Hawke's Bay Foundation

12/06/2026

You don't need to pick a cause. That's the point.

The Hawke's Bay Community Fund is the heart of what we do - and it works a little differently to other charitable giving.

When you give to the Community Fund, you don't need to nominate a specific cause or organisation. A dedicated distributions committee assesses the greatest needs facing our region each year and directs funding to the organisations best placed to meet them.

That matters because community need shifts over time. What Hawke's Bay needed in 2012 looks different to what it needs today, and different again to what it will need in 2050. The Community Fund moves with those changes - responsive, local, and guided by people with deep roots in this region.

Since 2012, over 540 grants to local charitable organisations have been distributed through this fund alone. Whether you give once or regularly, your contribution joins a permanent pool that keeps working for Hawke's Bay long after you're gone.

💛 Head to our website to find out more about giving to this Fund.

08/06/2026

Well, well, well - what could be going on here? 🎥

One evening we took a film crew down to Central Hawke's Bay to capture the rangatahi of EPIC Ministries doing what they do best.

Epic Ministries Inc. has been empowering young people to reach their potential for years. This time we were pretty lucky to be along for the ride.

More to come. Watch this space. 💛

08/06/2026

Our 2025 Impact Report is out now.

It's been a big year for Hawke's Bay Foundation and the community we serve. A few highlights:

💛 $738,661 distributed in total across 2025
💛 78 local charities supported through our annual funding round
💛 $13.96 million in total funds under management
💛 9.60% gross annual return on investments
💛 546 grants made to local charities since 2012
💛 A record 121 applications received - up 16% on 2024

Behind every number is a community organisation showing up for Hawke's Bay. We're proud to help make that possible.

There's also a lot more in the report, including some of our favourite stories from the last year. Click the link below to read it in full.

https://hawkesbayfoundation.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/HBF_Impact-Report_2025.pdf

08/06/2026

Well deserved recognition for the team at Te Mata Park Trust 💛

Since 2021, hundreds of Hawke's Bay rangatahi have been getting their hands in the soil at Te Mata Park - planting native trees, caring for the whenua, and growing into the next generation of kaitiaki for this special place.

This is exactly what local giving makes possible. A modest grant, a great organisation, and an idea that is now being recognised across more than 20 countries.

Tino pai rawa atu to the whole Schools for Trees whānau. 💛

🌿 International recognition for Schools for Trees 🌿

We are incredibly proud to share that our Schools for Trees programme has won a Green Flag Award International "Best of the Best" award. The programme won for Best Local Community/Grassroots Project, placing it among just four winners selected from entries across more than 20 countries.

Since 2021, hundreds of local students have rolled up their sleeves to help restore Te Mata Park, planting and caring for native trees in their own dedicated school plots. Through this mahi, they are developing a lasting connection to the whenua and becoming the next generation of kaitiaki for the Park.

The international judging panel recognised Schools for Trees as an innovative, low-cost model for building future environmental stewards while restoring native biodiversity.

This award belongs to the many people who have helped make the programme a success. A heartfelt thank you to our participating schools, students, and teachers, and funders Trees That Count and Hawke's Bay Foundation for their support along the way.

Ngā mihi nui to everyone who has been part of the journey.

To read more about the award win, go here:

https://www.tematapark.co.nz/schools-for-trees-programme-honoured-with-international-award/

01/06/2026

Final reminder: funding applications close this Thursday.

If your organisation has been thinking about applying to our 2026 funding round, this is your last chance. Applications close this Thursday 4 June.

Up to $15,000 is available per organisation, covering both project and operational costs.

💛 Apply now via our website

29/05/2026

74 organisations. Six sessions. Two days. One clear message.

Recently we hosted our annual roundtable hui with funded organisations from across Hawke's Bay. The brief was simple: share your sparkly moments and your biggest challenges.

We heard both.

Demand is rising across food insecurity, housing, mental health and family harm. Fuel costs are preventing whānau from accessing support. Volunteers are burning out.

And yet the stories of transformation kept coming - young people gaining employment, growing in confidence, finding belonging.

One line has stayed with us: many young people do not lack talent or potential - they simply need someone to believe in them.

Ngā mihi nui to all 74 organisations. The mahi you do is the reason local giving matters.

💛 Read the full article here: https://hawkesbayfoundation.org.nz/sparkly-moments-keep-charities-going-amid-growing-fatigue/

💛 Applications for our 2026 funding round are open now, closing 4 June.

15/05/2026

A worthwhile evening for anyone in business, governance, or community leadership.

She Leads: Driven by Impact brings together women leading in the not-for-profit and community sector to share honest insight into what it takes to create lasting change.

Alongside our EO Alesha Hope, you'll hear from Misty King of Mates4Life Hawke's Bay and Deidré Venter of Heretaunga Women's Centre.

Register your place today!

📅 Tuesday 26 May, Te Rae, Hastings
🔗 Register: https://www.hbchamber.nz/events-training/events/she-leads-driven-by-impact/

Alesha Hope, Executive Officer of Hawke's Bay Foundation, will join She Leads: Driven By Impact to share how philanthropy and sustainable funding support long-term community impact.

Her perspective will help show how individuals, families, and businesses can contribute to stronger, more resilient local communities.

Be part of the conversation on Tuesday 26 May at Te Rae in Hastings. Supported by ChamberWorks and Bizdom. Register here: https://www.hbchamber.nz/events-training/events/she-leads-driven-by-impact/

04/05/2026

If your organisation is doing good mahi in Hawke's Bay, we want to hear from you.

Here's what you need to know:

💛 Applications open today, Monday 4 May
💛 Applications close Thursday 4 June
💛 Up to $15,000 available per organisation
💛 Covers both project and operational costs
💛 One application considered across two funding streams - Hawke's Bay Foundation and The Tindall Foundation
💛 Open to registered charities and organisations with a charitable purpose within the Hawke's Bay region
💛 Decisions notified in early September, funds distributed shortly after

This is your chance to secure funding that makes a real difference to the people and communities you serve.

💛 Head to our website for the full criteria and sample application form.

Please contact us directly if you have any questions - we're happy to help.

30/04/2026

Most funders will cover your project costs. Fewer will cover your power bill.

At Hawke's Bay Foundation, we will.

When our annual funding round opens on Monday, organisations can apply for both project costs and general operating expenses - things like salaries, wages and rent. The costs that keep the doors open and the mahi going.

We know that without reliable operational funding, even the best community programmes struggle to survive. A new initiative means nothing if the organisation behind it can't pay its staff.

Up to $15,000 is available per organisation, and your application is automatically considered across two funding streams - Hawke's Bay Foundation and The Tindall Foundation - from a single submission.

Applications open Monday May 4th and close on Thursday June 4th.

💛 Head to our website to learn more

24/04/2026

Lest we forget.

On this day we pause to remember those who served, and those who gave everything for the communities and freedoms we enjoy today.

Anzac Day reminds us that the strength of a place lives in its people.