Gulf Innovation Fund Together - GIFT

This report draws together the story and impact of GIFT, Foundation North's five-year initiative to test, scale and create new systems to restore the mauri of Tīkapa Moana/Te Moananui-ā-Toi (The Hauraki Gulf). The report uses the frame of the GIFT Year 5 report, a PDF copy of which is available on our Reports webpage.

Nāu te rourou, Nāku te rourou, Kā ora ai te iwi
With your gift, With my gift, People will prosper

Still images of underwater footage from "The incredible Hauraki Gulf", filmed and produced by Steve Hathaway.

GIFT, or the Gift Innovation Fund Together, was an innovation fund initiated by Foundation North from 2016 to 2022. The focus of GIFT was to improve the mauri | life force of Tīkapa Moana Te Moananui-ā-Toi | the Hauraki Gulf by supporting innovative, holistic projects focused on environmental change.

GIFT grew out of a desire to try something different to tackle environmental decline in the Hauraki Gulf. The Gulf faced, and still faces, significant environmental pressures, leading to a decline in mauri and resource abundance. ​The Sea Change Marine Spatial Plan (2016) provided a roadmap for restoring the Gulf's health through community collaboration. ​Key needs include rebuilding fish stocks, restoring habitats, and reducing pollution.

In 2016, Foundation North announced the fund would have a $5million over 5 years commitment, in the expectation that further funding might be leveraged as partners and co-funders were drawn to a new collaborative approach to ocean funding. Granting began in 2017 and as interest in the fund grew, from applicants and other funders, additional funding of $2m (2019) and $2m (2020) was approved by the Foundation North Board. In 2019, a further $3m was approved to The Nature Conservancy to establish a Challenge Fund to help reverse the Gulf’s decline by focusing on restoring lost shellfish beds.

GIFT was informed by international experience of how philanthropy can enable innovation. Operating on principles of flexible funding, innovation and mātauranga Māori, GIFT funded projects at three levels: seed (potential), scale (growing), and system (collaborative change).

GIFT demonstrated and iterated new practices and challenged ‘business as usual’ rules and policies within Foundation North at the time, such as

• open application process with no deadlines and minimal criteria

• emphasis on building relationships with stakeholders and using a star rating system for applications

• focus on meaningful engagement with Mana Whenua, using the Mauri Model for impact assessment and a developmental evaluation approach (delivered by the Centre for Social Impact).

In total, GIFT received 118 applications and awarded $11.17m in funding. While GIFT as a standalone fund ended in 2022, its legacy is kept alive through:

• its transition into Foundation North’s Whakahou Taiao | Regenerative Environment focus area

• Foundation North’s continuing commitment to Tīkapa Moana Te Moananui-ā-Toi and her people through funding and support activities, eg. advocacy

• the binding together of its learning and practice to inform Foundation North and other philanthropic organisations.

2022 was the final year of granting under the GIFT kaupapa. Transitioning from GIFT to Whakahou Taiao | Regenerative Environment was an important moment to observe – a chance to reflect on the past and look to the future. In this short video, Foundation North’s Kaumātua Kevin Prime, and Chair at the time, Walter Wells, share their kōrero around what needed to be retained and remembered from this mahi, what was important that still needed to be done and what is needed for Tīkapa Moana and her people to thrive over generations to come.

From inception, to transition: The currents & tides that have shaped GIFT

Elements in decline

The ailing health of Tīkapa Moana Te Moananui-ā-Toi – her moana, land, animals, plants and people – was increasingly being highlighted when Foundation North launched its Gulf Innovation Fund Together (GIFT) initiative in August 2016. Outdated marine legislation, siloed and entitled thinking, economic interests outweighing environmental interests, and human exploitation of nature all combined to cause this decline, over many decades.

