Trust Horizon

06/10/2026

👋 We're hiring! Community Impact Partner
Permanent Part-Time | Whakatāne

Trust Horizon is looking for a curious, approachable, and community-minded person to join our small but dedicated team as a Community Impact Partner.

In this role, you'll work alongside local organisations, identify opportunities for meaningful change, and help turn community aspirations into lasting impact through granting and impact investing.

We're looking for someone with strong relationship-building skills, sound judgement, and experience in community development, philanthropy, grantmaking, social services or a related field. Commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, equity, and community voice is important.

If building trust, working with discretion, and collaboration are your strengths, we'd love to hear from you.

To apply, send your cover letter and CV to [email protected].
A Position Description is available on request.

, applications close at 5pm on 27 October 2026.

05/10/2026

🏠 Warmer, safer, and more energy-efficient care in Kawerau

We're proud to support Mountain View Rest Home with a $150,812 grant to upgrade heating and improve emergency preparedness across their 54-bed facility in Kawerau.

The funding will see 40 heat pumps installed across five wings of the rest home, replacing ageing radiators and giving staff the ability to control temperatures room by room. The electrical board upgrade will also allow a generator to be connected, boosting the facility's resilience during power outages.

Beyond the comfort and safety benefits, the changes are expected to reduce Mountain View's energy bill by around 50 per cent.

As Board Chair Gail Dobbin says: "The heat pumps will give us much more reliable heating, and being able to control the temperature in individual rooms will make a huge difference in summer as well as winter."

Mountain View has been serving the Kawerau community since 1989, and regularly operates at or near full capacity. We're proud to have supported them across a number of projects over the years, and this latest grant is another step in ensuring they can continue to provide high-quality care for older people in our region.

, read the full story here 👇
https://www.trusthorizon.org.nz/blog/mountain-view-rest-home

Residents at Kawerau’s Mountain View Rest Home will soon benefit from more reliable heating and improved emergency preparedness, thanks to a $150,812 grant from Trust Horizon.

29/09/2026

🌱 Backing sustainable futures on Māori-owned whenua

We're proud to share our latest funding story from Te Whaiti, where a $110,320 grant to the Whānau Enterprise Development Trust is helping power the next chapter of development on the Tawhitiwhiti Block.

The grant supports essential electrical upgrades across the site, including a micro-greens processing facility and plant nursery. The Matekuare Whānau Trust has been working since 2014 to bring this highly productive 50-hectare block back under their own development, with plans for a papakāinga of around 40 homes, climate-resilient food production, and employment opportunities for whānau.

As WEDT Trustee and Manager Tony Goodman says: "Trust Horizon is a real community-minded organisation, and they've taken a real interest in what we're doing in Te Whaiti."

This is exactly the kind of project we love to support: energy infrastructure that helps lay the foundation for sustainable livelihoods and thriving communities for generations to come.

, read the full story here 👇
https://www.trusthorizon.org.nz/blog/sustainable-future

A Māori-owned block of land in Te Whaiti is taking another step toward a more sustainable, self-sufficient future, with a grant from Trust Horizon to support upgrades to its power supply and infrastructure.

17/09/2026

💡 Big climate action can start with a local idea.

We’re proud to support the Community Climate Action and Youth Development Fund, helping local communities and young people turn ideas into practical action for a more resilient, sustainable future.

From preparing for extreme weather to strengthening food resilience and developing climate-focused skills, local action can make a real difference. 🌱

Applications close 4 October. 👇

💡 What if the next big climate solution for the Whakatāne District started as a local idea?
🌊 A neighbourhood preparing for future flooding, erosion or extreme weather.
🌱 A māra kai that strengthens local food resilience.
🎓 A young person gaining the skills and knowledge to help shape a more sustainable future.

The Community Climate Action and Youth Development Fund, supported by Trust Horizon, is open and for applications to support projects that help communities respond to climate change and prepare for the future.

💭 Maybe you've already got an idea or maybe you've just thought of one.
Either way, we'd love to hear it.

