At our board meeting in May we bade farewell to Lee Cooper, one of our independent trustees and representative of the Council of Trade Unions (CTU). Lee served as a trustee for a total of ten years, starting as an alternate for the first two years and then serving as a board member for the following eight. We asked Lee to reflect on his time with the Todd Foundation and what it meant to him.
Lee Cooper:
Reflecting on my first board meeting on 19 May 2015, I felt both resolute and committed. With prior governance experience, I was determined to honour the legacy of generosity the Todd family has upheld while working towards meaningful changes for the sectors and communities we serve. The meeting had a real sense of occasion, marked by the recent retirement of Sir John Todd as board chair and the conclusion of Helen Kelly's term, who entrusted me as the CTU representative. Kāhore i ārikarika wāku hakamiha atu ki a Tā John rāua ko Helen mō ngā mahi rangatira i oti pai i a rāua; kia au tonu tō kourua moe | My enduring admiration to Sir John and Helen for the valued work that they accomplished; may they continue to rest in peace.
Over my decade on the board, I take pride in many initiatives, particularly in two key areas. First, we have built a strong 'family culture' within the Foundation, evolving from its humble 1972 beginnings with family-only board members and no staff, to our current structure, which includes four family members, four external board representatives, and our amazing staff, aka ‘the glue’ that keeps us together. The ‘family culture’ of the Foundation is like no other. Our board meetings are inclusive, allowing all voices to be heard.
Second, we have transformed our funding approach from the previous ‘scattergun’ method of giving lesser amounts to many, toward a more strategic model that included competitive grant rounds and partnership funding. More recently, instead of relying on applications and pitches, we proactively seek out communities, groups, and collectives to collaborate with, focusing on long-term social change through high-trust, long-term, and relationship-focused partnerships.
In my time at the Foundation, I have learned that meaningful philanthropy requires a multitude of components, which I refer to as the 3 P’s: people, place, and purpose.
Community ‘people,’ in and out of their communities, know intimately what is needed for effective community-led solutions. Philanthropic people give funding, share time and expertise, and use their influence and networks to make the world a better place, community by community.
‘Place’ is characterised by our knowledge and whakapapa relationships to the taiao environment, whenua, Papatūānuku, wai, and our communities in Aotearoa New Zealand as well as the global philanthropic eco-system.
‘Purpose,’ defined by philanthropic individuals, groups, and organisations, is their ‘why.’ For instance, the Foundation’s purpose is “Whakawhāiti Aotearoa, hei oranga wairua, oranga tāngata | An inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand where all families, children, and young people can thrive and contribute,” while the Philanthropy NZ purpose is “to grow and celebrate effective giving,” with the mission to “enable positive change, inspire generosity, and strengthen the funding system.”
My advice to the next trustee, Virgil Iraia, is simple: “Karawhiua! Go for it! Don’t fill my shoes; rather, bring your own skills and expertise to bear, and hit the ground running.”
The trustees and staff would like to thank Lee for his warm and thoughtful contributions to the Foundation.