Mauri at the centre

Research and kōrero with Iwi/Māori and other stakeholders supported the idea of a bold, sustained and innovative approach, and those designing the new fund saw an opportunity to place the Māori concept of Mauri at the centre. A separately branded GIFT fund, with an initial $5m over five years, enabled a small team within Foundation North to develop a fluid, nimble and collaborative funding mechanism to seed experimental initiatives, projects shown to have potential and larger scale kaupapa looking to effect systemic change. GIFT-funded projects also received capacity and evaluation support from the Centre for Social Impact.

Shifting GIFT’s emphasis

In its early years, GIFT attracted requests from applicants normally excluded from the Foundation’s usual funding criteria: individuals, small companies and academic researchers. GIFT’s influence and network grew, partnerships were formed and external funding was leveraged.
Around Year Three, a shift in emphasis occurred. The GIFT team adapted its ways of working to be more culturally responsive and initiatives led by Tangata Whenua became a priority. Mātauranga Māori practices and approaches were recognised, valued and implemented, and the GIFT network’s understanding of mauri was deepened through wānanga with Te Kaa. At the same time, GIFT explored different ways to use a systems lens to identify the factors holding the Gulf’s restoration back.

Into transition

After five years, GIFT bound its learning and practice together to inform Foundation North and other philanthropic organisations (GIFT Year 5 impact report). While GIFT as a standalone fund ended in 2022, Foundation North remains committed to Tīkapa Moana Te Moananui-ā-Toi and her people through its other funding streams.

Lasting connections

Kotahitanga has been a key theme of GIFT, with grantees:

• Listening to and amplifying the voice of native species and ecosystems to inform regeneration
• Challenging outdated practices and systems that exclude or undermine Indigenous knowledge and self determination
• Promoting leadership and learning for future generations
• Engaging and collaborating with warmth and respect.

Foundation North continues to celebrate and support the many people who give their time, Mātauranga and aroha to a great diversity of mahi that together will have positive intergenerational impact on te taiao and her people.

Granting via a seed, scale and system framework: Makes space for collaboration and regeneration

GIFT began in 2016 as a $5m fund, with additional funding of $2m (2019) and $2m (2020) approved by the Foundation North Board. An additional $3m was approved to The Nature Conservancy by the Foundation North Board in 2019 to establish a Challenge Fund (see here for more information). GIFT funded at three levels. 

The Centre for Social Impact evaluated GIFT and advised on innovation and strategy. It also provided evaluation and capacity support to GIFT grantees. Experimentation and risk taking was supported, with some failure expected.

GIFT projects leveraged further funding of $4,865,679.

What is effective in restoring mauri? Learnings that can act as beacons of light to others

Foundation North acknowledges the mana and kotahitanga of all those who have worked or are working to restore the mauri of Tīkapa Moana Te Moananui-ā-Toi. Key insights from GIFT with a focus on “what is effective in restoring mauri” are shared below, drawn from a review of GIFT documentation by Centre for Social Impact Associates Kate Cherrington and Kat Dawnier. Learning is shared in the hope that others working to restore mauri can apply these insights to their mahi.

Ihi: Principles of Practice

Understanding and connecting to origin stories of the people and the land

What it looks like:

• Collaboration with Mana Whenua; building deep knowledge of hapū and their connections
• Genuine engagement with Tangata Whenua and valuing high trust reciprocal relationships that recognise history and the role of Iwi as kaitiaki
• Cultivating human connectedness to Te Taiao – engaging people’s emotional, spiritual, cultural and ‘felt’ connections with land and sea
• Using arts and creativity to build understanding and connection.

Ihi: Principles of Practice

Shared understanding of our responsibilities and the different ways we may express those

What it looks like:

• Whānau, hapū and Iwi taking leadership and decision-making roles
• Engaging in ways that are right for Mana Whenua and that address issues of over-consultation, overstretched capacity and other dynamics
• Decolonisation of power structures and decisionmaking processes; bringing bicultural practice to the governance table as well as operationally; co-governance models; working in mana-enhancing ways
• Giving voice to rangatahi and empowering rangatahi leaders
• Raising voices and sharing knowledge – including the perspectives of non-human parts of Te Taiao.

