Te Puke organisations among 272 beneficiaries of Acorn Foundation’s $3.2m grants

The Hub Te Puke received Vital Impact Funding from Acorn Foundation.

The Hub Te Puke, Poutiri Charitable Trust, Te Puke Toy Library, Te Puke Volunteer Fire Brigade and Maketū Hauora are among those that have benefited from this year’s Acorn Foundation distributions.

In all 272 charitable organisations and scholarship programmes will benefit from this year’s $3.2m of distributions, a 10% increase in endowment giving and almost $20m in community funding since Acorn’s inception in 2003.

Acorn Foundation CEO Lori Luke says the number of charitable organisations and scholarship programmes receiving funding this year is 20% higher than last year, including 30 organisations which are first-time recipients in 2024.

“Our ability to give back to this region is thanks to the generosity of our incredible donors. Our donors are enabling us to create a lasting impact that will ripple across the region for generations to come.”

Applications received for Acorn’s unrestricted grants increased by 40% this year, reflecting the funding challenges faced by the community sector in 2024. Applications are evaluated based on Acorn’s priorities, which are approved each year by the board based on the needs that the staff and distributions committee identify.

This year’s priorities included a specific focus on those in the community with disabilities and their caregivers.

“These groups were highlighted as particularly vulnerable in the Vital Update – Tauranga 2023 research,” says Lori. “Acorn was able to support organisations doing excellent work with locals with physical, intellectual and learning differences.”

The annual distributions include donations from the Acorn Vital Impact Fund, which focuses on areas of greatest need in the Western Bay of Plenty.

“With ongoing concerns about residents’ access to food due to cost-of-living issues, this year’s Acorn’s Vital Impact Fund was targeted specifically towards organisations working in the food security space,” says Lori.

The Vital Impact Fund provided grants to seven different organisations which cover a range of food support, including the Hub Te Puke.

Acorn Foundation CEO Lori Luke.

Acorn Foundation donors support the community in a range of ways, including through gifts in wills and living giving, where a 33% tax credit is available. Called endowment, or legacy, giving, the original gift is invested, and a portion of the investment returns are distributed to causes or organisations selected by Acorn donors.

Year after year, the foundation supports charities that have been named, causes that have been selected, and allocates unrestricted funds through the volunteer distributions committee based on applications received.

“Endowment giving reached $2.5m this year, up 10%, providing phenomenal, ongoing support to the local region,” says Lori.

Acorn Foundation legacy giving manager Campbell Higgins says with September being Wills Month, it is a great time to consider reaching out to Acorn to discuss leaving a gift in your will to celebrate the causes or organisations that matter most to you.

“It is such a privilege for our team to work with Acorn’s fantastic donors, supporters and volunteers whose generosity has enabled the Acorn Foundation to make this significant impact on the Western Bay of Plenty today and to build an enduring legacy for tomorrow. We hope more and more locals see the unique benefits this type of giving can provide to charitable organisations across the region. We’d love to speak to them about the causes that are closest to their hearts.”