Insight - Shifting Culture and Power through Mana-Enhancing Partnerships

Our Centre for Social Impact (CSI) insights papers provide a brief overview of the research and analysis we undertake with our clients and partners.

Our latest insights paper introduces our second report on the philanthropic landscape, Shifting Culture and Power through Mana-Enhancing Partnerships. The report, developed by CSI in partnership with the J R McKenzie Trust, is a companion piece to The Philanthropic Landscape Volume I – Trends and Practices in Contemporary Philanthropy published in 2019.

Shifting Culture and Power through Mana-Enhancing Partnerships explores how the trends identified in 2019 are being brought to life today by funders across Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia to build impactful, mana-enhancing funding partnerships. Nine key themes emerged that inform the approaches funders are taking to develop ways of working together with ngā kaikōkiri (communities, funded groups, grantees) in service of a kaupapa or shared purpose.

The insights paper introduces the key themes: humility, values and courage to change; trust and connection; focus on the kaupapa/purpose; intergenerational horizons; healthy accountability; self-determination and agency; reciprocity, leadership and service; from allyship to coalition; and learning and unlearning.

The full report is available here, alongside videos of funders speaking to their practice. Volume 1 Trends and Practices in Contemporary Philanthropy is available here.

Watch a 90min webinar below, facilitated by CSI associates Kat Dawnier and Kate Cherrington, joined by guest speakers Dr Katie Bruce from HuiE!, Jenn Chowaniec from Wayne Francis Charitable Trust, Niall Fay from Fay Fuller Foundation, Maria Ramsay from Toi Foundation and Gael Surgenor from Peter McKenzie Project, sharing experiences from their journey and what it takes to centre equity, share power and decolonise practice.