Tēnā koutou katoa.
It is amazing that 25 years have passed since we started The Tindall Foundation with one staff member. Today we are lucky to have a highly skilled team made up of four full-time and six part-time staff, contractors and a volunteer, who all do an amazing job fulfilling our philanthropic wishes.
The values of our Foundation have remained steadfast and strong over the years. We are focused on demonstrating these values in our work. We believe that trust is the glue that holds relationships together. Building and maintaining high-trust relationships is central to our values, and begins with the strong connection between our staff, the Trustees and our family. To gain trust you need to extend trust — it is reciprocal. Demonstrating trust and trustworthiness is how we try to approach relationships with our donation recipients, and we extend that approach to how we fund and support organisations and communities.
Over the past three years it has been a privilege to have worked more closely with Māori communities to form strong relationships based on mutual respect. We have learned the importance of listening deeply to what people are saying, with a curious ear and open mind. Communities have so much to teach us. They know what is best for their people. Our job is to walk alongside them, supporting the process of change.
This year we’ve donated over $10 million to support a stronger Aotearoa, and over the past 26 years more than $195 million in line with our strategic giving areas. We are extremely proud of the work our donation recipients and Local Donation Managers have achieved in a particularly challenging year, and thank each and every one of them for helping us support a stronger Aotearoa.
This year we have seen hundreds of examples of organisations doing amazing mahi in their communities, and we are proud of what they have achieved. We will touch on some of these in this Annual Report and highlight examples of how we have adopted our outcomes-based approach to giving.
Ngā mihi,
Stephen and Margaret Tindall
Founders — The Tindall Foundation
Empowering People and Communities to Lead Change
Kia ora from John
Kia ora koutou and welcome to our Annual Report 2020/21.
We are delighted to share some of our work over the past year and update on progress since the launch of our revised giving strategy two years ago. Our giving has come to focus less on categories of funding, and more on the outcomes being achieved for people and the environment. This has started to extend our scope and flexibility, without changing our commitment to causes close to the Foundation’s heart. An aspirational approach has allowed for more responsiveness to emerging areas of need within our three focus areas — family, community and environment.
The Tindall Foundation (TTF) continues to fund grassroots initiatives through our 23 Local Donation Managers (LDMs) and Local Allocation Committees (LACs), bulk funding them over $3 million this past year to distribute to their local communities. These valued partnerships mean we can support pressing need on the ground right throughout Aotearoa. During the first COVID-19 lockdown last year we were able to provide that network with an additional $625,000 to help address the immediate impact.
At a recent two-day workshop with LDM and LAC representatives, our team heard about the creative ways they were able to help frontline organisations in their communities over that time. The workshop was a chance to learn from each other, share stories and celebrate the invaluable role those frontline organisations play in the lives of New Zealanders.
From our office in Takapuna on Auckland’s North Shore, TTF also grants donations to projects making a difference at a community and regional level, as well as investing in large-scale, long-term solutions that will increase the economic, environmental, social and cultural wellbeing of future generations.
As part of our new strategy, we are much more engaged with initiatives that support Māori-led development, whether at a regional or national level. We understand the importance of investing in rangatahi/youth. We also continue to believe strongly that communities know best how to meet their needs and aspirations, and have been trying to walk alongside them as they lead their own change.
Two of the feature stories in this report (Pūhoro STEM Academy and The Pride Project Aotearoa) are great examples of projects creating change. Other donations to organisations such as Ara Taiohi, Engage, Mana Tamariki, Plunket, VOYCE Whakarongo Mai and Women of Worth all align with our hopes for whānau ora (healthy and happy families).
Our new Embrace donation stream is an example of how we showcase working to address inequality and discrimination for gender-diverse young people across Aotearoa. Led by Kate Tindall Lum, this new fund was three years in the making and is the beginning of a journey for us. Embrace exists to support positive change so that this community feels included, valued, visible, safe, respected, celebrated and loved by their whānau and communities. The fund aims to be empowering. A key feature is that the community is part of deciding how the funds are to be spent. Read more below.
Many of the Māori-led organisations we have funded are developing plans affecting economic growth in Northland and the East Coast, aiming to revitalise communities and offer them greater opportunities. We really admire the work from organisations such as the Hikurangi Foundation (building affordable houses in Gisborne), Tāiki e! (encouraging entrepreneurship and business, also in Gisborne), and Manea Footprints of Kupe (a world-class cultural centre in the Hokianga that tells the story of Kupe’s arrival in Aotearoa).
