In the latest round of funding, the Simplicity Foundation has donated $456,000 to five key charity partners and two new charities, as well as $100,000 to thirteen local youth development organisations around the country.

Trees That Count received a donation of $70,000 to plant 10,000 native trees. The Foundation started funding a native tree for every Simplicity member back in 2020. Planting trees is a simple and effective way to mitigate climate change and enhance native wildlife habitats around New Zealand.

Funding of $66,000 to First Foundation will provide places for three young people (outside of Auckland) on their 4-year Leadership Programme. Students receive support towards their tertiary-related costs across the first 3 years of study, together with mentoring and work experience/internship opportunities.

YES (Young Enterprise Scheme) received a second year of funding. $75,000 will support their Māori entrepreneurial programme, which aims to encourage rangatahi to learn about business and enterprise, develop work-ready skills, and connect with local Māori entrepreneurs who are sharing their passion and skills across Aotearoa and the world. 

Keystone Trust provides financial scholarships and mentoring for students with financial need, undertaking tertiary study in property and construction. They received further funds ($54,000 over three years), for another scholarship, with Simplicity Living providing additional mentoring and work experience.

The Simplicity Foundation also offered ongoing support to Inspiring Stories, with a third year of funding of $75,000 for the Future Leaders national youth development programme, which aims to empower and develop young people in smaller regional locations through community-based projects and challenges.

Our first new partner organisation is the Nature Conservancy. $100,000 was donated to support Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Alliance project in upper South Island. This unique collaborative project brings together regional councils, iwi, DOC and local community groups. It was recently featured in a BBC Natural History programme profile highlighting its collaborative and integrated approach to nature restoration.

The Simplicity Foundation has donated $25,000 to support the Thriving Aotearoa Partnership initiative (TAP). TAP aims to link a range of existing service providers so that families facing financial hardship and long-term debt can get help to negotiate solutions and relief, while working service providers to develop products and services that are fair and affordable.

The following organisations received between $5-10,000 each as part of the small grants youth programmes:

• R. Tucker Thompson Sail Training Trust, Northland
• Project Employ Flourish Café, Auckland
• Rakau Tautoko, Auckland
• Community Link Trust, Waikato
• Hikohiko Te Uria Charitable Trust Bay of Plenty
• Youth Encounter, Bay Of Plenty
• YMCA Taranaki, Taranaki
• KickStart Upper Hutt Community Trust, Wellington
• Whanake Youth, Nelson
• Big Brothers Big Sisters Christchurch, Canterbury
• West Coast Hato Hone St John Youth, West Coast
• YES Disability Resource Centre, National
• Aotearoa Resettled Community Coalition, National