
Ki te kotahi te kākaho, ka whati;
ki te kāpuia, e kore e whati.
When reeds stand alone they are vulnerable;
but together they are unbreakable.
- Kingi Pōtatau Te Wherowhero Tāwhiao
ABOUT
Funders Commitment
on Climate Action
We, the undersigned Community Trusts of Aotearoa New Zealand and other funders, recognise that the growing climate emergency is a grave risk to our communities and planet. The scale of the climate threat and solutions needed reflect this critical issue facing every community. Community funders, whose assets are held for the public good, play an important role. The way we invest and partner with communities to support a just transition to a low carbon society, with increased equity, climate resilient communities and better outcomes for our environment is a critical responsibility.
We aim to accelerate effective responses to climate change to ensure that everyone has access to opportunities arising from the transition to a low carbon economy. We recognise the costs and impacts of the shift to a low carbon society may be unfairly borne by already vulnerable communities.
Guided by Te Tiriti o Waitangi, including values of kaitiakitanga and kotahitanga, we will apply an inter-generational mindset to how we commit our resources. We will identify and prioritise opportunities for collective action on climate change so that we can contribute to greater equity, and community and environmental resilience, health and wellbeing.
We invite other funders to join us in this vital mahi.

Our
Signatories

Foundation North
Trust Waikato
BayTrust
Toi Foundation
Eastern and Central Community Trust
Whanganui Community Foundation
Wellington Community Fund
Rātā Foundation
Mid & South Canterbury Community Trust
West Coast Community Trust
Otago Community Trust
Community Trust South
Biome Trust Aotearoa
The Gift Trust
Seed The Change | He Kākano Hāpai
The Values Trust

The Commitment
We, the undersigned,
commit to:
01
Reflecting Te Tiriti o Waitangi and supporting Māori aspirations regarding climate action
We commit to the spirit of partnership with Iwi, Hapū / Māori to address the causes and impacts of climate change. We will seek to enable Māori aspirations and recognise mātauranga Māori in climate action, respecting whakapapa, tino rangatiratanga, rite tahi (equity) and kaitiakitanga.
02
An equitable transition
We will take action on how we invest and fund, to enable greater equity in the transition to a low carbon society. We will support initiatives that foster equitable transition, and we will support vulnerable communities burdened by the impacts arising from the transition.
03
Enable leadership
We will support and grow the leadership in our communities, especially in tangata whenua, rangatahi and marginalised communities to accelerate an equitable transition. We will actively support community-led action and systems change to enable an equitable transition.
04
Commit and share resources
We will take opportunities to contribute to and support mitigation and adaptation to climate change impacts. We will commit resources to accelerate work addressing the causes and impacts of climate change and identify opportunities to co-fund initiatives.
05
Learn and grow
We will create opportunities for our trustees, staff and communities to learn more about climate change causes, impacts and solutions, including through mātauranga Māori. We will share opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills needed to act.
06
Decarbonise our investments and operations
We will take action to minimise the carbon footprint of our own operations. We will proactively address the risks and opportunities of the transition to a low carbon society in our investment strategies.
07
Report on progress
We will report annually on our progress against the commitments listed above. We will continue to develop our practice, to learn from others, and to share our learning.
Please join us in this collaborative effort.
Join the
Commitment
We would love for you to join us in these efforts. You can learn more and sign up using the links below.
Programme steps for new signatories:
Signing up
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Signing up is the first step: register here!
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There are no obligations or set targets for signatories of the Funders Commitment.


Discovery session
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Meet with the Climate Co-Leads to discuss where you are currently and your plan to move forward with climate action.
Rauemi - resources
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Click here to see the full list of available resources.


Tautoko - support
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We check in with the Climate Action Working Group and offer up to three hours support per annum for every signatory.
If you have further questions, please fill out the form below to get in touch.

Photo by Matt Milton


Photo by Andrea Lightfoot

Photo by Matt Milton