Lifting all waka on the rising tide

September is Wills Month - Blog Series

Miriama Kamo
CFANZ Ambassador
28 August 2024

The cost of living and the job market are biting New Zealanders. The charity sector is working hard to plug the gaps but there aren’t enough donations to meet all needs. And for those that can donate, it can be difficult to know where to give. Who do we support? Where will our giving make the biggest impact?

No one wants to fund the proverbial ambulance, it’s stopping those at risk of toppling over the cliff that we want to catch.

So, it’s thoughtful giving that’ll have the most impact. This is one of the reasons I’m an Ambassador for New Zealand’s Community Foundations network. It’s a young and growing network offering the opportunity to give back to communities in an informed and strategic way. The network offers insight and advice to help achieve impact across your interest areas – for me that’s Te Ao Māori, environment and education. I love that giving can be so specific to the things that matter to me and can work for the future of Aotearoa.

Community Foundations match community need with donor interests, and they offer options to give for the long term. Some of the larger gifts – and these often come from people’s estates - set up invested funds that are dedicated to tackling a particular cause area. So, you can actually set up your own named fund to be invested in perpetuity - it’s a bit like having your own trust that gives out grants to cause areas of your choice, without all the hassle.

Community Foundations of Aotearoa NZ talk about the 500-year plan, growing funds in communities, funds that are grown by the community, for the community. This resonates for me as it’s how we operate in te ao Māori, with an intergenerational and collective outlook that seeks to raise up everyone.

September is Wills Month so it’s the perfect time to assess where and how you’ll give. Perhaps it’ll be a gift in your will and invested for the benefit of your local community. Karawhuia e te whānau, use this upcoming time to invest in our future, together.

Find out more and download a free Will Information Pack >>