New Zealand Community Trust gains by implementing the Fujitsu Grants Manager

"It was clear right from the outset that Fujitsu wanted to work with us every step of the way. They took time to understand NZCT and how we work, before developing a product designed specifically for our needs. They made us feel we were a special and important customer."

Tony Gill, National Grants Manager, New Zealand Community Trust

The customer

Launched in 1998, NZCT is one of New Zealand’s largest licensed gaming trusts, supplying more than 2,000 gaming machines to hotels, pubs and clubs throughout the country.

After covering operating costs and paying the host gaming venues, government duties, levies and player prizes, NZCT returns all its net proceeds to worthy organisations in the communities which the machines are located.

In the year to 30 September 2013, NZCT awarded grants totalling almost NZ$39 million to around 2,500 grant applications. Around 80 per cent of these went to amateur sports clubs, but the Trust also supports a wide range of community-based health, education, arts and cultural projects - as well as rescue and life-saving services.

The Trust is one of the biggest funders of amateur sport in New Zealand, a country famous for its love of sport and outdoor activities, and which has one of the highest participation rates in the world.

The challenge

Every year New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) distributes around NZ$40 million in grants to good causes, supporting thousands of amateur sports clubs and community groups across the country. The Trust wished to replace an outdated, backend processing system which relied on paper based application forms, with an integrated online end-to-end system. This would make it much quicker and easier for applicants to submit an application. It would also enable NZCT to manage and process those applications securely, more efficiently and transparently, which would result in cost and time savings for the Trust.

The solution

NZCT selected Fujitsu Grants Manager, an award winning online portal solution, custom integrated with Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Fujitsu also provided help desk expertise and ongoing solution support.

The benefit

NZCT now receives and processes all its grant applications online.
Applications are much easier for applicants to compile.
Management, decision-making process and distribution of NZCT’s grants is now quicker, more secure and transparent.
Increased assurance around grants compliance and governance.
Administration costs have been reduced, with staff reassigned away from repetitive, manual tasks to more productive activities.