If you are like me, you want to be better informed about Aotearoa NZ’s history, but you learned little or nothing on the topic at school, and most of the very worthy NZ history books seem a bit big and daunting. But I have belatedly found a way to fill some of my knowledge gaps,…
Continue reading →Ending Homelessness – we thought it couldn’t be done. Then along came COVID-19, and, thanks to a significant collaborative effort, a large proportion of the homeless population had some kind of roof over their head at last. It wasn’t perfect, and it isn’t a permanent solution, but it happened. So how do we build from…
Continue reading →What happens at your organisation when you need a new board member? Maybe the conversation goes something like this: “How about John? He is very credible and knows a lot about our sector.” “Yeah maybe, but do we need another older white guy? How about Marama? She’s a dynamic young wahine who would bring some…
Continue reading →Funding agreements – those dry, unexciting documents which funders generally require to be signed before they will pay a grant, are badly in need of a rethink. This blog proposes that funders should instead adopt a Relationship Agreement approach, based on mutual responsibility and accountability. To get straight to the point: Here is a free Funding…
Continue reading →How should funders be supporting our communities in light of the Covid-19 pandemic? All of us will be affected, directly or indirectly. But the impact for families and communities already struggling with issues like homelessness, mental health, addictions, family violence and poverty will be especially challenging. So, it’s time to step up our support funders!…
Continue reading →It’s a new year and a new decade. So, philanthropic funders, what will our New Year’s resolutions be? Here are three suggestions: 1. Aim for Equity: Is our funding reaching the causes and people who need it most? Or do we give to organisations which are already well funded, and which serve communities that are…
Continue reading →There’s a lot of discussion in the farming world about the importance of moving away from extractive practices and instead embracing regenerative agriculture – here’s a recent relevant story from the Waikato. Might some of these same considerations apply to philanthropy? Let me start with a couple of dictionary definitions: extractive: the withdrawal of [natural]…
Continue reading →How can we best respond to online racism and hate? Social media is the “new village square,” and is increasingly the place where everyday racism is amplified. In extreme cases, it is also where white-supremacist-leaning people are radicalised and turn to violence, as we saw with the horrific murders of 51 people in Christchurch mosques…
Continue reading →The Philanthropy Summit, held in Wellington from May 15 – 17 and created by Philanthropy New Zealand, was one of the best learning opportunities I have had in a long time. Here are the top four things I learned: There is a curious and delightful parallel between dental health and a racism-free world. One of…
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Governance can be a tricky thing. At their best, boards are positive places where ideas flow, problems are collaboratively solved and the people and the organisation thrive. At their worst, boards are toxic places where ideas are ignored, problems are exacerbated and the people and the organisation are damaged. The biggest contributor to a positive…
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