Manaaki Tangata grant

We support partnerships that enable economic empowerment, with a focus on improving housing pathways. Helping people and whānau access the stability, opportunity, and resources they need to thrive.

Why economic empowerment matters

We believe economic opportunity, stable housing, and community connection are key to long-term wellbeing. When people and whānau have the support, resources, and opportunities they need, they can take part in their communities, build resilience, and achieve their goals.

Through Manaaki Tangata, we focus on two connected areas: economic empowerment and housing pathways. We prioritise opportunities where our support can be truly catalytic, helping to unlock change, capability and impact that would not otherwise occur.

Working alongside Community Foundations

Through our partnership with Community Foundations of Aotearoa New Zealand, we work with organisations that understand their local communities. Community Foundations help connect donors, funders, and organisations. This ensures resources are directed to where they can have the greatest impact.

Through these organisations we can support local solutions and leadership, and help unlock opportunities that are shaped by the aspirations and needs of communities.

We fund initiatives that focus on

Housing pathways

We support partnerships that help people and whānau access safe, stable housing, recognising the important role it plays in long-term wellbeing opportunity.

This includes initiatives that strengthen housing pathways, remove barriers to participation, build organisational capability, and create lasting benefits for communities. We also invest in work that grows knowledge, strengthens collaboration, and improves access to affordable, secure homes.

Economic empowerment

We support partnerships that help people and whānau access the opportunities and support they need to participate in the economy and thrive.

This includes initiatives that improve access to fair and affordable financial services, build financial resilience, and remove barriers to participation. We’re particularly interested in approaches that can attract additional funding and create lasting benefits for people, whānau, communities, and systems.

Housing pathways

We support partnerships that help people and whānau access safe, stable housing, recognising the important role it plays in long-term wellbeing opportunity.

This includes initiatives that strengthen housing pathways, remove barriers to participation, build organisational capability, and create lasting benefits for communities. We also invest in work that grows knowledge, strengthens collaboration, and improves access to affordable, secure homes.

We don't fund

  • Day-to-day services, such as financial mentoring, budgeting or financial counselling.
  • Financial education programmes that are not part of broader initiatives addressing causes of financial hardship. 
  • Activities that don’t align with the BNZ Foundation’s focus areas.
  • Programmes already supported through BNZ sponsorship.
  • Non-charitable or commercial ventures (except for eligible social enterprises).
  • Individual applications or personal expenses. 
  • Schools, early childhood services, medical or health research, or infrastructure typically funded by government.
  • Activities that promote political objectives or religious purposes (unless undertaken in support of a broader charitable purpose).
  • Retrospective requests, debt repayment, fundraising appeals or projects that create private benefit.

What makes a great partner

  • Aligns with the Foundation’s purpose and priorities under Manaaki Tangata.
  • Actively honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi and demonstrates how it informs their approach, relationships, and outcomes.
  • Works alongside communities and whānau to create lasting, locally relevant change.
  • Builds strong partnerships to achieve shared outcomes.
  • Advances opportunities for people and whānau through housing pathways, economic empowerment, or both.
  • Has the potential to create catalytic impact, unlock additional investment, partnerships, capability or opportunities.
  • Supports the aspirations, leadership, and stewardship of mana whenua and local communities.
  • Delivers measurable impact and strengthens long-term wellbeing.

Funding from BNZ Foundation can be used for programme funding (for example, to pilot new initiatives, or scale an existing programme), or can be used to cover operational expenses (for example, we will fund what it takes for you to do your mahi, or work), or a mix of both.

If successful, you’ll be asked to sign a grant agreement that outlines the terms and conditions of the grant. We will ask you to make a commitment that the funds we will give are used for these purposes only.

If you are a social enterprise, we will need to see evidence that you are purpose-driven with social or environmental impact at the core of your business (for example, in your organisation’s governing document such as a deed, constitution, or charter), and have been in operation for at least a year. You are welcome to contact us to discuss these requirements before submitting an expression of interest.

You do not need to be a BNZ customer to be eligible for a grant from BNZ Foundation.

The decision on funding is solely at the discretion of BNZ Foundation trustees and these decisions will be final.

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