Tēnā koutou katoa,
When I reflect on this past year, I’m reminded of the whakataukī I shared in our last December Dial: Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua - I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on the past.
At the time of writing, 2024 was a shapeless mystery yet to unfold, and many of us were equally wary and excited anticipating the challenges and opportunities that would define the year. Considering this whakataukī today, my mind is flooded with examples of times where the Centre, wider sector, and community have drawn on lessons from the past to inform our decisions for the future.
The question of how to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi has been top of mind for many this year. In recognising the increased interest among funders to explore and understand practical applications of te Tiriti, we created a new resource that draws on the funder experience to support the sector on this journey.
It was great to see CSI’s contribution to the sector at the Combined Community Trusts Conference in November, where a number of associates were invited to present on a range of topics we have been exploring recently. The conference was an opportunity to catch up and connect with new and familiar faces, and learn more about the mahi taking place across the motu. On behalf of the CSI network and team, I mihi to our hosts, Community Trust South, for the hospitality, care, and consideration that went into bringing the conference to life.
If you’re searching for inspiring summer listening, we have recently added three new episodes to our TenforTen podcast – a series where leaders from across Aotearoa share their wisdom, perspectives on society, mahi, and hopes for the future.
Finally, I want to thank everyone who has contributed to and supported both myself and the Centre in our mahi this year – your generous sharing has enabled some great achievements, and created ripples we are certain will turn into waves of change.
Ki te kotahi te kākaho, ka whati; ki te kāpuia, e kore e whati
When a reed stands alone it is vulnerable, but a group of reeds together is unbreakable
Karinia Lee, Head of Centre | Kaihautu
Centre for Social Impact
Toitu te Tiriti
Philanthropic organisations are increasingly looking to how they can honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi through partnership and genuine power-sharing. The Centre’s new Tiriti resource provides an overview of te Tiriti and considerations for funders. The resource includes video interviews in which CSI Associate Kate Cherrington explores the Tiriti journeys of Toi Foundation with Maria Ramsay, Community Trust South with Jackie Flutey and Mata Cherrington, Trust Waikato with Dennis Turton and Rongo Kirkwood and JR McKenzie Trust with Chelsea Grootvelt.
The Treaty Principles Bill has led to a wider public discussion about te Tiriti. Public submissions on the bill are open until 7th
January 2025, see here for more information.
A funder’s guide to supporting advocacy
Advocacy can be a powerful tool for systems change. It can help raise awareness of an issue, win hearts and minds, change the way organisations work, and influence Government policy. The potential for advocacy to effect change is what makes it attractive to philanthropic funders.
This resource explores what advocacy is, why funders should consider advocacy, and how it can be used. Two case studies demonstrate the power of advocacy in action: the mahi of Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi, Auckland’s regional arts trust to support the creative sector of Tāmaki Makaurau to have a voice on issues such as local and central government arts policies and funding; and Foundation North’s GIFT initiative (Gulf Innovation Fund Together) which focused on the restoration of the mauri (life force) of Tīkapa Moana/Te Moananui-ā-Toi (the Hauraki Gulf).
TenforTen podcast series
If you’re looking for some summer listening, our TenforTen podcast series of interviews with social impact leaders is growing. The latest additions: Chief Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad; Qiane Matata-Sipu, founder and creator of the social impact movement, NUKU; Dan Gerrard, Programme Director at Leadership New Zealand and CSI Associate; and Red Nicholson, Executive Director at The D*List, a disability-led social change movement. Watch our social media for the upcoming interviews with coach, facilitator and educator, Shruthi Vijayakumar; and co-founders of Fibre Fale and systems change activators Eteroa Lafaele and Julia Arnott-Neenee.
Social investment and social return on investment
Social investment is a key concept driving the coalition government’s approach to the funding and delivery of social services. Social investment has its own Minister for Social Investment, the Hon Nicola Willis, and a stand-alone Social Investment Agency headed by former Commissioner of Police, Andrew Coster.
Social investment, alongside an approach to determining value called social return on investment, is now a significant topic of conversation between funders and the community sector. CSI Associate Rachael Trotman has explored these concepts and what they mean for philanthropy in this think piece, Social investment and social return on investment.
Haumanu facilitation training
Haumanu, an approach to restorative systems change that draws from mātauranga Māori and western knowledge, continues to be developed by CSI Associates Louise Marra, Tuihana Ohia, Kate Cherrington, Rachael Trotman and Chloe Harwood. This year, CSI offered a group of accomplished facilitators learning to facilitate Haumanu in their cultural context. This group of 15 facilitators came together for three kanohi ki te kanohi hui as well as three online wānanga to learn about Haumanu, the Āta process and how to include Haumanu in their own practices as well as being able to support organisations looking to do this work. This video captures some reflections from participants on the impact of their experience.
Haumanu sits in a broader international context of healing-centred systems change work. The Collective Change Lab website features five case studies of approaches to this work, including a case study of Haumanu. The case studies are available here.
Participatory grantmaking: The Foundation North experience
Foundation North has been developing its experience of participatory grantmaking as a high-trust, community-led approach to advance impact across its strategic focus areas. Between 2019 and 2023 the Foundation supported five participatory grantmaking initiatives; The Pacific Youth Future Makers, the Asian Artists’ Fund, Roskill Decides, Kōrero Mai Papakura and Oranga Decides. These included the participation of diverse community panels and a range of different co-funders.
This new report, Participatory Grantmaking, commissioned from CSI by Foundation North, draws on case studies of the five initiatives to review different participatory approaches, the challenges and the factors that contribute to success, and the lessons learned by Foundation North, participants, stakeholders and other funders.
Helping philanthropic funders to understand impact
In 2022, Foundation North commissioned CSI to strengthen its practices in understanding the impact of its funding and non-funding activities. CSI associates interviewed local and international funders and evaluators, reviewed relevant literature and explored Te Tiriti o Waitangi implications for understanding impact. This animation, and three brief reports, Leading Practice, Foundations, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi consideration share the findings from this helpful enquiry into impact with other fellow philanthropic funders.
Combined Community Trusts - Dr Hana O’Regan
If you were at the conference and saw the challenging presentation by Dr Hana O’Regan (Kāti Rakiāmoa, Kāti Ruahikihiki, Kāi Tūāhuriri, Kāti Waewae), you may be interested in this video of a presentation by Hana at a CSI learning event in 2017. The event explored philanthropy’s potential contribution to changing expectations and outcomes for rangatahi. In her presentation Hana, at the time General Manager, Oranga for Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, addressed the need to challenge negative stereotypes and create a new narrative for rangatahi that builds cultural confidence.
State of the Sector report
Community Networks Aotearoa bi-annual survey of iwi, community, and volunteer sector organisations in 2024 shows these have not bounced back from the shock of the COVID pandemic. Few organisations are in a better position financially than they were two years ago, and more are using reserves. The cost-of-living crisis and the complexity of issues facing organisations and their communities are placing the sector under stress. Despite this, commitment to their mahi supports both paid workforce and volunteer resilience and innovation as they navigate the challenges. The report is available here.