What We Do

OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE

The Foundation has a number of purposes but an important one – primarily because of its strategic impact, is providing support to community develop-ment-focused organisations, volunteer groups and practitioners situated principally in New Zealand with a range of needs and services that facilitate continual community development and growth in a sustainable manner, in these areas: 

• Developing strong and inclusive communities;
• Supporting families, children and young people;
• Building strong and resilient whānau, hapū and iwi;
• Empowering vulnerable organisations serving disadvantaged people; and,
• Strengthening the Third Sector through initiatives and projects that sup-port a diverse set of community development-focused organisations who work with high-need, low-support populations.

DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS

Most voluntary and community development-focused organisations in New Zealand often experience hand-to-mouth existences. It is a systemic symptom which characterizes our country’s Third Sector. In many cases often than not, these well-meaning organisations run their daily operations on an ad hoc ‘empty tank’ basis. When crisis does happen, many shut down. 

In terms of capacity they lack human resources, skills, systems and processes that are required to operate efficiently and sustainably. They are unable to produce meaningful outcomes for their communities – particularly those with high needs on low support,  because their levels of governance training, man-agement systems, strategic planning and communications, funding and fund-raising capabilities are at best, minimal or non-existent. They have very limited access to appropriate, effective and affordable capacity-building advice, support and services. 

As a foundation, we actively seek and develop partnerships. We co-promote other community-based organisations with similar aims, purposes and object-ives. We advise and help them strengthen their internal and external capacities, capabilities and expertise in developing and delivering community-related pro-jects and services. 

Among other things we do, we engage with partners who generally are involved in strengthening the Third Sector particularly those with a focus on supporting families; those involved with providing community and social service across all sectoral levels and demographics; those who work with faith and regional communities; those who encourage enterprise and employment; and, those who face barriers to progress as a result of the digital divide.

OUR CURRENT FOCUS

Currently, our focus is to develop, promote and provide a range of online in-formation, communication and technology capabilities using connectivity provi-ded by the Internet and new Web-based tools and techniques designed to serve, assist and encourage other organisations, communities and their stake-holders to grow together sustainably. 

Having said this and for avoidance of any doubt, however, the Foundation wishes to make it clear that it is not an ICT service provider.

OUR STRATEGIC APPROACH

The Foundation’s strategic approach towards developing communities and part-nerships stands on three pillars:

1. Enhancing the capacity and effectiveness of organisations and stakeholders involved working in the field of community devel-opment and social change;
2. Introducing and implementing innovative user-centric solutions that allow it and its partners in community development to func-tion optimally for today and the future; and,
3. Bring those solutions downstream to benefit other community-based organisations as beneficiaries until more individuals in communities they serve become themselves end-users.

Taken together, what this actually means is that their success becomes the Foundation’s success.

| What Do We Do | Scanning The Environment | A Situation Analysis |

| What We Want To Do | The Immediate Beneficiaries | Our Commitment |

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