Ihi: Principles of Practice

• Remaining in awe of what mauri is and means
• Respecting the time, work and journey
• Understanding mauri is a continuous journey and reflection

What it looks like:

• Ensuring that the concept of Mauri is well understood and placed at the centre – not just of the investment focus but within each organisation and community leading change efforts
• Intentional commitment by non-Māori to value and honour Mauri, and build understanding of Mauri e.g., through wānanga
• Building cultural intelligence to practice in a way that resonates with the concept of Mauri and with Te Ao Māori more broadly
• Listening to hapū and Iwi to determine how Mauri is changing; understanding and hearing the intrinsic link between the Mauri of an ecosystem and the wellbeing of hapū and Iwi
• For the people engaging in restoring Mauri – building a relationship with your own Mauri, slowing down, restoring energy
• Advocacy to encourage others’ consideration of Mauri as a priority outcome; which also helps centre Māori voices
• Slowing down – taking time and space to be relationship focused and holistic
• Crowd-sourcing evidence (from grantees and partners) around what is blocking change and where there is potential to restore Mauri
• Patient and long-term, flexible financial commitment
• Investing in evaluation capacity, particularly framed around Mauri.

Ihi: Principles of Practice

• A desire to be collaborative and interdependent
• Utilising the resources and people at hand

What it looks like:

• Efforts across interdisciplinary people of common interest (spanning Mana Whenua, communities, business and government) to restore Mauri in ways that reflect the interconnectedness of ecosystems and people
• Making space for dialogue; intentional convening to build hope, connectedness and integration of ideas and practices
• Dismantling silos – greater cross-Government leadership and connectivity of strategies and investments
• Collaborative investment; impact investing alongside more traditional forms of funding
• Shifting mental models from individualism to collectivism
• Creating space and getting out of the way for Māorito exercise Tino Rangatiratanga
• Seeding and scaling new ways of working with high impact potential; investing in new knowledge
• Building buy-in to collective accountability and stewardship, and social willingness for change; creating a ‘change community’
• Leveraging social willingness for change to galvanise political will for bolder structural, policy and regulatory changes and steepened targets.

Ihi: Principles of Practice

• Prioritising Mātauranga Māori
• Blending Mātauranga Māori with Western and other knowledge systems

What it looks like:

• Prioritising wider understanding and use of Indigenous knowledge
• Holding space for knowledge systems to co-exist; leadership to navigate the blending of knowledge; access to cultural advisors
• Bicultural practice developed over time through honest dialogue, openness to receiving learning, holding space for Mātauranga and building meaningful relationships based on mutual respect
• Facilitating creative idea generation processes that embrace Mātauranga, other knowledge systems and imagination.

The pools and ripples of collective impact

Via 69 projects from late 2016 to 2022, key impacts that emerged via GIFT supported mahi are shared below, starting with six significant areas of contribution. Links to GIFT case studies and further information are provided.

GIFT supported two initiatives involving Te Tiriti o Waitangi based approaches to marine restoration. Both initiatives involve long term collaborations to restore mauri.

Via GIFT and Tindall Foundation funding, the Hauraki Gulf Shellfish Restoration Coordination Group was established in 2019, facilitated by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). It aims to encourage co-operation and provide strategy and direction towards shared shellfish restoration goals. The group includes iwi, academia, business, community groups, local and national government representatives. From this work, 34 tonnes of mussels were deployed in the Gulf and $400k for shellfish restoration was leveraged from the New Zealand government and the China Global Conservation Fund. A Challenge Fund of up to $3M for shellfish restoration in the Gulf was established, through which Foundation North contributed $1 for every $1 raised by TNC. A website was launched dedicated to shellfish restoration research in New Zealand.

Below is one example of a Mana Whenua-led collaboration funded through the Challenge Fund.

Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei (Ōkahu Bay)

Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei in conjunction with Revive our Gulf and the University of Auckland, deployed 60+ tonnes of mussels in Ōkahu Bay as part of efforts to restore mussel reefs.

GIFT supported groups to engage hearts and minds to take action for Tīkapa Moana Te Moananui-ā-Toi.

GIFT supported the creation of important new knowledge about the Gulf in the following areas.

Scaled technologies:

Technologies with potential to scale:

Examining the ebbs and flows of GIFT: Through a systems change lens

GIFT adapted the six conditions of systems change framework (Kania et al 2018) to understand how GIFT could support meaningful change to restore mauri in the Hauraki Gulf. The picture below indicates how GIFT supported mahi influenced system change in the Gulf. The next section provides examples of GIFT supported impact for each ‘condition’ of systems change. It is important to note that environmental change can take a long time, and that outcomes from GIFT supported mahi are likely to create ripples for many years. 

This analysis indicates that GIFT contributed most in building relationships and influencing mental models for change, and least in influencing public policy and power dynamics affecting the Gulf. Influence on practices and resource flows were emergent and promising.

Ngā tikanga whakahaere: Policy influence and impact

• Highly scalable national finance scheme for permanent native forestry created (Mōhio Research), which developed into a Climate Innovation Lab to drive more sustainable, climate-oriented outcomes
  
• A 35-year resource consent and Biosecurity Permit was granted for shellfish restoration in the Hauraki Gulf (The Nature Conservancy)
  
• Business case influences decision to bring electric ferries into the inner Hauraki Gulf from 2023 (McMullen and Wing/EV Maritime)
  

In September 2021, the Noises Restoration project team submitted a proposal to government for the Noises to be part of its ‘High Protection Area’ legislation. This was eventually legislated in October 2025 through the Hauraki Gulf Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Act 2025.

Six-month prototype to engage across the political spectrum to inform decision making to restore the mauri of the Gulf (Awhi Consulting).

Within Foundation North, GIFT catalysed significant policy shifts to fund more flexibly, for example to fund individuals and companies. It also produced the seed, scale, system model of funding which has been influential within philanthropy in Aotearoa.

Ko ngā tikanga, ngā mahi: Practices

• Successful waterway restoration practice at scale identified (Sustainable Business Network), plus the restoration of 21.6 kilometres of waterway with 45,000+ native plants and trees planted.
• Sea cleaning water drone prototype developed and tested.
• Predator trap sensing system SIGFOX technology tested on Waiheke, allowing remote monitoring across three kinds of predator traps, became commercially developed and used (Thinxtra).
• Seabird safe practices of Hauraki Gulf charter fishers improved and seabird safe fishing information distributed to recreational fishers via 1200 bait buckets (Southern Seabird Solutions).
• Litter flowing into the Gulf reduced through installation of 50+ litter traps and 500+ businesses engaged in reduce plastic waste campaign, with 58 new take-back waste schemes created (Sustainable Business Network).
• Kina collecting activity pilot on Waiheke had a positive impact on kelp growth rates in the project area compared to the control area. (Nick Shears, University of Auckland) Having mauri restoration as the GIFT vision brought diversity of thought and approach to regenerating and upholding the wellness of Tīkapa Moana Te Moananui-a-Toi.
• Young Ocean Explorers programme in schools is directly reducing plastics use and keeping schools cleaner. Evidence of increased interest in protecting the marine environment by students aged 5 to 13 years after the YOE experience. Students can identify actions they can take.

Tauawhi, Tautoko: Resource flows

• $4.9m additional funding for the Hauraki Gulf was leveraged via GIFT.
• Co-creation of the $6m Challenge Fund (The Nature Conservancy and Foundation North), to support shellfish restoration efforts in the Gulf.
• GIFT funded research on restoring kina barrens (Nick Shears, University of Auckland) led to involvement in two Sustainable Seas projects; 1. A science-based project “Understanding ecological responses to cumulative effects” (valued at $3.9 million) and 2. An iwi led project “Huataukina o hapu e”.
• Blake Trust was able to deliver from a te ao Māori worldview for kura and Māori immersion schools to experience NZ-VR footage of the Hauraki Gulf. GIFT funding also leveraged significant new funding to expand the reach of this virtual reality footage (resource flows), with new sites filmed nationally and in the sub-Antarctic.

