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$1,542,651 DISTRIBUTED TO OUR COMMUNITIES IN 2026
$19,118,087 TOTAL DISTRIBUTED TO OUR COMMUNITIES

The Ripple Effect: Celebrating the future of philanthropy in our city

One gift is more than just a single action. One gift starts a ripple that inspires others to contribute, enhances communities and creates change for generations to come.

 

This was the theme of Auckland Foundation’s recent special event which saw over 250 donors, changemakers and community leaders come together to look at how giving can transform Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

 Guests at The Ripple Effect

 

 

The night featured a collection of thought-provoking panels where guests heard from experts and received advice from donors.

Our first panel was a passionate discussion between three donors, Michael Keenan, Ruth Jackson-Smith and Nigel Scott (trustee of Auckland Foundation), about their personal journey in setting up a Donor Advised Fund with Auckland Foundation.

Our second panel looked at the role advisors and organisations play in philanthropy with Pravir Tesiram (partner at TGT Legal), Andrea Nelson (CEO of NZ Rugby League and former CEO of Gymnastics NZ) and Leslie Li (advisor at Craigs Investment Partners) sharing their expertise.

Facilitated by Auckland Foundation trustee Jude Dobson, the discussions provided some powerful insights into giving. These included the importance of the relationship between donors and advisers, to remember that a large amount of wealth is not required to make a difference, and that in the face of global uncertainty, the best thing to do is to support your local community.

hroughout the evening, those in the room also heard inspiring testimonials from grant recipients including First Foundation and Cure Kids, as well as powerful remarks from Sir Stephen Tindall.

With attendees from different sectors and parts of our wider community, we were thrilled to see discussions sparked and new connections formed, demonstrating the importance of coming together as we build a wave of generosity for a thriving Tāmaki Makaurau.

A huge thank you to Harbour Asset Management and ANZ Private for making this event possible, to our generous panellists and to all who joined us and created a memorable evening.

We are excited to see the ripples that this night will have.

 Guests at The Ripple Effect