We also remain committed to efforts that can mitigate climate change and preserve our environment for generations to come. WWF is the LDM distributing funds on our behalf to grassroots conservation projects across New Zealand, and supporting local environmental education initiatives. We are also proud to help some larger-scale, long-term environmental initiatives including Great South’s Zero Carbon project, Reconnecting Northland, shellfish restoration in the Hauraki Gulf, Tāne’s Tree Trust, Trees that Count and The 1Point5 Project.
We hope you learn more about what we do at TTF by reading this report and watching the accompanying video, which includes interactive mapping technology to tell the stories of some of the organisations we fund.
John McCarthy
Manager — The Tindall Foundation
John
Thank you to artist Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho (Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Kahungunu, Fale’ula) for the beautiful Embrace illustrations.
Embracing our rainbow community
A Q&A session with Kate Tindall Lum
When Kate Tindall Lum began looking into equality challenges in Aotearoa four years ago, she found that one group of young people was grossly under-represented. Working with organisations trying to support positive change for young people of diverse gender identities and sex characteristics, she created the Embrace strategy, which The Tindall Foundation (TTF) launched early in 2021.
Our Embrace strategy and donation stream support young people who are trans, takatāpui (Māori with diverse gender identities) and intersex to feel included, valued, visible, safe, respected, celebrated and loved by their whānau/families and communities.
We talk to Kate about her journey to bring the strategy to life.
What is Embrace and how did it come about?
Our Embrace donation stream is an allocated amount of our annual donations budget that supports initiatives to increase wellbeing for trans, takatāpui and intersex young people. It encourages us all to embrace these communities with love and respect. Takatāpui is a Māori word, historically meaning ‘intimate companion of the same sex’. The term was reclaimed in the 1980s and used by individuals who were gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex or part of the rainbow community. For Embrace TTF is focusing on takatāpui with diverse genders and sex characteristics.
Embrace, came about through research we were doing into what’s going on for women, young women and gender-diverse young people in Aotearoa/New Zealand. We found out through anecdotal information and statistics that trans, takatāpui and intersex young people face higher rates of mental health issues and suicide rates than their peers. Considering our size and scale, The Tindall Foundation’s Trustees and staff felt we might be able to help make a difference for these marginalised young people.
What has been your experience in helping empower this community to lead change?
We have the privilege of donating to these groups, accepting applications or reaching out to them and inviting applications. This is done via both TTF and also a group of funders who have banded together to co-fund rainbow groups, especially those that are collaborating with others. People from rainbow and intersex community organisations directly fed into the development of TTF’s strategy. I think this helped those organisations to feel empowered.
Their feedback was that we are not only a funder that supports this community through donations, but we also listen and involve them in our strategic process in a meaningful way. Ultimately, our donations are aligned with the needs of the community.
What has been your personal experience of this journey?
During this process, I have learned a lot. Listening isn’t as easy as I thought. I went into this mahi thinking we would do things in a particular way, based on my experience at TTF and other funding organisations. But the journey has been varied, in fits and starts, and with lots of learning along the way.
We began working in one way, then with feedback from the community we realised this wasn’t working. So we had to stop, go back to research and building relationships, and start again. It’s been a personal learning curve for me.
The development of the strategy took longer than expected. I was working part-time and we had people contributing to it from the rainbow and intersex communities. We realised how important building the relationships and trust were. We needed to make sure we got the strategy right, bringing our Trustees on the journey with us and working with humility. There were times I felt like we wouldn’t finish the strategy and others when I felt personally responsible that things weren’t going to plan.
However, looking back at all of this, I wouldn’t change how it went. I am proud of the fact we have Embrace — because it’s all about embracing some of our most marginalised young people and saying we love and respect you. It’s an initiative that supports not only young people, but also their families, friends and communities. It helps effect change at a high level across the community, and reflects how The Tindall Foundation operates across all our mahi.
How was the experience for The Tindall Foundation?
We undertook training together, the Trustees and staff respectively. We were opening our hearts and minds to new information, and processing our feelings as we learned how society treats people who do not fit the binary of male and female, man and woman. It can be quite confronting when you realise you have been privileged in a system that recognises your gender but not everyone else’s. I don’t know how everyone has felt, but I do know that we have all learnt a lot about trans, takatāpui and intersex people, and we still have lots to learn. We see these inequalities as human rights issues that need to be overcome in Aotearoa New Zealand. I feel privileged to be working in this space, and I think the Trustees and staff feel the same.
What are your hopes and dreams for this community?
My hope is that trans, takatāpui and intersex people have equality. That their identity, gender and sex is not questioned or something they have to explain to anyone. That they are free to be themselves, no matter what. That they are able to access gender-affirming, consent- and person-centred healthcare providers who are educated and equipped to serve them. I hope that schools, communities and households are all places of safety and acceptance. I also hope that all people in Aotearoa New Zealand love and accept others, no matter their gender or race, and allow everyone to be free of judgment.
