The Island's charities have received a boost from the Centre on Philanthropy which has donated accounting software to help manage and track their funds.

The Centre's Chairman Brian Duperreault made the announcement yesterday after a survey this year showed that financial management was among the top priorities for nonprofit organisations.

Currently member charities of the Centre are being invited to contact 236-7706 to apply for a copy of Quick Books, arguably the world's leading money management programme.

Nonprofit organisations that are not members of the Centre can become one and also apply for the software package, Pamela Barit Nolan, the Centre's Executive Director said.

Mr. Duperreault described the initiative as a great partnership between the public, private and third sectors: "The focus of this partnership is supporting and helping our nonprofits manage their finances.

"This is so that they can recognise their impact on our community. We also hope that the tools and resources under development can help charities be more accountable to the community at large.

"We knew that nonprofits needed tools, training support and human resources. We began working on each of these elements."

US Consulate General Gregory Slayton, a member of the Centre's advisory board heard about the results of the surveys and immediately reached out to the developer of QuickBooks, Intuit.

The company was asked if they could help the Island's charities by providing important tools.

"Having worked in nonprofits during much of my 20s in Asia and in Africa, where I worked for WorldVision for three years, I recognised nonprofits need tools to manage their donors' money," Mr. Slayton explained.

"When I heard this I said 'let me see if I could reach out to some of my friends back in Silicon Valley to see if we can get a simple, easy to use, world class tool for the Centre.'

"As well as for Bermuda nonprofits. I want to thank Intuit, whose QuickBooks is the world leader in simple, easy to use but powerful accounting software.

"My friend Steve Bennett, who's the CEO of Intuit, said 'Absolutely we'll make that happen' when he heard about it."

The Centre on Philanthropy was founded in 1991 to help meet the need for more effective and efficient voluntary action in Bermuda.

Its mission is to lead the Bermuda community in building an effective, efficient and sustainable third sector.

It is a member organisation offering a range of programmes and services for nonprofits, corporations and individuals.

For more information visit www.centreonphilanthrophy.org.