Business Mentors Increases One-Off Registration Fee To Cope with Loss of Charitable Status

Business Mentors NZ, the nation’s number one not-for-profit mentoring organisation, will increase its one-off $100 registration fee to $150 from 1^st June to enable it to cope with the financial implications of its loss of charitable status.

The Charities Commission has deregistered the not for profit organisation on the basis that the key benefactor of the business mentoring service is the individual business owner and that the community gets no measureable benefit.

Business Mentors CEO, Ray Schofield explains: ‘We are committed to keeping the day-to-day running costs of Business Mentors NZ to a minimum. However, the loss of our charitable status combined with increasing demand for our services from small and medium enterprises and the associated costs means that we have to put our registration fee up to cope.

‘The extra income will assist with any administration costs not covered by our private sector patron sponsors and NZTE government funding enabling us to cope with the financial implications of the Charities Commission’s decision. ’

Business failure is a serious problem for New Zealand with devastating consequences for families and communities. The Business Mentoring service is a proven generator of employment and growth, which is vital to our nation’s well being. In particular we help to grow the economy through building performance capability, especially exporting from the SME sector. With over 1800 volunteer mentors Business Mentors New Zealand helps on average 4,300 business clients a year and has assisted over 60,000 businesses since its inception in 1991. In addition we have also supported 127 Not for Profit organisations in the last two years. 

The organisation also plays a key community support service in the Canterbury reconstruction through its 330 local volunteer mentors. The critical importance of this activity has been recognised by the Government paying the current $100 client registration fee for Canterbury businesses as well as funding an additional part time administrator in our Christchurch agency.

The Government’s appreciation of the effectiveness of business mentoring is evidenced by its decision to fully fund for six years the delivery of services to 10 Pacific Island nations as part of MFAT/NZAID, programme using NZ Volunteer mentors.

Although Business Mentors New Zealand receives an annual grant from NZTE for its work in New Zealand, the Business Mentoring service could not continue without the support of its 85 private sector business sponsors.  Our volunteer mentors give their time freely to their local communities, which in itself is a charitable activity.

The registration fee, which has remained unchanged since October 2007, will entitle business owners to all Business Mentors services for up to two years, including mentoring sessions with an experienced business person and access to a wealth of information and resources.