Last month, the Catalytic Foundation distributed $513,393 to 113 community charities throughout Aotearoa. 

These grants were possible because of generous donations made by the Tindall Foundation, Otago Polytechnic, Mercy Hospital, individual donors and payday givers throughout the country.

We are beyond grateful for the support of these people and organisations because we recognise and understand how reliant communities are on small charities to fill voids where other services fall short.

The grants we award to our community charities are highly valued because we allow them to cover their operational costs, like staff wages and electricity bills, with this money. Currently, there is a trend by funders to support projects, which is great, but it ignores the fact that charities need some basic foundations to enable them to operate, like administrative assistance, power, and water. Without these basics, the charity cannot function and the essential support the community needs cannot happen. Our grants fill these voids.

We award these grants to local small community organisations because they are the ones who understand the needs in their local area and are directly providing help to the community they serve. Unfortunately, these charities, while being the backbone of their community, are severely underfunded because large charities are taking more than their share of donations. It is hard for small charities to find the resources to compete for funding against the big guys.

Did you know that 91% of all donations in New Zealand go to just 9% of the charities? That leaves smaller charities fighting for just 9% of all donations made in New Zealand. We think it is time to turn the tables on this and ensure that community charities are well funded. 

At the Catalytic Foundation we understand that donors want to ensure their money is put to good use. To provide our donors with confidence that the charities we provide grants to are highly respected in their communities, we send volunteer Catalytic Ambassadors to speak to every charity before they are awarded a grant. These ambassadors thoroughly examine each charity's financial situation, reporting and management procedures, role in their community, and their outcomes and impact. The charities who meet these criteria are then eligible for the Catalytic Foundation's endorsed charity status. This status is reviewed annually. 

We are now accepting contributions into our 2025 donation pool. We would love you to join us so that we can support local community charities across the country please CLICK HERE.