up, not a handout’. What I saw was a community that was flourishing and now educating each other to prosper. It was overwhelming to see a community of people whose main goal was to pay it forward and help their neighbour also break the cycle of poverty.

On the commercial side, we do also need to understand that it takes an army of dedicated people to run a charity that makes a difference. As business owners, we understand this comes at a cost as these people do need to be paid – believe it or not 😊

So when people ask me ‘how much of the money is spent on “administration”? I explain that this is perfectly acceptable and necessary as people need to get paid for doing great work! There are costs involved and yes, this needs to be spent wisely to ensure maximum impact for the communities they serve. But, it is perfectly reasonable that some hard-earned donation money goes towards operational business costs. Amongst all our One Co. charity partners, on average 85% – 93% of their funds go straight to the program. My goal is that less money is needed to be spent on fundraising and marketing in not-for-profit charities, because business owners like those in our One Co. community are leading the way by proactively making generous commitments to amazing initiatives.

In short, does the money really get there? If you build relationships with a strong charity partner who has wise governance, reasonable administration costs and has evidence of the change they bring, I can truly say, YES the money gets where it needs to go.

The money does get there! It can break poverty cycles and bring lasting change for generations! I’ve seen it firsthand and believe that with everyone doing a little bit, it all adds up to a whole bunch getting done.

Together we can do so much to have a positive impact on this world, it starts with doing your little bit and encouraging others to do the same. Before you know it, we’re changing generations!

Be encouraged, the fact you’re reading this shows your heart is in the right place. It’s not necessarily about how much you give financially, it could be of your time, your skill or your passion for spreading the word… every little bit counts and at the end of the day it’s not about us, it’s about making the world a better place for everyone.

I will end on this, a Proverb that both myself and my wife love…

The world of the generous gets larger and larger, but the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. 

Be blessed…

Josh Nicholls

Founder & CEO Platinum Electricians

Chairman One Co. Foundation