CEO's Report

Despite all too familiar global and national challenges, such as conflicts, climate change weather events, geopolitical uncertainties, and cost of living pressures threatening our collective wellbeing, as an organisation, we continue to focus on what we can do, not what we cannot do. Inspired by the selfless collective responses and the rangatahi leadership we witness across Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Tokerau, our commitment to make a positive impact and Enhance Lives is as resolute as ever.

Through our Strategy Review process this year, we listened to what our communities have told us, and we are taking action. We are scaling up our focus on intergenerational impact and systems level change, continuing to target support in ways that are ‘by and with’ priority communities, enhancing our applicants’ experience and providing capacity and capability offerings to strengthen and develop even more effective change-makers.

In the financial year 2023/24, Trustees approved over $51.5m in funding support, with 932 applications processed and 730 grants approved. This included participatory funding pathways, which are designed and rolled out by those serving in their communities directly. In July 2023 a group of Pacific South Aucklanders designed, promoted and delivered their unique Pasifika Waymakers Fund to projects benefiting their communities, with $100,000 from Foundation North and $100,000 from the Ministry for Pacific Peoples. We partnered with Creative New Zealand on the second iteration of the Asian Artists’ Fund approving grants totaling $648,398, and collaborated again with the Rule Foundation to administer and distribute grants from the Rainbow Wellbeing Legacy Fund.

We have made important strides in our engagement with Iwi and wish to deepen these relationships going forward. In December 2023, a kōtuitanga and accompanying five-year funding partnership was formally agreed between Foundation North and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei; further establishing and binding our association, and signifying a commitment to share a journey of knowledge and learning.

With a learning and growth mindset, our Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning activities ensure that we are funding and contributing to our strategy, enabling impact and continuously learning about how change and impact happen alongside our communities.

We also continue our haerenga to be a Te Tiriti led organisation, and we were humbled to see so much interest from within and beyond philanthropy when we shared our short film about our journey so far. Our focus on Climate Action is a great way for us to enact our commitment to Te Tiriti, and we commit our resources through our investments, granting, operations and collective action to ensure that everyone has access to opportunities arising from the transition to a low carbon economy.

A mihi to all our staff, Trustees, associates, partners, suppliers and the communities we serve – it is a privilege to navigate a better future together with you. This whakataukī about youthful growth seems a particularly poignant one to close with.

Te piko o te māhuri, tērā te tupu o te rākau – the way in which the young sapling is nurtured, determines how the tree will grow