Restoring marine biodiversity, empowering low-income families with affordable low-emissions transport, and developing
new ways to support New Zealanders facing financial difficulty are the focus of three projects selected for support
through the BNZ Foundation's inaugural grant round.
$590,000 will go to three charitable programmes: Revive Our Gulf, Waka Aronui, and a new partnership aimed at improving
community resilience.
"This marks a significant milestone for the Foundation as we transition from planning to action," says Dan Huggins, BNZ
Foundation Chair. "After 18 months laying the groundwork for the Foundation, we’re delighted to now be in the position
to provide tangible support to projects that will make a significant, positive difference for New Zealand.
"The organisations we are partnering with share our vision for a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Aotearoa and
align with our funding mandate to make strategic investments in the areas of regenerating biodiversity and improving
financial wellbeing,” Mr Huggins says.Restoring the Hauraki Gulf's marine ecosystem
Revive Our Gulf—spearheaded by the Mussel Reef Restoration Trust in collaboration with iwi and research partners—is set
to receive a significant boost with a three-year, $450,000 commitment from the BNZ Foundation.
The project is at the forefront of restoring the Hauraki Gulf's soft sediment kūtai (green lipped mussel) reefs: vital
ecosystems that once flourished in the region. The project aims to increase biodiversity, enhance water quality, and
re-establish critical natural habitats for marine life.
Revive Our Gulf has already deployed over 350 tonnes of mussels in experimental mussel beds in the Hauraki Gulf. As
these beds continue to grow in number, thorough monitoring becomes increasingly important. The BNZ Foundation’s
financial support will fuel the development of a comprehensive programme for monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on
the Gulf’s health and the effectiveness of restoration efforts.Empowering low-income families with sustainable transportation
Currently in the second year of a three-year pilot in south Auckland, Waka Aronui is a social car leasing programme
which aims to provide low-income whānau with safe, affordable, and low-emissions vehicles to support an equitable
transition to a greener future.
Many low-income families grapple with costly, high-interest vehicle finance, often leading to unaffordable, poorly
maintained, and uninsured vehicles. The pilot, spearheaded by the Ākina Foundation and the Manukau Urban Māori
Authority, has shown promising results, improving financial and mental wellbeing, along with environmental benefits
through CO2 emissions reductions.
With a $110,000 grant from the BNZ Foundation, a comprehensive feasibility study will explore options to scale the
programme to new regions across New Zealand as well as the potential to incorporate new solutions such as vehicle
sharing and e-bikes.Growing the financial wellbeing of New Zealanders
Thanks to seed funding from a range of philanthropic foundations, including a $30,000 contribution from the BNZ
Foundation, The Centre for Sustainable Finance: Toitū Tahua is establishing a new partnership between corporates, iwi,
and community organisations to support more resilient communities. The partnership aims to foster collaboration between
corporates and community organisations and encourage new practices, products and services that ensure New Zealanders
facing economic hardship can always access essential goods and services.
"These partnerships reflect our commitment to impactful investment. It's about taking a targeted approach, making every
dollar count, and ensuring that our resources bring about substantial and lasting positive change for the country,” says
Mr Huggins.
John McCarthy, BNZ Foundation Independent Trustee, says, “The investment decisions we make are deeply rooted in the
principles of Kaitiakitanga and Manaakitanga, values that all our partners embody. We look forward to working closely
with them and accelerating positive change for our communities.”
For more information on the BNZ Foundation and its funding programmes, please visit bnz.co.nz/bnzfoundation.