2025-26 Impact Report - From the Chair and Chief Executive
Tēnā koutou katoa.
It is our pleasure to bring you Nīkau Foundation’s 2025/26 Impact Report.
In 2025, we made the strategic decision to change our financial year to 31 March. The aim of this was to better align ourselves with the organisations we work alongside, manage investment risk, maximise community engagement, streamline operations and maintain our position as the best possible kaitiaki of local generosity. As a result, this report covers the numbers and stories that reflect our work and growth over the last 18 months.
The past year or so has been monumental for Nīkau Foundation. In October, we were delighted to formally mark the milestone of distributing over $10 million (now $11 million) in transformative funding to our communities. From supporting the regeneration of native flora to feeding hungry bellies and inspiring youth to reach their potential, the impact of this funding continues to ripple throughout our region.
Achieving this milestone is a testament to the strong local collective we have built – our office team, supporters, volunteers, donors and partners as well as Nīkau’s founding trustees – passionate Wellingtonians who got around a boardroom table in 1991 to discuss creating a Foundation that would support our region, forever. Some 35 years later, we are so proud to be the kaitiaki of over 100 endowment funds that have been established and committed to deliver intergenerational impact.
We are the guardian of $40.5 million, which will continue to grow and give back beyond all of our lifetimes. And we are privileged to be the trustee of the Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation and The Mark Dunajtschik Foundation, bringing current funds under management to $86.5 million.
Although the Greater Wellington region of the early 90s looked different to today, our communities continue to face complex and growing challenges. Now more than ever, our founding mission of building a permanent, growing source of support for the causes we love holds crucial importance. In 1991, Nīkau’s founding trustees – Neil Thorsen, Jenny Gill ONZM, Malcolm Dunphy, Peter Shirtcliffe, Dame Silvia Cartwright, Odette Waanders, Eru Pōmare, Sir James Belich, Kevin O’Connor (our patron), Graeme Beardsley and Sir Michael Fowler – were bold in thinking about the future. We must now do the same.
This year, we planted the seeds for our next chapter. Although ambitious, it is our goal to triple our community funding by 2030. To realise this goal for our communities, we are continuing to invest in our operations and team, build relationships with professional advisors across our region and embark on key projects to ensure we are fit for the future.
We look forward to developing our next organisation strategy in late 2026. Designed in collaboration with our communities, this strategy will not only guide Nīkau’s future direction but create a powerful blueprint to build local resilience, unlock solutions and bolster support for the charitable sector.
In September, we farewelled former Chief Financial Officer Denisa Calian. Thank you, Denisa, for the expertise, strategic eye and immense skill you brought during your time at Nīkau. We were delighted to welcome David Studders to the role of Finance and Systems Manager in March 2026. Having built an impressive career in investment operations in both Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas, David brings extensive expertise in financial processes, systems and stakeholder management to the Nīkau team.
We are very proud of Nīkau’s journey. From a bright idea hatched in a boardroom to what has become a multi-million-dollar movement with 18 community foundations nationally.
Thank you for your ongoing support of Nīkau Foundation and our communities. Together, we are creating a stronger future for the people and places of Te Upoko-o-te-Ika-Māui, the Greater Wellington region.
Ngā manaakitanga
Dame Fran Wilde
Chair
Emma Lewis
Chief Executive
Download our 2025/26 Impact Report
This report, which covers the period from October 2024 - March 2026, features stories of grassroots action across our communities, organisations doing amazing mahi to support the people and places of our region and generous locals, who are leaving transformative legacies for the causes they love. To download, please click below.