Kate Tindall Lum, Special Projects Manager
Donation Highlights
Organisation:
Aviva
Programme:
Seuga ten-week programme for Pasifika Men, Families: Safe and Violence Free Homes
Focus area:
Family/Whānau
Donation amount:
$30,000
Seuga is a ten-week education programme focused on improving the resilience and wellbeing of Pasifika men (and their families) by addressing underlying issues of family violence, addiction and anger. The need for this programme arose out of COVID-19. It provides holistic support for participants based on the Fonofale model and covers culture, family, mental health, law, physical health and spirituality as they relate to Pasifika people.
Organisation:
Rainbow Youth
Programme:
Be There Campaign
Focus Area:
Family/Whānau — Gender Equality
Donation amount:
$25,000
Be There is a collective awareness and education campaign to support and equip whānau to be more inclusive, affirming and safe for rainbow young people. Developed by 12 key organisations that work with rainbow youth and their whānau, the campaign includes information, resources and education around six key messages: 1. You Are Not Alone; 2. Show Unconditional Love; 3. Use Validating Language; 4. Expect Others in Your Whānau to Treat Your Child With Respect; 5. You Don’t Need to Get It, Just Be There; and 6. Help Your Child Access Community.
Organisation:
Mana Trust
Programme:
E-Tangata
Focus Area:
Community — Strong and Diverse Communities
Donation amount:
$29,000
E-Tangata is an online magazine that specialises in stories that get to the heart of what it means to be Māori or Pasifika in Aotearoa. The aim is to nurture a New Zealand culture where we understand one another better, whatever our whakapapa — a society that’s more inclusive, connected and informed.
Organisation:
Tāiki e! Charitable Trust
Programme:
Sustainable Development in Tairāwhiti
Focus area:
Community — Māori Enterprise
Donation amount:
$60,000
Tāiki e! Charitable Trust was established in 2019 to create a collaborative space in which community change-makers can drive a shared agenda for social and environmental action in Te Tairāwhiti (Gisborne and East Coast). The name Tāiki e! reflects the kaupapa ‘Haumi e, Hui e, TĀIKI E’ — a space that connects all voices together towards a common purpose. TTF supported capacity building that enabled Tāiki e! to host and coordinate social and environmental action events, and to run a series of community-led initiatives related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Organisation:
Pure Advantage
Programme:
‘O Tātou Ngāhere — Our Forest’
Focus Area:
Environment — Sustainable Economy and Just Transition
Donation amount:
$80,000
Pure Advantage investigates and promotes opportunities for New Zealand to fulfil its potential for green growth. The business people, researchers and writers involved produce cutting-edge thought leadership, targeted research and campaigns. ‘O Tātou Ngāhere — Our Forest’ is a research programme that details how native forests can be integrated into our whenua/land for the benefit of all, and is a collaboration with Tāne’s Tree Trust, which champions the valuable role our native species can play in the future of forestry.
Organisation:
Great South
Programme:
Carbon Neutral Southland
Focus Area:
Environment — Sustainable Economy and Just Transition
Donation amount:
$70,000
Great South is Southland’s regional development agency, committed to driving economic, social and cultural growth. TTF partnered with the Ministry for the Environment to fund the Carbon Neutral Southland project, through which Great South partners with key stakeholders to develop initiatives that can reduce Southland’s carbon emissions and benefit the community through the opportunities associated with a low emissions economy. This was the first regional project of its kind.
Local Donation Managers support communities
through COVID-19
Our Local Donation Manager (LDM) and Local Allocation Committee (LAC) partners, previously known as Funding Managers, have supported us since the early days of the Foundation. Our faith, regional, environmental and overseas partners are bulk funded and distribute about a third of our funding. They have embraced the new strategy areas in the distribution of donations, so as to deliver the most effective and efficient funding support into local community initiatives and services.
Last year COVID-19 unfolded just as we were about to celebrate our 25th anniversary. We had planned to gift $25,000 to each of our 23 LDMs and LACs to distribute to projects of their choice. When the pandemic broke out and we went into lockdown, our Trustees worked quickly to repurpose the $650,000 so our regional and faith-based LDMs and LACs could provide COVID-response funding to address the emerging needs in their communities. We’ve included a few snapshots below.
Our environmental donation manager, WWF NZ, and our Eastern Pacific donation manager, VSA, continued to fund projects on our behalf throughout 2020/21 to support local environmental initiatives in New Zealand and local projects in Tonga.