🔗 Apply now: https://www.whakatane.govt.nz/about-council/community-grants/community-climate-action-and-youth-development-fund.
Applications close 4 October.

17/09/2026

🤖 Opening the door to new STEMM opportunities! 🚀

We’re proud to support the STEMM Horizons Project, helping kura who have never taken part in Aquabots to get involved for the very first time.

From building and problem-solving to testing and competing, these experiences are helping tamariki develop new skills, confidence and curiosity through hands-on learning.

We’re excited to see where these first steps lead! 🌊

15/09/2026

A great opportunity for community organisations across Aotearoa!

We're sharing this from our friends at Meridian Energy, whose Community Decarbonisation Fund is now open with up to $3 million available for projects that reduce emissions and strengthen communities.

If you know a group that could benefit, check out the details below 👇

We're backing more bright ideas than ever before. 💡

Applications for our Community Decarbonisation Fund are now open, with up to $3 million available to support projects that reduce emissions and strengthen communities around Aotearoa.

From food rescues to environmental groups, we've helped community organisations invest in things like EVs, solar and electrification projects that reduce emissions, cut energy costs, and put more resources back into their communities. 💚

Know a community group doing great things? Tag them below 👇

Learn more and apply: https://bit.ly/46LikVf

09/09/2026

📋 Our 2026 Community Update is here

We're proud to share Trust Horizon's 2026 Community Update, reflecting on a year of meaningful impact across the Eastern Bay.

In 2025/2026, we approved 91% of the 216 applications received and matched the prior year's total of $3.4 million in community grants, bringing our lifetime total to $55,238,773.

From a major electrical upgrade at Tāneatua Rugby Football Club, to a transformational new commercial kitchen at Poroporo Marae, to enhanced emergency response capability for Matatā, this year's funding has made a real difference across our region.

We also increased our Community Energy Contribution Grant pool to $200,000, supporting 123 marae and community groups with power bill assistance since March 2025.

And the BIG news: our Private Bill has passed. This marks an exciting new era for Trust Horizon, widening our granting scope beyond energy-related projects to include a far broader range of charitable purposes.

As our Chair David Glover says: "This change marks an exciting new era for Trust Horizon, and for organisations throughout the Eastern Bay."

Our 2026 Public Meeting will be held on 29 October, 10–11am and is open to all. Email [email protected] if you'd like to attend or speak.

Learn more and download the full Community Update here 👇
https://www.trusthorizon.org.nz/blog/trust-horizon-reflects-on-trust-deed-change

Trust Horizon has released its 2026 Community Update, including reflections on the progress of its Private Bill through Parliament, which has unlocked the Trust’s potential to provide millions more in charitable funding.

03/09/2026

🎉 A historic milestone for Trust Horizon and the Eastern Bay of Plenty!

We’re incredibly excited to share that the Trust Horizon (Trust Variation) Bill has passed its third reading in Parliament.

This marks the successful completion of a significant Parliamentary journey and, once Royal Assent takes place later this month, will officially broaden our ability to support charitable purposes across Whakatāne, Kawerau, Ōpōtiki and Kaingaroa Village.

For more than 30 years, our granting has been limited to energy-related charitable purposes. This change will give us greater flexibility to respond to the needs and opportunities within our communities, while continuing our commitment to supporting energy-related outcomes.

A huge thank you to everyone who engaged with the process, made submissions, and supported this important change, along with East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick for her support throughout the Bill's journey through Parliament.

This is an exciting new chapter for Trust Horizon and the communities we serve. We look forward to implementing the changes, with Trustees expecting to accept applications supporting other charitable purposes from 1 April 2027.

👉 , read more about this milestone: https://www.trusthorizon.org.nz/blog/trust-horizon-bill-passes

The Trust Horizon (Trust Variation) Bill has had its third reading in Parliament and has now been passed, officially broadening the Trust’s charitable funding efforts across the Eastern Bay of Plenty.