Ka mahuta a Matariki i te pae, ka mahuta ō tātou tūmanako ki te tau – when Matariki rises above the horizon, our aspirations rise to the year ahead.
Tēnā koutou katoa,
While the transition from summer to autumn can pass almost unnoticed, the arrival of winter is harder to ignore. With the change in weather comes an opportunity to slow down, create space, and listen for the tohu in ourselves and our environments that tell us what we might need for the season ahead.
As Matariki approaches, so does the opportunity to be intentional in creating space to step back, reflect, and consider where to go next. In taking time to pause, we give that quiet voice – often lost amongst the business as usual – the time, space, and attention it deserves to reveal new horizons, opportunities, and ways of thinking that might otherwise go unexplored.
The first half of the year has seen significant movement across the community and philanthropic sectors, with organisations continuing to navigate change while exploring new opportunities for collaboration and impact. Looking to what’s in store over the next few months for the Centre, I’m particularly excited about our upcoming Leadership through Restoration and Healing programme and the conversations emerging around hauora, systems change, artificial intelligence, and strengthening our collective understanding of the ecosystems we work within.
In this edition of The Dial, we share new additions to our capability-building resources, reflections from Te Pūaha Talks participants, thought-provoking insight papers, and updates from across the sector.
Mauri ora
Karinia Lee, Head of Centre | Kaihautu
Centre for Social Impact
Our year in review and impact reports
In 2025/26, our team and our 21 associates across the motu completed 86 commissions across 20 clients. Our work spanned capability building, evaluation, leadership development and systems change initiatives and projects for community organisations, philanthropic funders and changemakers.
Alongside this client-focused work, our open-access knowledge and practice hub - Te Pūaha o Te Ako – provided a variety of resources to the wider sector. Foundation North's koha to the sector, Te Pūaha o Te Ako provided a rich range of webinars, insights resources, leadership development and systems change opportunities.
Our year in review and impact reports for the Centre and Te Pūaha o Te Ako are now available here.
New to our Core Skills Toolkit
Using AI responsibly in your organisation
An introduction to AI, guidance on using it responsibly, and links to further advice and resources - including how to develop a simple AI policy for your organisation.
Telling your story of change
An overview of why telling your story of change helps funders, board, whānau, and community understand what you do and its value – and some tips on how to tell your story effectively.
Read the new sections here.
New insights papers
Sharpening an equity focus in philanthropy
For many philanthropic organisations, advancing social equity is a major focus. This Insights paper considers how philanthropic funders can be more intentional and strategic in pursuit of their social equity goals.
Te Tiriti Information Disorder
Social media has made it easier than ever to spread misinformation, disinformation and malinformation. When an issue is complex or highly emotional, and you are deluged with voices and perspectives, it can be hard to decide what to believe.
In this CSI Insights paper, we look at how misinformation, disinformation and malinformation affect our understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and why this matters to philanthropy.
Te Pūaha Talks
What’s the word on Te Pūaha Talks?
Each year Foundation North funds us to provide our Te Pūaha Talks - free capability-building workshops and webinars that support community groups and not-for-profit organisations in growing and strengthening their practices across a range of topics.
In this video, three participants share their thoughts on the talks they attended and the value of these to the community and not-for-profit sector.
What's coming up?
Matariki hunga nui - Matariki, the gatherer of people
10am – 11.30am Wednesday 8 July
This workshop is an opportunity to learn more about some of the mātauranga around Matariki, be guided through a wellbeing practice by Tuihana and be ready to embrace Matariki with intention.
Register here.
AI introduction with Tyrone Tangata-Makiri & Kamilla Witehira
12pm - 1.30pm Tuesday 28 July
A practical, interactive session to build your confidence in navigating AI and emerging technologies in community mahi. Tyrone and Kamilla will provide an overview of AI and explore practical opportunities and uses, and risks and ethical questions relevant to the social sector and community-facing mahi.
Register here.
Climate Future Search Wānanga
Individuals from iwi, business, government, finance and community organisations gathered alongside mana whenua in Tāmaki Makaurau for three days in May for a unique cross-sector Climate Future Search Wānanga. Facilitated by CSI associates Miranda Cassidy-O’Connell and Arohanui West (Tūhourangi Ngāti Wahiao, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Rangiwewehi) alongside Johnnie Freeland (Ngaati Te Ata Waiohua, Ngai Tuhoe).
Miranda says it was a privilege to help facilitate such an important wānanga. “There is growing recognition of the need to build connections for coordinated action to deliver on ambitions such as Auckland’s climate plan, Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri, and to build momentum beyond institutional boundaries.”
Tax credit changes for charitable donations
Sector perspectives
Budget 2026 introduced a $100,000 annual cap on donations eligible for the 33% donation tax credit. Robyn Scott, CEO Philanthropy New Zealand and Eleanor Cater, CEO Community Foundations of Aotearoa have commented on the likely impacts on the sector.
For more sector perspectives on this issue, join a webinar this Monday, 22 June, at 3.00pm with Stephen Moe from Seeds podcast, Jenny Gill, Robyn Scott, Craig Fisher, and Sue Barker. You can register for the webinar here.
Governance - online resources
Free online Board Talks coming up from Community Governance Aotearoa:
Volunteer organisations – when you’re doing it all – a talk “for anyone asking: How do we do it all and still lead well?” Friday 26th June
Good Governance Code: Online Workshop – this focuses on Principle 4 of the Good Governance Code: Integrity and Accountability Manaakitanga. Wednesday 22nd July
Election year - Community Networks Aotearoa panel
This panel discussion convened by Community Networks features kōrero with representatives from the ACT, Greens, Labour, National, NZ First, and Opportunity parties about the issues facing New Zealand's community and voluntary sector ahead of November's General Election.