Community Foundations - local funds for local people

Created: June 16, 2025 at 5:57 PM | Updated: June 25, 2025 | By NZ Navigator Trust

Community Foundations are local, independent and not-for-profit. They run a model of place-based philanthropy and are established in most regions of Aotearoa New Zealand. They focus on a place and its people, strengthening communities from within and enabling local's aspirations for their community to take shape.

They are governed by local volunteer Boards and are the connectors between local philanthropy and community needs and opportunities, focussing on impactful projects and building long-term, reliable funding streams for their local communities by investing and growing the gifts they receive.

(Source: Community Foundations of Aotearoa NZ

There are 18 Community Foundations across Aotearoa New Zealand.

NORTH ISLAND:

Northland

Northland Community Foundation - https://www.northlandcommunityfoundation.org.nz

Auckland

Auckland Foundation - https://www.aucklandfoundation.org.nz

Waikato

Momentum Waikato Community Foundation - https://momentumwaikato.nz

Eastern Bay of Plenty

Eastern Bay Community Foundation - https://www.ebcf.nz/

Western Bay of Plenty

Acorn Foundation - https://www.acornfoundation.org.nz

Rotorua & Taupo

Geyser Community Foundation - https://geysercf.org.nz

Gisborne-Tairāwhiti

Sunrise Foundation - https://www.sunrisefoundation.org.nz

Taranaki

Taranaki Foundation - https://taranakifoundation.org.nz/

Hawke’s Bay

Hawke’s Bay Foundation - https://hawkesbayfoundation.org.nz

Horizons Region

Te Awa Community Foundation - https://www.teawafoundation.org.nz

Wellington

Nikau Foundation - https://www.nikaufoundation.nz

SOUTH ISLAND:

Tasman, Nelson & Marlborough

Top of the South Community Foundation - https://www.topsouthfoundation.org.nz/

Christchurch

The Christchurch Foundation - https://www.christchurchfoundation.org.nz

Ashburton

Advance Ashburton Community Foundation - https://www.advanceashburton.org.nz

South Canterbury

Aoraki Foundation - https://www.aorakifoundation.co.nz

Wakatipu/Queenstown

Wakatipu Community Foundation - https://www.wakatipucommunityfoundation.co.nz

Clutha District

Clutha Foundation - https://www.cluthafoundation.org.nz/

Southland

Southland Foundation - https://www.southlandfoundation.org.nz/

 

If you are looking for information about Community Trusts - locally governed trusts (originally Trust Banks), who invest capital and tailor their granting to benefit their local communities - you can find our resource here.