Our Stories

Progress is happening at pace behind the scenes to transform New Plymouth’s Kāwaroa Park into a world-class space devoted to providing a fun, exciting, accessible, and family-friendly place to meet, share, strive and learn.

“Giving through Taranaki Foundation is just common sense for us really. It meets our long-term objective of giving back to the community in a lasting way"

Gifts totalling $109,473 were recently granted to 37 local groups, individuals, and charities through the Taranaki Foundation annual funding round.

The Taranaki Foundation is asking for the help of our community to fund the last $1 million for the Destination Play site at New Plymouth's Kawaroa Park.

We are proud to welcome the Taranaki Youth Boost Fund to help support talented Taranaki youth achieve their dreams

Here at Taranaki Foundation, we are on an ambitious mission to nurture and build the prosperity of our region, and we are looking for a passionate local to join our busy team.

“Giving through Taranaki Foundation keeps my giving alive – it keeps on living forever and giving forever. It means I can leave a lasting legacy for my community.”

Six Taranaki aspiring athletes have been given a chance to progress their careers through the Sport Taranaki Future Champions Programme.

Fifty-seven aspiring artists entered Percy Thomson Gallery’s premier art competition for young and emerging Taranaki artists.

Water play, climbing platforms and a pump track are some of the new features planned for an innovative new play and learning space that will transform New Plymouth’s Kāwaroa Park for all ages to enjoy and explore.

Art awards shine light on emerging creativity and talent in our community

Congratulations to Hayley Thorpe and Ilana McEldowney recipients of the 2022 Cliff Perrett Memorial Fund Scholarship

The Friends of New Plymouth Opera House recently transferred their assets to Taranaki Foundation so that the excellent work they have undertaken for many years is continued in perpetuity.

The Lysaght-Watt Fund will continue supporting Arts, Culture and Heritage funding across Taranaki.

Taranaki Foundation welcomes four new members to the Distribution Committee.

Through a gift in his will, safeguarded by Taranaki Foundation, Glen will be enabling scholarships for Taranaki students specifically in the areas of journalism and photography.

We are excited that we have teamed up with Trees that Count to plant native trees that were gifted as part of the Forest of Generosity initiative.

We are honoured to work with Bruce Carter, who wanted to make a lasting contribution for his community.

It takes only one person to make a difference in a person's life.

We are proud to announce that Sam Harvie is the most recent recipient of the Ohangai Centennial Teaching Scholarship.

We are proud to announce that Hawera High School students Madeline Pick and Noah Fortuin have been selected as the recipients of the Rudi Milesi Scholarship.

Taranaki Foundation is proud to once again work with the awesome team at Craigs Investment Partners to distribute early Christmas gifts to chosen community causes.

This month over $104,000 was granted to Taranaki community groups from Taranaki Foundation’s 2021 Distributions.

This fund was established in 2021 to continue to support the causes and charities he is passionate about in a strategic and meaningful way.

Help a Taranaki Child Trust recently transferred their assets to Taranaki Foundation to safeguard and grow.

Vicki and John Haylock made the generous decision to leave a legacy when their Uncle Basil left an inheritance for them.

The Cliff Perrett Trust has assisted local students with scholarships since 2006. To honour its intentions, Taranaki Foundation will continue to administer these annual scholarships which endeavour to be to assist two students each year (one for South Taranaki and one from North Taranaki).

Celebrating the growth of Taranaki Foundation’s first donor fund

New Trustees bring experience, passion and new perspectives to the Taranaki Foundation Board

Having a will gives you peace of mind that you have made the best provision possible for the people and causes you care about.

Passionate about farming and rugby and with a strong ethos for giving back, the Harvey Symes Trust was established in 1981 to support charities in South Taranaki and Patea in particular. In July 2021 the Harvey Symes Fund was transferred to the Taranaki Foundation for management.

In June 2021 the Rudi Milesi Estate was transferred to the Taranaki Foundation to provide scholarship assistance for the education and development of young people from South Taranaki in the fields of dramatic theatre and veterinary science.

Taranaki Foundation is delighted to announce this new partnership which will create numerous opportunities to raise awareness of the work we do through multiple media channels and to reach a broad audience.

Twenty-five Taranaki charities or community groups received a well-deserved funding boost from Taranaki Foundation’s 2020 Distributions. (1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021)

Robyn and Phil Hinton believe that through investing in Taranaki’s future through the Foundation, there is a real potential to enhance, change and foster the things that make a difference to everybody that lives here.

On behalf of the Craigs New Plymouth branch Giving Committee, the Foundation is pleased to distribute $5,500 to the Taranaki community organisations: Taranaki Health Foundation, Taranaki Retreat, Little Fighters Charitable Trust and New Plymouth Riding for the Disabled.

Your Foundation has a new name and brand identity that emphasizes its mission to be a renowned foundation for giving that provides an inter-generational legacy for the Taranaki community.

The Taranaki Foundation is fortunate to have generous support from our funders, sponsors, organisations, individuals and donors investing their time, resources or expertise, they enable us to grow our reach and to build a prosperous Taranaki for all.

On Friday 30 April, our glass was full as we had the amazing opportunity to briefly introduce the Taranaki Foundation - what we do, our vision and how to get involved to nearly 200 Taranaki Business Professionals over a breakfast and a lunch session with Economist Cameron Bagrie.

The memory of a Taranaki sporting legend Steve 'Coach' McKean will live on through a fund created in his name, supporting a cause close to his heart.

When Kelvin Squire joined our foundation as a Trustee in 2016 he never dreamt that two years later he and his wife Carolyn would be establishing the Taranaki Hauora Fund in memory of their son Leon who died, aged 43, in 2017.

The Foundation’s ninth Named Fund was set up in memory of Valerie Webber. Valerie was a life-long resident of Taranaki and a dedicated participant in and supporter of local voluntary organisations and sporting associations.

Our foundation’s second Named Fund was set up in memory of Dr Basil Clarke by his niece and former Te Karaka Foundation CEO Vicki Haylock. Dr Clarke was a prominent diabetes specialist who worked in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Ken and Jennifer Horner are a well-known Hāwera couple with a family history of supporting the community reaching back generations. As part of their commitment to Taranaki, they have created a Named Fund with Taranaki Foundation.

Founding donors Helen and Harry Bayliss are both from rural backgrounds and met while studying Agricultural Science at Massey University. Armed with degrees, determination and no fear of hard work, they managed to buy their first farm in Taranaki.

Terry and Angela Boon feel strongly about giving back. Terry is a fourth generation Taranaki resident, while his wife Angela moved to the region in 1970.

In 2015 the Winifred Knight Trust was transferred to Taranaki Foundation (then Te Karaka Foundation) becoming our first Named Fund. For 25 years, the Winifred Knight Trust has helped meet educational, community, cultural and recreational needs in Taranaki.

Taranaki Foundation Official Charity Partner of Taranaki Rugby.

Hawera High School graduate Elyssa Urgino is the most recent recipient of the Ohangai Centennial Teaching Scholarship from the Winifred Knight Trust.