Catholic Caring Foundation
The Catholic Caring Foundation Diocese distributes funds throughout Auckland and Northland. They worked closely with organisations such as Kai from the Marae and were instrumental in supporting communities through their relationships with marae in the Hokianga.
Adventist Disaster Relief Agency (ADRA)
ADRA distributes funding nationally to support families around the country. During lockdowns they supported 40 communities within 21 towns and cities and assisted 1100 families and households with either supermarket gift cards for grocery essentials, mobile top-ups to stay connected or food packs.
Methodist Alliance
Methodist Alliance distributes TTF funds across New Zealand through partnerships and social services. During lockdowns they worked with the Hamilton Christian Men’s Shelter. Brian, a homeless man, wondered how he would stay home when he didn’t have a home. He was one of 27 men who spent some nights at the Hamilton Christian Men’s Night Shelter. Brian said having a full puku did more for him than pills had ever done.
Nikau Foundation
Nikau Foundation partnered with marae, grass roots organisations and Kaibosh in Wellington as food provision became critical during the first COVID lockdown.
Catalytic Foundation (previously United Way New Zealand)
Catalytic Foundation distribute funds across five regions. During the COVID lockdowns they increased their support with Pregnancy Help in Dunedin, whose services included helping families with newborn premature babies. Volunteers knitted premature-sized’ baby clothing which was distributed to families throughout Dunedin.
Presbyterian Support Upper South Island
Presbyterian Support in the South Island supported young people through lockdown periods with emergency housing, counselling, food supplies and engagement through online platforms.
Enriching Communities
If you enjoy reading this and would like to hear more of our stories throughout the year, then opt in to receive our communications below. We send out four newsletters and our Annual Report each year so we won’t bombard your inbox.
Our Giving
In the 2020/21 year:
$10.6 million
We gave over $10 million
in donations
$6.5 million
We committed donations of a
further $6.5 million
664 Organisations
We gave donations to 664 organisations
across New Zealand
In the last 26 years:
$195 million
Our donations have totalled
over $195 million
$141 million
In addition the Foundation’s prepaid tax payments have
totalled over $141 million
Headline Summary of Key Cumulative
Results (1995–2021)
| 1. Gross Dividends Received Less Prepaid Tax (Imputation Credits) Net Dividends Received |
$452,257,116 ($141,102,561) $311,154,555 |
| 2. Donations Paid (1995–2021) | $195,199,934 |
| 3. Administration and Operating Expenses (7.2% of Donations Paid) |
$14,011,385 |
Assets
| Liquid Assets as at 31 March 2021 | $65,743,736 |
| The Warehouse Group Limited — Shares | $279,419,475 |
| Other Assets | $75,865,102 |
| Total Assets | $421,028,313 |
Total Donations Paid
For the 2020/21 financial year, The Tindall Foundation paid out donations totalling $10,670,420. During the year we gave donations to 664 organisations across New Zealand.
$10,670,420
Total Donations Paid Out
Total Donations Paid in 2020/21
by Focus Area
Family
2020/2021
Local Donation Managers:
$3,954,562
TTF Direct Donations:
$1,629,722
Total Donations:
5,584,284
Environment
2020/2021
Local Donation Managers:
$251,688
TTF Direct Donations:
$1,545,628
Total Donations:
1,797,316
Community
2020/2021
Total Donations:
2,625,265
Next Gen & Other
2020/2021
Total Donations:
663,555
Our People
The Tindall Foundation is a private philanthropic family foundation working throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand. We are helping to build a stronger, sustainable nation so that families, communities and our environment thrive now and in the future. Our work is driven by a belief that all Kiwis should have the chance to achieve their full potential and contribute to a healthy, strong society.
We recognise the strength of whānau/families and communities and the importance of our natural environment. We contribute to organisations and community groups through donations, social loans and social investments, and in non-financial ways through advocacy, influencing, convening, connecting and capacity building. We appreciate the diverse needs of communities, and so aim to be a flexible and responsive funder.
Governance
Our governance team consists of our Founders, Margaret and Stephen Tindall, their son Robbie (second from left), and two independent Trustees, Rukumoana Schaafhausen (Ngāti Hauā, Waikato Tainui; left) and Jennifer Casey (right).
Staff
We are fortunate to have a fantastic management team made up of full-time and part-time staff and a part-time volunteer: Ashlee McCormick, Kate Tindall Lum, Jennifer Reid, Vicky Lowe, Liz Tindall Tetro, John McCarthy, Anne Tindall, Monique Baldwin, Cyril Howard, Martina O’Driscoll, Kate Holgate, Annette Culpan.