Whakawhanaunga: Relationships

Relationships lie at the heart of transformative change relating to human activity for the Hauraki Gulf. All GIFT supported mahi built relationships in some way, and GIFT regularly brought GIFT supported change makers together to share, learn and strategise for change. Just a few examples of GIFT supported whanaungatanga are shared below:

• A network of relationships built to achieve holistic marine protection for Ōtata and the wider Gulf. The Noises Restoration project partnership formed in 2019 between the Neureuter family, Auckland Museum and University of Auckland, working alongside Mana Whenua.
• New collaborations and MOUs between the Sustainable Business Network, Auckland Foundation and Hauraki Gulf Forum on awareness raising, advocacy, mussel regeneration and riparian planting in the Gulf.
• Protect Aotea: Letters of support from Ngāti Pāoa, Ngātiwai, Ngāti Hako, Ngāti Rongo, and a mandate received at an AGM for Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai ki Aotea, to kōrero to the stopping of marine dumping.
• Rangatahi and other hapū members connected to Ngāti Pāoa identity and kaitiakitanga roles via the Waiheke Marine Project.
• Establishment of the Hauraki Gulf Shellfish Coordination Group to facilitate greater coordination of shellfish restoration efforts around the Gulf.
• New partnerships established and existing relationships strengthened between the Hauraki Gulf Watershed and Piritahi Marae, Education Centres, Fisheries, Fullers Ferries, Boating Clubs and Auckland Council.
• Blake Trust’s VR technology provided new/first time access to marine environments for many students (41% of schools visited low decile).
• Oceans Lab created a network of 25 people+ with a stronger connection with the Gulf and more confidence and tools to innovate.
• Increased awareness of the kina barren problem in the Gulf, advanced understanding of kina barrens, and developed collaborative solutions to restoring the mauri of the reefs.

Mana Motuhake: Power dynamics

• Recognition by Tangata Tiriti of the value Mātauranga Māori can bring to regeneration initiatives, initiatives being led by Mana Whenua and the strengthening of genuine Treaty partnerships demonstrated the way forward for intergenerational impact.
• The Neureuter family committed to building relationships towards co-management of Ōtata with Mana Whenua.
• Protect Aotea formed to pursue a Tangata Whenua led approach to environmental protection, underscored by Mātauranga Māori and meaningful engagement with local iwi.
• Emergence of an Ahu Moana co-management approach to regenerating Waiheke and its moana – this included activation of Te Tiriti through Ngāti Pāoa as Tangata Whenua leading or co-managing decision-making on issues of significance, as determined by them.
• The Shellfish Restoration Coordination group also helped build the capacity of Tangata Whenua, and other groups and leaders involved in shellfish restoration activities so they could have greater impact.
• Identifying that youth are compelled, want to lead and need to be at the centre of regeneration efforts (Louise Marra/Moana Tamaariki-Pohe).

Āta whakaaro: Mindsets

The examples below indicate the range of ways GIFT supported mahi worked to change mindsets.

