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• What does Instituto Center Norte do?

  Instituto Center Norte is a non-profit organization that aims to help improve the quality of life and income of residents of the North area of São Paulo. We seek to contribute to the personal and professional development of the residents, as well as to the implementation of solutions and innovations in social initiatives, so the North area of the city becomes a pole of sustainable development.

  The mission of Instituto Center Norte is focused on “creating an environment of learning and innovation for people and institutions to develop solutions that improve the life in the North area of São Paulo”. Our work is based around two pillars:

  • Enterpreneurial North area – Projects aimed at the personal and professional development of the residents of the northern region of the city, especially women and young people, strengthening their capacity to generate their own income through entrepreneurship or insertion in the labor market.
  • Sustainable North area – Solutions and innovations in social initiatives in the North area, aiming to improve the quality of life of its residents through healthy, cultural and sustainable experiences.
• What kind of public does Instituto Center Norte focus on?

  Our initiatives are directed at the residents of the North area of the city, especially women and youth.

• How are Instituto Center Norte and Cidade Center Norte related?

  Instituto Center Norte is the organization in charge of the private social investments of Cidade Center Norte business complex. Cidade Center Norte comprises four enterprises: Center Norte – the first to open, in 1984 –, Lar Center, Expo Center Norte and Novotel São Paulo Center Norte.

• How are the activities of Instituto Center Norte maintained?

  Our activities are funded by resources donated by the Cidade Center Norte business complex and also by resources mobilized within it – mainly the collection and sale of recyclable materials discarded by shopkeepers at Center Norte, the organization of activities and festive events at the mall, and a small percentage coming from the sale of products at the Cooperative Kiosk. The Cooperative Kiosk is a space granted by Center Norte inside the mall, for social partner organizations of Instituto Center Norte to market their products. Like this, they can increase the revenue and visibility of their work.

  The fund raising happens through Lei de Incentivo à Cultura, Lei de Incentivo ao Esporte (LIE), Lei do Idoso, Conselho Estadual dos Direitos da Criança e do Adolescente (Condeca) and Fumcad – Fundo Municipal da Criança e do Adolescente.

• What are the types of support offered by Instituto Center Norte?

  We offer financial and technical support to projects that are aligned with our mission of creating “an environment of learning and innovation for people and institutions to develop solutions that improve the life in the North area of São Paulo”.

  We also provide technical follow-up to projects of civil society organizations that are funded by resources raised in Cidade Center Norte business units. The fund raising happens through Lei de Incentivo à Cultura, Lei de Incentivo ao Esporte (LIE), Lei do Idoso, Conselho Estadual dos Direitos da Criança e do Adolescente (Condeca) and Fumcad – Fundo Municipal da Criança e do Adolescente.

  Other than that, we also offer non-monetary resources to initiatives that align with our mission. This includes providing meeting venues at the exhibition and convention center at Expo Center Norte or Novotel São Paulo Center Norte or the engagement of Cidade Center Norte employees in volunteering initiatives. Finally, the Marketing Department at Cidade Center Norte also examines exhibition and visibility opportunities for the projects, leveraging the infrastructure Center Norte and Lar Center offer.

• Is it possible to obtain support for projects located outside the North area of the city of São Paulo?

  In general, the projects we support take place in the northern region of São Paulo. However, some initiatives we support are carried out in other parts of the city for the benefit of the residents of the North area. Our focus on the North area of the city reflects the historical commitment of Cidade Center Norte business complex with the advancement of the region.

• How should I proceed to get support from the Center Norte Institute?

  The projects supported by Instituto Center Norte must benefit the North area of the city, especially women and youth. Please check the Instituto Center Norte website for more information on the openings of calls for proposals. Partnership requests can follow two paths:

  1. Projects funded by our own resources: You can access the project presentation form here.
  2. Support for projects with funds raised through fiscal incentive laws by the Cidade Center Norte business complex: In this case, support is granted to projects that are eligible to receive resources raised through Lei de Incentivo à Cultura, Lei de Incentivo ao Esporte (LIE), Lei do Idoso, Conselho Estadual dos Direitos da Criança e do Adolescente (Condeca) and Fumcad – Fundo Municipal da Criança e do Adolescente. The selection process takes place in October and November. To learn about the Project Selection Policy adopted by Cidade Center Norte for the use of fiscal incentive laws, click here. Please observe that we do not support projects through Pro-Mac mechanisms – Programa Municipal de Apoio a Projetos Culturais and Proac – Programa de Ação Cultural do Estado de São Paulo.
• What are the criteria at Instituto Center Norte for the choice of projects funded by the resources of Cidade Center Norte?

  All projects receiving resources from Instituto Center Norte must have a social nature and be in line with our mission: “To create an environment of learning and innovation for people and institutions to develop solutions that improve the life in the North area of São Paulo”. The choice of projects to be supported with resources raised by Cidade Center Norte business units follows the guidance given by our mission and the criteria proper to each of the incentive laws adopted – Lei de Incentivo à Cultura, Lei de Incentivo ao Esporte (LIE), Lei do Idoso, Conselho Estadual dos Direitos da Criança e do Adolescente (Condeca) and Fumcad – Fundo Municipal da Criança e do Adolescente.

• What is Cooperative Kiosk?

  Cooperative Kiosk is a space inside Center Norte dedicated for the use of social organizations to sell products and improve their income and visibility of their work. In an area of 9 square meters, it is located close to large stores in a optimal area in one of the largest commercial hubs of the country. About 120 thousand people circulate at Center Norte a day on weekends. The space is free of lease fees for the organizations and they are responsible only for the operational costs during the period.

• How can we participate in the Cooperative Kiosk?

  There is a number of recommendations for the use of the Cooperative Kiosk. It can be used by each organization for three months. The products sold must be produced by the institution itself or by its beneficiaries and the amount collected from the sales must be reverted to the institution or its beneficiaries. It is prohibited to sell used goods.

  The use of the area by the organizations is free of lease fees. Instituto Center Norte only collects 5% of the sales on the period as a contribution to our initiatives. In addition, the organization is responsible for the space operational costs for the period including but not limited to sales team, visual identity, preparation of products and the necessary technology infrastructure for issuing fiscal documents. For more information, click here.

• I am a shopkeeper/supplier/service provider of Cidade Center Norte business complex. How can I help Instituto Center Norte?

  Instituto Center Norte offers a wide range of opportunities for you to engage with our activities throughout the year. We promote events open to your participation in Cidade Center Norte business complex, such as exhibitions linked to the projects we support, our traditional June Party or our area for toys and games during Christmas season. We also mobilize resources with shop owners, suppliers and service providers of Cidade Center Norte by the collection and sale of recyclable materials discarded within your operation. Such donations are converted into a complementary support for the development of our initiatives.

  We are also open to developing initiatives together. If you have any idea for a partnership, please get in touch with Instituto Center Norte to discuss it with us.

• I’d like to be a volunteer and help change the North area. What can I do?

  We at Instituto Center Norte believe in the power of volunteer work and because of that we have launched Transforma ZN, a volunteering platform focused on the North area of the city. The initiative is a joint work with Atados, an online program that connects people offering opportunities for volunteer work in social causes. The platform aims to connect NZ NGOs with residents of the region who want to be volunteers and to contribute their skills and knowledge. Registration should be done through the website (www.transformazn.com.br).