Give & Get Back
Many people don’t realise that charitable giving in New Zealand comes with a 33.33% tax credit. That means when you donate to an approved charity before 31 March, you may be able to claim back one-third of your donation, helping your generosity go further.
How does the donation tax credit work?
1. Make a donation
Make a donation of $5 or more to an eligible charity before 31 March.
When you give through Acorn Foundation, your donation supports trusted local organisations across the Western Bay of Plenty, and it qualifies for the New Zealand donation tax credit.
2. Receive your donation receipt
Once your donation is made, you’ll receive a donation receipt confirming the amount, date, and charitable status of your gift. This receipt is important — it’s what the Inland Revenue Department uses to verify your claim.
3. Claim your tax credit
You can usually claim back 33.33% of your donation, up to the amount of income tax you’ve paid. Most people claim their donation tax credit through myIR during the year, or after 1 April by submitting a claim for the previous financial year
4. Get money back - make local impact
If your claim is approved, IRD pays the tax credit back to you, either directly into your bank account or as part of your tax return. Your original donation continues to support the causes you chose.
Next steps?
If you’re already thinking about giving this year, now’s a good time to understand how the donation tax credit fits into your end-of-financial-year planning. If you’d like help, have questions, or want to explore local causes supported through Acorn, our team is happy to talk it through.
Ways to give through Acorn Foundation
There’s no single “right” way to give. Whether you want to make a one-off donation before 31 March, support a cause you care about long-term, or create something that lasts beyond your lifetime, Acorn offers a range of giving options to suit different goals.
Give once, make an impact now
One-off donations
A one-off donation is the simplest way to support local causes before 31 March. You can choose to give to a specific fund, a local charity, or leave your gift unrestricted to support areas of greatest need across the Western Bay of Plenty.
Your donation may qualify for the 33.33% tax credit, and you’ll receive a donation receipt to support your claim.
Support a cause you care about
Community Group Funds
Many local charities and community organisations have their own funds with Acorn. These Community Group Funds help provide long-term, sustainable support for organisations doing important work in our region.
You can donate directly to a specific organisation and know your gift is helping them plan for the future.
Give together, create change
Collective & shared giving
Some people choose to give alongside friends, family, colleagues, or like-minded locals. Collective giving allows multiple donors to pool their generosity, building greater impact together over time.
This can be an informal group contribution or a more structured shared fund, supported by Acorn.
Create impact that lasts
Named endowment funds
A named endowment fund allows you to create a lasting legacy. Your donation is invested, with a portion of the investment returns distributed each year to causes you choose — while the original gift remains intact.
You can set up a fund in your own name, in honour of someone, or around a cause you’re passionate about. Many people choose to start these funds during their lifetime and continue growing them over time.
Leave a gift for the future
Gifts in Wills
Including a gift to Acorn in your Will is a powerful way to support your community beyond your lifetime. You can direct your gift to an existing fund, a specific cause, or create a named endowment that reflects your values.
It’s a simple step that can make a lasting difference for future generations.
Not sure what’s right for you?
Discuss your options with the team
If you’d like to talk through your options, ask a question, or explore how your giving could work best for your situation, our team is always happy to help.
Donation Tax Credits Explained by Inland Revenue
Why 31 March matters
In New Zealand, the financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March. To claim a donation tax credit for this financial year, your donation generally needs to be made before 31 March.
This is why charitable giving often comes up during end-of-financial-year conversations with accountants and financial advisers.
What this means for you
- Donations made before 31 March can usually be claimed in the current tax year
- Donations made after 31 March typically count toward the next financial year
- Timing your donation can help ensure you don’t miss out on a tax credit you’re entitled to
For many people, charitable giving is one of the simplest ways to factor generosity into EOFY planning, especially compared with more complex tax strategies.
If you’ve already donated this year
if you’ve made donations earlier in the financial year and have kept your receipts, you may already be eligible to claim a tax credit, even if you haven’t claimed before.
You don’t need to make one large donation for the tax credit to apply.
Multiple smaller donations can also be claimed, as long as you have receipts.
This information is general guidance only.
If you’re unsure how donation tax credits apply to your personal situation, it’s always worth checking with your accountant or financial adviser, or reviewing the guidance provided by the Inland Revenue Department.
How does the donation tax credit work?
Most individuals who pay income tax in New Zealand are eligible to claim the donation tax credit.
You can usually claim if:
- you’re an individual (not a trust or company, unless advised otherwise)
- you’ve paid income tax during the financial year
- you’ve made a donation of $5 or more
- the donation was made to an approved charitable organisation
- you have a valid donation receipt
The total amount you can claim back is capped at the amount of income tax you’ve paid for that financial year. This means you can’t receive a refund larger than your total tax paid.
If your situation is more complex (for example, multiple income sources, overseas income, or shared donations), it’s best to check with your accountant or financial adviser.
You can usually claim back 33.33% (one-third) of your eligible donations.
For example:
- Donate $300 → claim $99.99
- Donate $1,500 → claim $499.95
- Donate $3,000 → claim $999.99
The total you can claim is limited to the amount of income tax you’ve paid in that financial year.
If you’ve donated more than this limit, you may not be able to claim the full one-third amount.
Yes — timing matters.
The New Zealand financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March.
To claim a donation tax credit for the current financial year, your donation generally needs to be made before 31 March.
Donations made:
- before 31 March → usually count toward the current tax year
- after 31 March → usually count toward the next financial year
This is why charitable giving often comes up during end-of-financial-year planning.
If you want the donation to count toward the current financial year, it generally needs to be made before 31 March.
Most people claim their donation tax credit directly with the Inland Revenue Department.
Common ways to claim include:
- claiming through myIR during the year, or
- submitting a donation tax credit claim after 1 April for the previous financial year
You’ll need to upload or provide your donation receipts as part of the claim process.
If you work with an accountant, they can also include your donation tax credit as part of your annual tax return or EOFY review.
To be valid for claiming, your donation receipt generally needs to include:
- the name of the charity
- confirmation that it is an approved charitable organisation
- the date of the donation
- the amount donated
- the charity’s IRD number
Receipts can be digital or printed. As long as you keep them, either format is acceptable.
Yes. Donations made at any point during the financial year can usually be claimed, as long as:
- they were made within the same tax year
- you have valid receipts
You don’t need to make one large donation.
Multiple smaller donations can be combined into a single claim, provided each donation meets the minimum requirements.
That’s very common. If you’ve made donations and kept your receipts, you may still be eligible to claim, even if you’ve never done so before. Many people only discover the donation tax credit after several years of giving.
If you’re unsure where to start, an accountant or financial adviser can help guide you through the process.
In some cases, yes. If you have donation receipts from previous financial years and meet the eligibility criteria, you may be able to submit claims for earlier periods. The ability to do this depends on your individual circumstances and IRD rules at the time.
If you think this might apply to you, it’s worth discussing with a tax professional or checking directly with Inland Revenue.
This page focuses on individual donation tax credits. Businesses, trusts, and companies have different tax treatment for charitable donations.
If you’re donating through a business or organisation, it’s best to speak with your accountant about how donations are treated for tax purposes in your situation.
Yes. Donations made through Acorn Foundation are eligible for the donation tax credit and support trusted local causes across the Western Bay of Plenty.
Acorn issues donation receipts and helps ensure donations are managed responsibly and in line with charitable requirements.
No. This page provides general information only and is intended to help people understand how donation tax credits work in New Zealand. It does not replace personalised tax advice.
For advice specific to your circumstances, we recommend speaking with a qualified accountant, tax adviser, or contacting Inland Revenue directly.