We believe in giving back

15% of all fees go to the Simplicity Foundation which supports charities across Aotearoa.

Charitable donations to date

$9,507,422

About the Simplicity Foundation

Foundation story

The Foundation was born at the same time as our business in 2016. From the very start, the Foundation has been receiving 15% of our KiwiSaver and Investment Fund management fees. With the growth of Simplicity, the Foundation is able to help Kiwi charities doing good.

Structure

The Simplicity Foundation is a charitable trust, and the ultimate owner of Simplicity NZ Ltd. The Foundation has a manager and funding decisions are made its Trustees who meet on a quarterly basis. You can find out more about the team below.

Giving approach

Based on member feedback the Foundation provides charitable funding to four core sectors: the environment, youth development, education, and homelessness and hunger. The majority of its giving is directed through medium and long-term charity partners, with the rest allocated to smaller, one-off grants.

Impact

It started with a few thousand dollars and has grown to millions. Whether it's redistributing food destined for landfill, planting native trees, supporting career aspirations and education pathways for our young people, the Foundation aims to support charities having real impact in our communities.

Our pillars

Based on our members' feedback, the Foundation has four core priorities.

Environment

Aligned with Simplicity’s focus on long-term sustainable growth, the Foundation supports projects aiming to help protect and restore biodiverse, natural environments throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. They do this primarily through long-term, robust and sustainable planting and predator eradication projects.

The Foundation is also interested in supporting the restoration of our coastal and marine environment, both in the Hauraki Gulf and more broadly.

Youth development

The Foundation supports charities working to improve the futures of young people in Aotearoa, focusing on those who have the greatest challenges to thrive.

It currently does this through community-aligned programmes delivering youth mentoring, employability and work transition support and encouraging volunteering and civic engagement.

Homelessness and hunger

Funding for homelessness and hunger aims to support those in our community who struggle to meet their basic needs of housing and food security. The Foundation partners with organisations who support those in immediate need, primarily through our member-led Christmas giving programme. Hunger support is directed toward food rescue programmes that reduce waste and facilitate a wide distribution of kai to community groups.

The Foundation also has a special interest in Youth homelessness and associated outcomes for vulnerable young people and may also fund programmes seeking to address systemic causes of these issues.

Education

The education pillar aligns with the Foundation's youth development efforts, supporting programmes that enhance educational opportunities for rangatahi and others facing barriers to success. This aligns with Simplicity’s goal of helping more New Zealanders achieve long-term financial independence and resilience.

The Foundation backs career development initiatives, scholarships, and training programs to improve outcomes for young people. It also emphasizes improving financial literacy, particularly among youth, complementing Simplicity's existing educational efforts.

Who we've supported

Check out some of the Kiwi charities proudly supported by the Foundation.

Charity partners

Applying for grants

The Foundation is governed by volunteer Trustees who approve the distribution of funds on a quarterly basis in alignment with its strategy.

If you're a charity that aligns with the Foundation's funding pillars and strategic priorities, please feel free to contact to learn more about potential funding opportunities. Because the majority of giving is directed through charity partners, availability of additional funding may be limited, however the Foundation is always interested to learn about innovative and sustainable projects in our community.

Please email a brief summary of who you are and what you do to: foundation@simplicity.kiwi and they'll get back in touch.

We love planting native trees

Progress so far

180,869

Total trees planted*

41,167

Tonnes of carbon sequested

*The Foundation funds a native tree for every new member, and one per week for every Simplicity Living apartment rented.

Auckland

18,262

Northland

19,244

Bay of Plenty

9,900

Taranaki

13,670

Gisborne

14,785

Hawke's Bay

11,191

Manawatu-Whanganui

6,908

Wellington

3,510

Tasman

16,681

West Coast

845

Canterbury

9,155

Otago

17,901

Southland

16,400

Marlborough

2,612

As at 30 October 2024

Latest news & updates

For the latest foundation news and charity stories

Trustees & Manager

The Trustees bring a breadth of experience and expertise to the Foundation, and are responsible for its strategic direction and funding decisions.

Marisa Fong, Chair

Entrepreneur, Co-founder TBC Partners

Rachel Taylor

Partner, DLA Piper

Ngapera Riley

CEO at Figure NZ

Frances Arns (she/her)

LGBTIQA+ advocate, strategy and experience designer

Amanda Morrall

Simplicity co-founder and personal finance expert

Sam Stubbs

Managing Director, Simplicity (NZ) Ltd

Rebecca Roberts

Manager