Hon Alfred Ngaro
Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
Hon Te Ururoa Flavell
Minister for Māori Development
EMBARGOED UNTIL 5.00PM
04 July 2017
Media Statement
Government announces funding for innovative business model
Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector Alfred Ngaro and Minister for Māori Devlopment Te Ururoa Flavell say
Government funding will help support the growth of businesses working to make a difference in their communities.
Speaking to an audience of Social Enterprises and policy leads at the Social Enterprise Summit in Parliament today,
Ministers announced $1.85 million of government funding to help grow the Social Enterprise sector and research about to
begin on how the business model is working in New Zealand.
“Social enterprise is one of the most exciting new trends in business,” says Community and Voluntary Sector Minister,
Alfred Ngaro.
“Increasingly we know that people are looking for ‘meaning’ in their work and the social enterprise model is a great way
of achieving that. Using traditional commercial business practices to meet social goals is a clever idea and is making a
real difference in communities across the country.
“This funding will help grow that impact while our planned research will help us understand the size, scale and value of
Social Enterprise in New Zealand.”
Minister for Māori Development, Te Ururoa Flavell co-hosted the event and highlighted how the model is one that will be
familiar to Māori.
“The ingenious approach of social enterprises using standard business practices to support social aspirations and
missions was pioneered by our tīpuna,” says Mr Flavell.
“Iwi organisations, Māori social service providers, Marae Trusts, and Māori Land Trusts are all independent entities
using business infrastructure and commercial strategies to generate income which is then redirected to improve social
outcomes for iwi and Māori.”
“As a Government we’ve made a commitment to help the sector grow and the discussions and announcements coming out of
this Summit will do just that,” says Mr Ngaro.
“I’m excited to see how both the Summit and the Social Enterprise World Forum taking place in Christchurch later this
year, tap into the great work being done by so many kiwis and how they’ll act as a springboard for many others waiting
in the wings.”