Corporate giving and action
Collaborations between the private and public sector can be created through Corporate Social Investment (CSI), donations, or other support given to City initiatives which help to develop shared value and build socio-economic sustainability. Many of our City initiatives welcome corporate involvement and philanthropy, from sponsorships and donations to partnerships and volunteering.
Take action
You can learn about some of our flagship programmes on this page and also find guidance about how you and your business or organisation can help make progress possible together with us.
Please note
All contributions to the City are done through a transparent process, and are facilitated and tracked by a working group in the City to prevent any possibility of corruption. The benefits of any collaboration will need to demonstrably accrue to residents of Cape Town and not to any individual or organisation. Where possible and appropriate, acknowledgement will be given to those supporting any initiative.
Mayor’s Special Relief Fund
The Mayor disburses money from this fund according to his own assessment of what is needed.
The fund may be used for:
- causes that promote the City’s objectives;
- causes where individuals cannot apply for the City’s grants-in-aid; and
- emergencies or disasters that the City does not have funds to cover.
Donations to the fund:
- Any organisation or individual may donate.
- You may request where your donation will be used.
- The Mayor may refuse the donation if the conditions for the donation are unacceptable.
Fast fact
In Section 12 of the Municipal Finance Management Act, a relief fund can be established in the name of the City.
Creating Shared Value initiatives
The move toward Creating Shared Value (CSV) initiatives, in addition to the traditional channels of
corporate social investment (CSI), donations, and philanthropy, aims to encourage mutually beneficial and sustainable corporate partnerships.
CSV replaces the idea that a percentage of profits is donated to community upliftment (as a tax deduction) and rather includes solving social issues through the core function of your business operation.
Businesses rely on communities and local government to create a demand for products, and to provide public assets and a supportive environment. Communities need businesses for job creation and opportunities for residents. Governments target job creation to ensure prosperity for its citizens.
Did you know?
A Caring City: This interdependence is the primary reason that the City has created a CSI and collaboration working group across the City’s portfolios, including representatives from finance, social development and other line departments to unlock and guide opportunities.
There are a variety of shared value initiatives to get involved with. Here are some of our most targeted initiatives – you are welcome to approach us with other suggestions:
Give Responsibly
The Give Responsibly campaign aims to create awareness of street people, while using funds to help the less fortunate in the long term, rather than supporting the short-term option of donating small change to an individual living on the streets.
The City’s
Community, Arts and Culture Development Department has a number of programmes in place to assist street people. Dedicated field workers and assessment centres support this effort. Through the City’s interventions, street people are able to find work opportunities, including via the
Expanded Public Works Programme, and be reintegrated into their communities of origin or reunited with their families.
Responsible tourism
'Responsible tourism' is tourism that creates better places for people to live in, and better places to visit. Responsible tourism aims to achieve economic growth by promoting environmental needs and social justice. Responsible tourism relies on role players in the tourism sector, and destinations in general, for sustainable tourism to take place.
Find out more information about
Responsible Tourism.
Friends of the Library
The City partners with a number of organisations in our
Friends of the Library initiative. The Friends support and promote the City of Cape Town’s libraries. Friends not only donate their valuable time, but also help by donating books, CDs and DVDs, furniture, and other equipment and catering for library events.
These donations allow the City’s libraries to fund the resources and programmes necessary to respond to the educational, cultural, informational, and recreational needs of the communities they serve.
General donations, volunteering, sponsorship and support
Aside from these flagship programmes listed above, we have a number of different programmes open to organisations and businesses wanting to support the City of Cape Town’s efforts to build a strong and sustainable society and environment. See the options below for more information on how you can support one of our initiatives:
You can get involved in a variety of City-led projects that address the most pressing needs of our city. Depending on your interests and abilities, there are initiatives which you can support in social and community development, economic development, safety and security, health, and the environment and conservation.
Social and community development
Jobs and skills development are vital to community upliftment. Youth development through skills training stands out as one of the greatest needs in social and community development. Donations to our youth initiatives go towards bursaries, training and mentorships, while sponsorship is needed for youth programmes.
Economic development
There is much opportunity to get involved in the programmes that support economic development in the form of sponsoring or partnering with organisations which provide useful services, such as infrastructure, marketing, workforce education, and training.
Many opportunities are available to help economic development in Cape Town in various agreed upon models, such as a rand-for-rand model.
Safety and security
Our Safety and Security Directorate has around 4 000 staff members in place to protect residents against fire and disaster, enforce traffic laws, and focus on crime prevention:
See our
Disaster Risk Management Centre page
See our
Fire and Rescue Services Department page
See our
Metropolitan Police Services Department page
See our
Law Enforcement, Traffic and Coordination Department page
We welcome donations to maintain our safety and security facilities and for purchasing additional safety equipment. We also welcome volunteers to our ranks or even through a local neighbourhood watch. Sponsorships to this directorate usually go towards training and development.
Health and social development
Many of our residents cannot afford health care and a number of
our clinics (including mobile clinics) and
Early Childhood Development Centres need to be built and renovated. We also welcome donations in the form of toys and equipment.
Natural environment, conservation and sustainability
We need to manage and protect Cape Town’s environment. With its diverse fauna, flora and scenic surrounds it is the smallest and most diverse of the world’s six floral kingdoms, a biodiversity hot spot, and a big tourism and sustainability drawcard.
The
Environmental Management Department has set up programmes to sustain our environment.
Contact us
If you need more information about our approach to CSI and corporate collaboration or the various opportunities available to businesses and organisations, please get in touch with us.
General enquiries
Email:
getinvolved@capetown.gov.za
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