Tech enterprise aims to help charities access funding 

Fundsorter is partially a searchable online database of more than 2500 contestable grants and partially an algorithm that pairs community groups with relevant funders.

A charity working in educational space, for example, would get Fundsorter search results from all of the educational funders and none of the funders specialising in mental health.

Fundsorter has an artificial intelligence drafting tool that creates applications based on the community group’s project and the funder’s guidelines. These draft applications need to be fine-tuned.

International data shows charities spend about 20 cents to make $1 in grants, Fundsorter co-founder and chief executive Lani Evans said. Anecdotal data suggests each funding application takes between two and 20 hours to write and submit, she said.

“By leveraging technology, we aim to free up community organisations to spend more time on their mahi (work) and less on paperwork,” Ms Evans said in a statement.

The Fundsorter database includes central government, local governments, community trusts and family foundations.

“It’s all of the funders that we can find,” Ms Evans said. ”We’re probably missing a couple of per cent.“

There are 37 broad categories – such as climate change, youth, tangata whenua, recreation and mental health. Some funders are very large, with grant money across the board and fall into the “all” category.

Fundsorter has also looked at funders. Nationally, environmental issues are the top-mentioned priority, according to funders’ published criteria as compiled by the social enterprise.

Biodiversity and conservation are named in 15.7 per cent of funding opportunities, and climate change is mentioned in 13 per cent. Education comes next at 13 per cent, while arts and creativity are supported by 12.8 per cent.

FULL STORY

Tech start-up aims to help charities (By Will Harvie/The Press)