We resource communities to create long-term social change
We want to see an Aotearoa New Zealand where all children and families can afford to live in warm, dry, homes, eat enough good quality kai, and have access to all they need to thrive. We want to see inclusive communities where everyone has equitable opportunities to be part of their community, enjoy meaningful work, feel connected, prosper and grow, and be happy and healthy.
Unfortunately, we know that for too many families, factors largely outside their control, such as the spiraling cost of living, and structural inequalities mean that it’s hard to afford the basics, let alone get ahead.
Our aim is to understand the social and economic conditions contributing to poverty and inequity in New Zealand and to fund initiatives that are likely to have the most meaningful impact in the long term. This means we work within very specific focus areas, building long-lasting relationships with our community partners to create lasting change.
We support communities to lead action to tackle tricky issues such as housing, youth employability, digital equity, food resilience and sovereignty, and diversity and inclusion. These issues need a long-term focus and will take sustained resources to solve.
We invest in systemic change, community-led place-based solutions, and Māori-led solutions. Our support is most often given long-term, but we sometimes support initiatives in early and innovative phases of projects where there is potential for long-term change.
What do we mean by change?
“There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.”
― Desmond Tutu
Often we try to address social problems by focusing on ‘downstream solutions,’ helping people after the damage has already been done. For example, we treat asthma and other illnesses which often result from living in poor housing conditions instead of focusing upstream and making sure homes are affordable and healthy in the first place.
While downstream fixes are important, the Todd Foundation’s approach is to resource the work that communities are doing upstream to give rise to a more equitable and inclusive Aotearoa. That’s because we believe that if we collectively tackle the upstream issues, changes will flow downstream to benefit a lot of people in the longer-term.
Change Partners
Te Matapihi he tirohanga mō te iwi Trust
Te Matapihi is the peak national body for Māori housing solutions. Key issues they are seeking to address include: home ownership, homelessness, supporting papakāinga development, and growing and strengthening Māori housing providers. The Todd Foundation are proud to be their first non-government funding source and to support them to champion indigenous aspirations and innovations in the housing space.
Total amount: $650,000
Time period funded: 2021 - 2026
Wesley Community Action
Our funding supported WCA to establish Te Hiko - Centre for Community Innovation. They privilege the voice and participation of people in the community and provide a backbone to support community led development in Porirua and the Hutt Valley.
Total amount: $570,000
Time period funded: 2019 - 2025
The D*List
The D*List is a disability-led movement on a mission to transform attitudes to disability, disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori. Alongside Foundation North, J R McKenzie Trust, and the Spectrum Foundation, Todd Foundation funding is supporting The D*List to establish a team and support community-led engagement and development.
Total amount: $450,000
Time period funded: 2023 - 2025
Seeds for Change (led by Seed Waikato) is growing a network of social entrepreneurs and changemakers who believe equity is at the heart of thriving communities. Their mission is to strengthen and support the growing sector of Change Champions in Aotearoa, believing that young people have a vital role to play in growing movements for systemic change. Seeds for change is focused on mapping and building relationships with those working in Aotearoa’s systems change ecosystem and making it easy for changemakers to connect, support, and learn from each other.
Total amount: $91,900
Time period funded: 2022 - 2023
Digital Equity Coalition Aotearoa
DECA connects and supports the digital inclusion community in Aotearoa. The mission is digital equity, the way they aim to achieve it is through uniting the sector to create greater impact together.
"We shine a light on digital inclusion initiatives, identify gaps, advocate, connect people and projects, offer space to collaborate and innovate."
Total amount: $670,000
Time period funded: 2021 - 2025
Manaaki Rangatahi
Manaaki Rangatahi started as a collective impact initiative in Auckland and has grown to a systemic change focussed youth and Māori-led movement. Our funding is enabling them to continue their work while exploring national expansion. Manaaki Rangatahi aims to end youth homelessness in Aotearoa.
Total amount: $715,000
Time period funded: 2021 - 2026
Te Pai Roa Tika - Transforming Taitokerau
Te Pai Roa Tika - Transforming Taitokerau is a collective iwi response to ensure that the Taitokerau Māori economy can realise its potential and lead the change that is needed in Northland. They are building 'a self-sustained investment platform that has the economic wellbeing of our communities and Te Taiao at its core.'
Total amount: $300,000
Time period funded: 2021 - 2024
Leadership Lab Foundation
Todd Foundation funding supports Leadership Lab initiatives, designed to grow leaders in Canterbury and wider Aotearoa New Zealand who develop equitable and flourishing communities and organisations.
Leadership Lab partners with organisations and communities to connect and grow agents of social change, harness collective expertise and co-create unique responses to complex challenges.
Total amount: $440,000
Time period funded: 2020 - 2027
The Tāiki e! Impact hub in the heart of Gisborne is a collaborative space with a shared agenda for social and environmental action. They ‘lead with aroha’ and are focused on bringing people together who are passionate about creating systemic change by using collaborative design principles and entrepreneurial thinking.
Total amount: $360,000
Time period funded: 2021-2024
Youth Employability Aotearoa
YEA is a collective of national and regional organisations and networks leading youth employability initiatives. They are working together to map, unite and support the initiatives working towards a vision that "By 2030, all rangatahi in Aotearoa will have the skills and confidence to thrive in the changing world of work, learning and life".
Total amount: $475,000
Time period funded: 2021 - 2025
Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective
Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective brings together community, producers, retailers, philanthropy, and government to build Te Tiriti-grounded, long-term, sustainable solutions to create a food secure Aotearoa.
Total amount: $810,000
Time period funded: 2020 - 2025
Tuanui – Wainuiomata Healthy Homes for All
The Tū Kotahi Māori Asthma Trust, Takiri Mai te Ata Whānau Ora Collective, Regional Public Health, Hutt City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council, Sustainability Trust and He Kāinga Oranga have joined forces to realise their ambitious 10-year vision that ‘every child, adult, kaumatua in Wainuiomata lives in a warm, dry, healthy home’. The Wellington Regional Healthy Housing Group is supporting them to influence policy, regulation and resourcing decisions to enable the project vision to be realised.
Total amount: $300,000
Time period funded: 2022 - 2025
VOYCE Whakarongo Mai
VOYCE Whakarongo Mai (Voice of the Young and Care Experienced – Listen to me) was established in 2017 and helps to advocate for the approximately 6000 children with care experience (children in foster or whānau care) in New Zealand. They exist to amplify the voices of these children and ensure that they are heard – to positively influence their individual care and to collectively affect change in the wider care system.
Total amount: $825,000
Time period funded: 2018 - 2027
Papawhakaritorito Charitable Trust
Papawhakaritorito undertakes kaupapa Māori research, education and development in relation to Māori food sovereignty. We are supporting the development of their collaborative project, Feed the Whānau, which will grow youth leadership in Māori soil and food sovereignty.
Total amount: $485,000 over three years
Time period funded: 2022 - 2024
