I’m in a Wellington cafe, at a coffee meeting with a colleague from Ngāti Kahungunu. We are both born in Hastings, so that is a nice start. Then after a while he says, “Actually, I am not really from Hastings, I am from Flaxmere.” And I say, “Actually I am not really from Hastings either,…
Continue reading →If we are lucky enough to live comfortably, why wouldn’t we share some of what we have? Two key ways of sharing financial resources are through philanthropy and taxation, and I frequently blog about philanthropy, but this time let’s talk about tax. Personally I see tax as a good thing, and I am willing to…
Continue reading →When I was asked to speak on Steven Moe’s Seeds podcast, my friend and colleague Haimona Waititi from Tūmanako Consulting suggested that I share some of the missteps I have made as part of different organisations trying to better support Māori aspirations. So, I talked on the podcast and shared three personal stories of situations…
Continue reading →Giving is good – but there is a darker side to fundraising and philanthropy which it is useful to be aware of. Examples include organisations soliciting funds for questionable purposes, and donors, businesses or funding organisations using their money to influence democracy in ways which are unethical and/or untransparent. Unfortunately, according to this excellent Radio…
Continue reading →Christmas has come and gone again. Ah, Christmas. It’s when we express our love of others through the giving of gifts, right? No – wait – isn’t Christmas just a commercial thing, where we buy stuff which usually isn’t what the other person actually wants? Hmmm – it’s a tricky thing Christmas. Now, reread the…
Continue reading →How do we, as funders, better engage with and support Māori communities? What does it mean for a funder to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi? And what is our role in building an Aotearoa of tomorrow where Te Ao Pākehā (the Pākehā world) and Te Ao Māori (the Māori world) work in synergy for the…
Continue reading →Here are two uncomfortable power dynamics in philanthropy: Funding processes can be a kind of “Nonprofit Hunger Games” where frontline community organisations compete against each for favour and “the win.” The power to decide who wins usually sits squarely with funders, yet funders are rarely directly affected by key social issues. It doesn’t have to…
Continue reading →If you are involved in philanthropy in Aotearoa NZ and you haven’t yet registered for the fabulous biennial Philanthropy NZ Summit, May 18 – 20, there’s still time to do so. Here’s a very short movie I did for PNZ explaining why I think this is such a great conference. I will be there and…
Continue reading →If you are unsure how the philanthropic sector in Aotearoa NZ is organised and works, you are in good company. It is a bit confusing, even for those of us who work in it. Here is my take on the different kinds of philanthropic giving, including where the money comes from and how it operates,…
Continue reading →Looking for an inspiring read over the holidays? “Te Kai a te Rangatira – Leadership from the Māori world” is an extraordinary book, and is highly recommended. It shares the wisdom of over 100 rangatira from across Aotearoa, sometimes in English and sometimes in Te Reo Māori. Here’s a few quotes: You carry your thousand…
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