$1M grant on offer for inspirational ideas with potential to transform Waikato

MEDIA RELEASE

20 September

Momentum Waikato, the region’s community foundation, announced today it has $1 million on offer for Waikato organisations and collaborative groups that come forward with inspirational ideas for creating transformational change in our local community.

The $1 million grant is the pinnacle of a community project, Waikato Vital Signs.

Ten community priorities were identified in May when over 400 Waikato people participated in Waikato Vital Sign’s four town-hall style community brainstorming sessions, and four invitation-only sessions for youth and Iwi Maaori.

The top two priorities identified by the community, for the community, are:

• Working together to improve community connectedness

• Developing better education and pathways for youth

The $1 million grant is available to fund up to three initiatives relating to these two priorities only.

Chair of Momentum Waikato, Leonard Gardner said, “Momentum Waikato is about creating a better Waikato for everyone, forever. We believe this can come through investment in significant projects and programmes and this new $1 million grant will benefit the region and its people.

“We want people to understand this $1 million grant is not about funding hundreds of ideas with a little bit of money each. Our objective is to fund change-makers who can think strategically using the knowledge we’ve gained from Waikato Vital Signs to create powerful impact,” he said.

Bill Kermode, Chief Executive of the $100m NEXT Foundation, has been following the Waikato Vital Signs project and said, “The $1 million contestable grant is a great innovation, and a fantastic demonstration of strategic philanthropy being applied for regional benefit. We will be very interested to see what the grants unearth.”

“Momentum Waikato trustees have listened carefully to our community and have responded with this new opportunity to create positive transformational change for our community. Up to three inspirational ideas that address the top two Waikato Vital Signs community priorities will share Momentum Waikato’s first $1 million contestable grant,” said Chief Executive Cheryl Reynolds.

Organisations can submit their ideas for funding consideration for new change initiatives as an expression of interest from 14 October. Successful ideas are expected to meet the following five criteria:

1. Respond to a clear need in the Waikato – the challenge is significant and deeply rooted in the Waikato community.

2. Be inspirational – the outcomes are visible and inspire greater community generosity.

3. Be transformational – the outcomes disrupt the status quo to catalyse and accelerate much needed change.

4. Demonstrate leadership – organisations have a track record and the organisational capacity to deliver the outcomes at governance, management and project levels.

5. Be scalable and sustainable – the outcomes have the potential to be delivered across the Waikato, and possibly nationally with other players, beyond the time that funding ceases.

The closing date for expressions of interest is Friday 11 November 2016, and Momentum Waikato intends to announce which successful initiatives which will share the $1m grant during March 2017.

-ENDS-

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