The Sunrise Foundation’s (Sunrise) annual funding round is now open to apply for grants.

Sunrise supports charities and community organisations that have a charitable purpose in Tairāwhiti-Gisborne (the area covered by Gisborne District Council).

As a community endowment foundation Sunrise invests all donations and bequests in endowment funds in perpetuity (forever), protecting and growing the capital for future generations. We use the income from our investments to make grants to charitable causes in Tairāwhiti -Gisborne every year, forever. All the money raised here, stays here.

John Clarke, Sunrise chair, says “donations from local donors has seen Sunrise’s endowments grow to $6 million since Sunrise launched in October 2014. We have a very generous community”.

“In turn this enabled us to gift grants with a total value of $568,000 in our first six funding rounds, to causes across the arts, education, environment, health, social services and sports communities in Tairāwhiti-Gisborne”.

As a community foundation Sunrise is only allowed to use one percent of donations to cover overheads.

Glenda Stokes, Sunrise executive officer, says “while it is great for Sunrise donors to know that 99 percent of their donation works for our community, it does mean Sunrise has to source alternative funding for administration costs”.

“We have been fortunate to have the backing of our funders Trust Tairāwhiti and Clark Charitable Trust, Gold Sponsors Amber Dental, Bayleys Gisborne, Larsen Sawmilling and Self-Storage Gisborne, plus numerous other sponsors and volunteers that have helped us as we strive to build a taonga for our community.”

Glenda added “our results are years ahead of where we forecast we would be, making Sunrise the fastest growing community foundation in New Zealand”.

“We give wholehearted thanks to the donors, funders, sponsors and volunteers, who have helped to make this happen”.

Sunrise’s annual funding round is now open for applications until 20 July 2021 at 4pm. Please visit the Grants page on our website for the application form and funding policy.

Notes 

• The Sunrise Foundation raises funds from donations and legacies and invests them in perpetuity (forever) for the long term (endowment funds).
• Income from investments is used to increase endowments in line with inflation. The surplus investment income is granted to charities, organisations and needy causes in Tairāwhiti-Gisborne (the area covered by Gisborne District Council). All money raised here, stays here.
• 99 percent of donations are used for the benefit of our community. As a community foundation Sunrise can only retain one percent of endowment value each year to cover operating costs. This one percent funding model is in contrast to many charities where it can be usual that up to thirty percent (and sometimes more) of donations are used. Funding from Trust Tairāwhiti and Clark Charitable Trust, and corporate sponsorship assist with operational costs.
• Generous local donors have grown endowments to $6 million and have promised a further $3.5 million in bequests to The Sunrise Foundation since Sunrise was launched in October 2014, which has seen Sunrise become the fastest growing community foundation in New Zealand.
• Donations gifted to the Sunrise General Fund ensure we can respond to our communities needs as they change. Income from the Sunrise General Fund is used to provide grants in our annual funding round.
• Donors can support their favourite charities or causes through a special purpose endowment fund, meaning their chosen charity will be supported by their donation forever. Click here for a full list.
• A separate named endowment fund can be established when a donors donations total $50,000 or more. They can nominate which local charities or causes will receive grants from the income from the fund.
• Although fairly new to New Zealand community foundations have been operating successfully in Canada and the USA for over 100 years.
• Sunrise is one of 18 independent community foundations in New Zealand.
• The Sunrise Foundation was launched by Sir Stephen Tindall in October 2014.
• Sunrise is governed by a local board and supported by Community Foundations New Zealand and The Tindall Foundation with guidance, encouragement and sharing of resources.
• Colin Christie, Sunrise deputy chair, is on the board of Community Foundations NZ.
• Sunrise has one funding round per annum. Applications are open to charitable organisations in Tairāwhiti-Gisborne and organisations delivering charitable projects in Tairāwhiti-Gisborne.
• Funding applications are assessed by the Sunrise Grants Committee.
• We have awarded grants to local causes across a wide range of sectors and throughout the district. Since we launched in 2014 we have granted $568,000 to arts, education, environment, health, social services and sport causes throughout Tairāwhiti-Gisborne (the area governed by Gisborne District Council). Visit our website for a full list of grant recipients.

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