How Charities Get & Spend Money

Interactive financial flow diagrams for NZ charities

Understanding the Flows: These Sankey diagrams visualize how money flows through charities. On the left, you'll see income sources like government grants, donations, and program revenue. On the right, see how funds are spent on programs, administration, and fundraising. The width of each flow represents the relative dollar amount.

Charities Analyzed
3
With complete financial data
Total Income
$139.7M
Combined annual revenue
Total Expenses
$140.4M
Combined annual expenses
Program Ratio
73%
Avg spent on programs

Sector-Wide Income Sources

Government Grants
$172K
0%
Donations
$11.7M
8%
Program Revenue
$0
0%
Fundraising
$11.7M
8%
Investment
$0
0%
Other
$0
0%
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Greenpeace Aotearoa Incorporated

EnvironmentGrade C

FY 2024 • $9.8M Revenue

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Donations$8.5M (50%)Fundraising Revenue$8.5M (50%)Greenpeace Aotearoa IncorporatedTotal: $17.0MAdmin Expenses$9.3M (86%)Program Expenses$1.5M (14%)Income SourcesExpenditure
$17.0M
Total Income
$10.8M
Total Expenses
+$6.2M
Surplus
Program Spending
14%
Admin Ratio
86%
Net Assets
$7.8M
Surplus/Deficit
$-1,045,741

The Cawthron Foundation

EducationGrade B+

FY 2025 • $409K Revenue

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Donations$330K (50%)Fundraising Revenue$330K (50%)The Cawthron FoundationTotal: $660KProgram Expenses$146K (100%)Income SourcesExpenditure
$660K
Total Income
$146K
Total Expenses
+$514K
Surplus
Program Spending
96%
Admin Ratio
N/A
Net Assets
$321K
Surplus/Deficit
$257K

Visionwest Community Trust

Social ServicesGrade B+

FY 2025 • $129.5M Revenue

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Donations$2.9M (49%)Fundraising Revenue$2.9M (49%)Government Grants$172K (3%)Visionwest Community TrustTotal: $6.0MProgram Expenses$100.3M (78%)Admin Expenses$29.0M (22%)Income SourcesExpenditure
$6.0M
Total Income
$129.4M
Total Expenses
$-123,431,335
Deficit
Program Spending
78%
Admin Ratio
22%
Net Assets
$52.9M
Surplus/Deficit
$142K

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I read these Sankey diagrams?

Sankey diagrams show money flowing through an organization. The left side shows income sources (where money comes from), the center represents the charity, and the right side shows how money is spent. The width of each flow is proportional to the dollar amount - wider flows represent more money. Hover over any flow to see exact amounts.

What makes a healthy financial flow?

Generally, well-run charities spend at least 65-75% of expenses on programs (their charitable purpose), with admin and fundraising costs being a smaller portion. Diverse income sources (not overly reliant on one funding stream) indicate financial resilience. A small surplus each year allows for reserves.

Where does this data come from?

All financial data comes from annual returns filed with the New Zealand Charities Register. Charities are required to report their income sources and expense categories annually. We process this data to create these visualizations.