19 August 2015

News release

Four Wellington charities to benefit from The Funding Network crowdfunding

Four Wellington charities - working to make local communities healthier, helping troubled teens and empowering young change-makers - will pitch for dollars at The Funding Network’s next crowdfunding event.

To be held in Wellington for the first time at the City Gallery onThursday, September 17, the event will raise tens of thousands of dollars in a fun and philanthropic way. The two previous TFNevents in Auckland have raised more than $200,000 for eight organisations, with dozens of generous Kiwis pledging amounts ranging from $100 to $5,000. www.thefundingnetwork.org.nz

Pitching at Wellington’s first TFN event, with the evening running from 5.30pm, are:

Common Unity Project of Aotearoa

http://commonunityproject.org.nz/

The Common Unity Project Aotearoa is a community-led initiative which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of the local community. Based at Epuni Primary School, they teach the school’s 110 pupils how to grow and cook their own healthy food, and also have a playgroup, knitting classes and a bicycle library. Their aim is to educate, empower and unite local individuals and whanau to improve their health and wellbeing, and to build the collective capacity and resilience of communities.

Upper Hutt Community Youth Trust

http://www.uhcyt.org.nz/

https://www.facebook.com/collisionyc

Upper Hutt Community Youth Trust works with at risk teens in Trentham and Timberlea. The Trust provides a space calledCollision - an amazing venue to provide safe social programmes and positive adult role model mentors; enabling better life choices, a sense of belonging and a positive flow-on impact to the wider community. Collision currently operates one day a week and the trust wants to extend this to support more youth.

Orientation Aotearoa

http://www.oa.org.nz/

Orientation Aotearoa is an eight month innovative, hands-on education programme for aspiring change-makers (aged 18 -25). The Wellington-based residential programme provides a diverse curriculum delivered by leading minds from around NZ, supporting young people to understand local and global challenges, and empowering them to take meaningful action in the world.

WorkerBe Oasis

WorkerBe Oasis is a new Wellington group seeking seed funding to start an urban farm with an aim to grow 2,000kg oforganic food by November 2016. This food will provide a consistent supply of fresh vegetables for people in need, while also teaching and inspiring people to use their own backyards for food production and healthier lifestyles. Alongside growing food, they will also introduce a community composting service, diverting waste from landfill.

Julia Capon, Manager of The Gift Trust, one of the key sponsors of The Funding Network*, says: "We were impressed with the applications we received and our selection panel had a hard time deciding on the final four who will pitch on the night.

“Our aim is to support small to medium-sized local organisations for which the funds raised would make a genuinely useful contribution. We've had great success in Auckland, with huge support for the charities pitching. They’ve all received generous donations and in-kind support from the audiences on the night and in the months following.

"We know Wellington is a little city but we know Wellingtonians have huge hearts so hope The Funding Network will be a great success in the Capital too,” says Capon.

Often described as “Dragon’s Den for charities”, The Funding Network was launched in London in 2002 by philanthropist and art dealer Dr Frederick Mulder. It has since spread around the world, with more than 150 TFN events held, 750 charities supported and at least NZD $13 million raised. The aim is to democratise philanthropy by providing an attractive and easy way in for new givers.

*The Funding Network Wellington event is sponsored by The Gift Trust, Macquarie Group Foundation, Macquarie Private Wealth and Wellington City Council with support from Philanthropy NZ and Lassoo Media and PR. TFN NZ is brought to NZ by the Auckland Communities Foundation.

ENDS

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