Over $271k in funding was approved by Trust Tairāwhiti in the July funding round, supporting ten community groups and organisations.
Nōna Te Ao Charitable Trust was the largest recipient this month. The group will receive $200,000 over two years to support Te Kura Tīwaka in Tairāwhiti, a co-designed response to local need driven by rangatahi, whānau, kura and community aspirations.
Nōna Te Ao has a track record of success through the programmes it offers rangatahi, including the Loose Change programme, pathways programme and Ahi Kā alumni programme.
In 2024, these programmes collectively resulted in an 87 per cent average secondary school retention rate, with 53 per cent of school leavers progressing to higher education and 23 per cent securing employment. A total of 24 Māori university scholarships were awarded to tauira from these programmes in 2024 alone. Schools involved in the programmes Nōna Te Ao offer have seen a significant boost in NCEA achievement, attendance and engagement. The programmes have also come full circle for 25 alumni who have returned as paid mentors.
Te Kura Tīwaka builds on this proven foundation, offering a comprehensive pathway for rangatahi from years nine to 13, leading to alumni transition and employment.
Other community funding recipients this month:
- Poverty Bay Kayak Club - $66k to restore and upgrade its clubhouse facility.
- Rua Bioscience LTD - $50k towards its annual programme of social impact initiatives. This includes the Rua scholarship programme, which has granted 53 scholarships across diverse fields since its inception in 2020, the compassionate access programme, the industry capability development programme and their rangatahi and community exposure initiatives.
- Hinetamatea Marae - $40k to repair and upgrade the car park and drainage system damaged in Cyclone Gabrielle.
- Tūranganui Schools Māori Cultural Festival - $18k to support the 40th anniversary of the annual kapa haka festival, where thousands of tamariki perform each year.
- Mates of Tairāwhiti - $15k to support the regional rollout of the Mates Mana workshop, which teaches stress management and self-care strategies, focusing on reaching rural and remote communities across Tairāwhiti.
- Taharora Marae - $10k to install an upgraded fire safety system to meet compliance requirements.
- Tongan Methodist Church - $9,930 to resource musical instruments for its weekly youth groups and to support the delivery of their annual rangatahi event.
Feasibility funding recipients this month:
- Tairāwhiti campus (EIT) - $25k for a drone prototype that will support advanced aerospace technology research and undergraduate teaching at EIT Tairāwhiti.
- Tairāwhiti Environment Centre - $22k to undertake a study investigating how to reduce the high volume of construction and demolition waste sent to landfills by identifying local diversion opportunities.
- Mesh Technology Solutions LTD - $15k to explore the potential for a regionally owned, provenance-driven beef and lamb supply chain in Tairāwhiti.
All successful funding applicants demonstrated outcomes that align with the Trust’s wellbeing framework, He Rangitapu He Tohu Ora.