Otago Community Trust is pleased to announce that it will be introducing a new strategic plan from 1 April 2022 which sets out the direction for the Trust over the next five years.

Otago Community Trust chair Diccon Sim says the new strategic plan has been developed to guide the Trust into the future.

“The Trust intends its new strategy to assist it work even more closely with Otago communities and key stakeholders in responding to, and facilitating, opportunities for the benefit of Otago.”

From 1 April 2022 funding decisions will be categorised under four new funding pillars which will represent the Trust’s four strategic focus areas of granting. These areas are:

• Empowered Communities,

• Improved Health and Wellbeing,

• Increased Access to Opportunities, and

• Thriving Children and Young people.

Projects falling under the former Funding for Change strategic priorities of Warm Homes, Regionally Significant Cycle Ways and Youth Health, Wellbeing and Employment will continue to be considered, but within the framework of our new, and broader, funding pillars, Mr Sim said.

Otago Community Trust chief executive Barbara Bridger said under our new Thriving Children and Young people funding pillar we have also developed a dedicated strategy to support Otago’s children (tamariki) and young people (rangatahi).

“This dedicated strategy follows years of work and consultation with the sector to understand the needs in the region and how the Trust can best support the aspirations of the youth sector and the regions young people.”

Ms Bridger said that details of what the Trust will fund under the new Tamariki and Rangatahi Strategy and what the funding framework will look like are now currently being finalised and the Trust expects to launch a new strategic fund in the first half of 2022 specifically to benefit tamariki and rangatahi.

Other changes as part of the Trust’s new strategic plan include the identification of priority communities.

Ms Bridger said Otago Community Trust will continue to fund what it has always funded.

“We can’t stress this enough. We will continue to support the grass root organisations that contribute to the fabric of our community.”

However, as part of our new strategic plan we also need to look to the future and fund strategically to have a lasting and beneficial impact. As a result, from 1 April 2022 the Trust may prioritise funding to the following priority communities with the aim to address the inequities they experience, Ms Bridger said.

Otago Community Trust’s new priority communities are children and young people, Māori, Pasifika, former refugees, new migrants, rainbow communities, those experiencing mental health issues, people living with a disability, rurally or in isolation, and those facing hardship.

Otago communities and key stakeholders are welcome to contact the Trust with any questions they may have.

Otago Community Trust New Strategic Plan

https://www.oct.org.nz/about-us/our-strategic-plan

Otago Community Trust New Tamariki and Rangatahi Strategy

https://www.oct.org.nz/files/dmfile/tamariki-rangatahi-strategy_2021.pdf

About the Otago Community Trust

The Otago Community Trust is a philanthropic organisation which applies its Trust funds for charitable and other purposes which are of benefit to the community. The Otago Community Trust has its origins in the Dunedin Savings Bank, established in 1864 by public spirited citizens seeking to encourage thrift within the community, and distribute surplus profits to charitable causes.

In 1988 the Government restructured the ownership of regional savings banks and gifted the ownership of the Otago Savings Bank to the community through the establishment of the Trust Bank Otago Community Trust. The amalgamation of the regional savings banks resulted in the establishment of Trust Bank New Zealand Ltd. In the mid 1990’s the Otago Community Trust as it is now known sold its shares in Trust Bank New Zealand Ltd for $131M and invested the proceeds.

The Trust now has over $300M invested and since inception has granted more than $185M into the Otago Region. The Trust aims to make wise investment decisions that preserve the original capital for future generations as well as having a healthy grants budget each year.

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