Media Release

October 9, 2014

JR McKenzie Trust Thrilled with Indigenous Accolade

The J R McKenzie Trust is thrilled to have received the 2014 IFIP (International Funders for Indigenous Peoples) Award that was created to encourage donors to fund indigenous communities worldwide.

Established as a charitable Trust in 1940 by Sir John McKenzie, and continued by his family, the JR Mckenzie Trust has a 74-year history of helping build stronger communities. However, the Trust engaged a strategic review of its philanthropic practices in 2003 and noted only 2-3% of its funding went to Māori and there was an under-representation of Māori leadership in its decision making process.

In a proactive move, the Trust established the Te Kāwai Toro initiative that increased board representation of Māori and prioritized long-term development in its grant making.

Te Kāwai Toro chair Manaia King said it was an honour to be recognised internationally for the work the Trust had done to provide sustainable support to Māori communities throughout Aotearoa. This is also the first time the IFIP Award has been given to a New Zealand philanthropic trust.

While more philanthropic foundations understand the critical importance of supporting indigenous peoples, IFIP has described the J R McKenzie Foundation as ‘exemplary’ for incorporating Māori representation on its Board.

King said J R McKenzie Trust had also been lauded for funding Māori applicants to “become agents of change of their own futures’ thereby ensuring organisations and projects funded had a deep and lasting impact.”

Adding “it is exciting to have received this accolade, after more than a decade of hard work to refocus and evolve our efforts and ensure Māori self-determined development.”

J R McKenzie Trust joins other past distinguished IFIP winners including: Kalliopeia Foundation, The Christensen Fund, The Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation, The Garfield Foundation, The Myer Foundation, Swift Foundation, and Samdhana Institute of Southeast Asia.

The 2014 IFIP Award for Indigenous Grant making, which is supported by the United Nations, was presented to J R McKenzie Trust at IFIP’s World Summit on Indigenous Philanthropy, in New York on the 24th September.

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