100 intergenerational funds
In 2025, Nīkau Foundation reached the milestone of being the kaitiaki of over 100 funds.
Established by individuals, families, couples, charitable trustees and for-purpose organisations, these funds are a precious taonga that will continue to give back to the people and places of Te Upoko-o-te-Ika-a-Māui, the Greater Wellington region, forever.
They’re not just funds.
They’re everlasting gifts, that will continue to grow and support our communities for generations.
For the causes we love
Giving is personal. For some donors, their giving represents continued support for causes close to their heart. For others, it is a powerful way to honour a loved one, support the future they want to see for their community or a meaningful nod to the places they’ve lived and loved.
These funds represent a wide range of support areas the largest being education and research, which is named as an area of focus in 32% of funds. This is followed closely by arts and culture (31%), health and wellbeing (27.5%) and environmental conservation (21%). It’s important to note that, while these areas are named, some of these funds will be resourced via gifts in will in the future and others are not yet at grant-making level. As our funds continue to grow, we walk alongside more generous Wellingtonians and continue to connect local generosity with local need – the breakdown of these areas will evolve.
A generous collective
There is no one size fits all when it comes to giving through Nīkau Foundation. While 23% of our funds have been established via a trust transfer, 57% have been set up by generous individuals, families and couples and 15% by for-purpose organisations such as Women’s Refuge, Wheako Pōneke | Experience Wellington and Cure Parkinson’s NZ to build long-term sources of funding. Of the funds established by individuals, families and couples, 27% are giving during their lifetime, 52% have committed a gift in their wills and 21% are doing a combination of the two.
Localism continues to be a big motivator among Nīkau donors, with 47% opting to give back in specific parts of the Greater Wellington region such as Kāpiti Coast (14%), Wairarapa (8%) and Wellington City (13%).
A practical, powerful succession plan for your charitable trust.
Transferring a trust to Nīkau Foundation is a powerful, meaningful way to ensure your trust’s story and impact continues without the long administrative, reporting and compliance to-do list.
For the causes you love, forever.
An streamlined, practical alternative to a charitable trust, establishing a fund is a powerful way to leave a gift that grows for the people and places of our region. We will invest, grow and protect your gift so that it continues to make a meaningful difference for the causes you love, forever.
A strong, resilient future for your for-purpose organisation.
As the for-purpose sector faces a tough funding and fundraising environment, establishing an endowment fund allows your organisation to build a reliable, long-term funding stream to support your mahi today, tomorrow and long into the future.
Join our collective.
Nīkau is proud to work alongside hundreds of locals to pass down a better future to the people and places of Te Upoko-o-te-Ika-a-Maui, the Greater Wellington region.
Whether you give during your lifetime or via a gift in your will, by transferring a trust or by establishing a fund for your organisation, we can all make a lasting difference for the causes we care about.
We would be delighted to connect and chat about your vision for our communities. To get in touch, please fill out the contact form to the right.
