Community support and volunteering

Volunteering in the community

Xero’s employee volunteer program, Community Connect, supports for-purpose organizations by giving Xero employees one paid day off each year to make a difference in the communities in which they live and work. Employees are able to take time to give to the community knowing they have Xero’s full support. In 2018, Xero employees volunteered across five countries.

Learn more
Community Connect: Making a difference in our communities one day at a time
International Volunteer Day: Making a tangible difference to our communities

Supporting under-represented groups

We believe in supporting the communities in which we operate by working with for-purpose organizations to provide employment opportunities. For example, we recently:

• participated in the Asylum Seeker Resource Center’s employment program in Australia

• employed people through the New Zealand Red Cross’s Pathways to Employment program read their story

Sponsorship and funding

Xero has a sponsorship program in each major region, providing funding to organizations, events and charities where the sponsorship aligns well with our company values and expertise.

For example, we announced scholarships for three New Zealand small business owner/managers to participate in the Owner Manager Program run by The Icehouse, valued at $10,000 each. Throughout this five-month program, recipients develop the capability to drive momentum and achieve better results for themselves and their business.

Interested in applying for sponsorship funding? Head to our sponsorship page for guidance and a proposal form.

Donations and disaster support

We’ve donated to community groups and for-purpose organizations across our countries of operation for causes including breast cancer research, suicide prevention, natural disasters (for example, assisting Xero businesses affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma and farmers in Australia struck by prolonged drought).

Xero for nonprofits

Xero offers a lifetime discounted subscription for nonprofit organizations globally on their Xero plan, and as part of our broader work in this space we’re looking at ways we can support more nonprofits globally.

Find out more about discounted subscription for nonprofit organizations across the globe.

Forward Fund

At Xerocon in San Diego in June 2019, Xero announced the Forward Fund scholarship in the United States to give aspiring accounting students a helping hand.

Through the Forward Fund, we are asking our US-based partners to help nominate three students who will receive a $10,000 USD scholarship. The three winning students' nominating firms will also receive $10,000 USD in marketing funds. The goal is to work together to make an impact in our communities by helping to push an aspiring student forward.

Read more
Forward Fund - building communities of purpose

Education support

Through the Xero Learn program participating educational institutions can create and teach courses using the same Xero software that’s widely used by businesses today. This means students get to apply their knowledge, and develop skills that are in demand in today’s workforce.

Xero Learn won the AFR award for best service innovation in 2018 and over 100 educational institutions globally have signed up. They include Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Auckland University of Technology (AUT), and the University of Waikato.

Read more
Xero wins best service innovation and ranks third on AFR innovative list