Arron Perriam
Executive Director
CFNZ
7 October 2021
A wise head once said, “humility is knowing you’re no better than anyone else and confidence is knowing you’re no worse.”
Having visited most of our Community Foundations over recent months it’s clear that the sun is rising on Community Foundations across Aotearoa New Zealand. Confidence in this model is building, which is super encouraging, but also not all that surprising! Kiwis are very generous and they believe in a shared vision of strengthening communities from within, which is our collective vision, ‘hei whakakaha, i ngā hāpori o Aotearoa.’
Interestingly, I’ve observed several common success traits across Community Foundations that are experiencing growth and making an impact locally. These include;
In a nutshell, Community Foundations hold a really unique space in communities connecting generosity with community needs and opportunities. My observations are that we are doing this with skill, networks, confidence and humility which enable us to own this privileged space and to authentically work towards building stronger, thriving communities.
May 30th marked a milestone for Southland, New Zealand, as the community launched its very own community foundation, as a means to provide the infrastructure for locals to give in a long-term, strategic way. The launch, held at the Chamber of Commerce in Invercargill, was the culmination of two years of planning...
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