No one could have imagined the challenges that lay ahead for our communities at the start of 2020. Taranaki Foundation Chief Executive Josh Hickford says:

“Like the rest of the world in 2020, Covid-19 had an impact on our local community and on the work of the Foundation. The highlight for the Foundation was distributing $87,000 to our community. A significant increase on recent years thanks to additional funding streams.”

In May 2020 we were pleased to give out an additional $30,000 to organisations responding to the immediate and urgent needs emerging from the COVID-19 lockdown. Our thanks go to the Tindall Foundation, of which Taranaki Foundation is the proud distribution partner, for providing an additional $25,000 to support this. Together with the funds from our Taranaki Community Fund 2020, we were able to support the following organisations:  The Kai Kitchen Trust; the Hāwera Budget Advisory Service; Tutaki Youth Trust; the Roderique Hope Trust and the New Plymouth Emergency Shelter Trust.

In the annual Tindall Foundation Funding round in October 2020, over $26,000 of funding was given to: South Taranaki Blue Light Trust; North Taranaki Community House Trust; On the House; Hawera Budget Advisory Service; New Plymouth Budget Advice Service and New Plymouth Emergency Shelter Trust.

Our Taranaki Annual Founding round saw $11,500 awarded to: Elyssa Urgino (Ohangai Scholarship Grant); Marfell Community School; The Waitara Portable Community Garden Project; South Taranaki Women’s Centre and Taranaki Toy Library.

In February 2021 Taranaki Foundation was pleased to distribute $5,500 from Craigs’ New Plymouth generous Workplace Giving. This was shared between the following Taranaki Community Organisations: New Plymouth Riding for the Disabled Trust; Little Fighters Trust; Taranaki Health Foundation and Taranaki Retreat.

Additionally, through the generosity of our donors we were are also able to make pass-through funding grants. In 2020 these included those to Taranaki Arts Festival Trust and to Taranaki Gifted Community Trust.

Taranaki Foundation Distributions Committee Chair Sandy Smith, says that these funds were welcomed more than ever before by the charitable sector.

“There were applications from a wide variety of organisations, all of whom play a vital role in a thriving community sector,” Sandy says.

“We are fortunate to be able to assist these worthy organisations thanks to the ongoing generosity of our donors and supporters.”

Read more in our Taranaki Foundation Impact Report 2020/21