• Seasick – Saving the Hauraki Gulf documentary series was released in 2022: 7 x 12 minute web mini-series highlighting the issues and possible solutions to the environmental issues facing Tīkapa Moana Te Moananui-ā-Toi.
• Over 50 people experienced the Indigenous to Earth - Ngā uri ō Papatūānuku mē Ranginui programme to engage and empower Tāmaki Makaurau leaders with tools to champion projects in Tīkapa Moana Te Moananui-ā-Toi / Hauraki Gulf. 100% of participants reported significant enhancement in their own mauri and in their relationship with self and environment. Cultural learning was brought into workplaces and knowledge of mauri and how to restore mauri was strengthened. Some participants joined existing kaupapa to restore the Gulf, others made personal changes such as committing to learning Te Reo Māori.
• Oceans Lab mauri restoration leadership programme for 25+ people who experienced a three-month lab process. Working with mauri, people were connected to themselves, each other, whenua and moana. Deep personal transformation of participants was reported.
• The focus on mauri shifted Crave Global to work more holistically and changed how their business operates.
• Funding enabled five Hauraki Gulf sites to be filmed for virtual reality (VR) and shared with schools (Blake Trust). Direct engagement of over 30,000 students in the Hauraki Gulf-focused marine education via VR. Over 740,000 viewings via social media, 85,000 video viewings and 32,000 via the website app. Blake Trust’s NZ-VR programme is also delivered in Te Reo Māori, and utilises a range of Māori concepts including pūrakau, rāhui and whakatauāki, to deliver a more relevant and meaningful experience for tamariki Māori.
• Te Reo Māori translated Tīkapa Moana content created, raising interest for children (Young Ocean Explorers).
• GIFT support accelerated the Sustainable Business Network’s cultural development and understanding of Te Ao Māori. This allowed SBN staff to more deeply acknowledge the colonial context of nature conservation in Aotearoa New Zealand. Placing mauri at the centre reshaped SBN’s approach to all its work around deep personal connection with nature and was instrumental in SBN’s progression in national efforts for nature regeneration. GIFT enabled the organisation’s move to support the large-scale Mana Whenua-led South Auckland nature regeneration project - Te Whakaoratanga o te Puhinui me te Manukau.
• Protect Aotea presented its kōrero on marine protection around Aotearoa –including Tauranga University, Waikato University, media networks, Pakiri Sand Hearings, Aotea Community, Ngāti Pāoa hui, Te Mautohe, Protect Pukeiahua, Pūtiki, Arohatia te moana, Hikoi mo te moana.

We acknowledge GIFT’s partners & supporters

In this short video, Foundation North’s Kaumātua Kevin Prime, offers a closing karakia marking the conclusion of the Gift Innovation Fund Together (GIFT).

Karakia mutunga mo Taonga

E tē Wāhi Ngaro e tuku atu mātou tenei reo whakawhetai whakamoemiti ki a koe mō tē putea i tukua mai ki tē whakatika ake i ngā nawe me ngā raruraru o ngā wahapū o te Waitemata, o Hauraki me Tīkapa Moana. Kei te haere tonu ngā whakawhetai mō aua kākano kua ruia mai e koe kia tino pai atu te oranga o te mauri o enei Moana tapu.

Nā reira e tē Wāhi Ngaro, kua ruia ngā kākano, kua puta nga kōrito o aua kākano, kua heke ngā pūtake, kua tupu tē kaupapa, tae noa ki tē whakatutukitanga i aianei Ko tenei tonu te whakawhetai te whakamoemiti i tou Ingoa Tapu me te whakahoki atu te kororia ki ā koe. Korōria kiTou Ingoa Tapu mō enei manākitanga kua ūhia mai e koe ki runga i tenei kaupapa. 

I te mea e anga atu nei ki te mutungā o tenei kaupapa, e inoi tonu atu nei ki a koe kia tau tonu mai Ou manākitanga ki runga i enei taonga wai kia ora pai ai tē mauri o enei moana mō ake tonu atu. Mauri ora ki tē taiao mo enei Moana. Kia tau tonu.

Closing karakia for GIFT

Oh the Unseen One, we offer these words of thanks and praise for the funds that you have provided as seeding to assist in correcting the environmental issues on Hauraki harbour, the Waitemata and Tīkapa Moana. We continue to thank You for the seeds that have been sown to improve the Mauri of these treasured waters. Glory to your holy name for the blessings upon this project. Therefore; these seeds have been sown, the new shoots have emerged, the roots have taken hold, that the programme has grown to achieve its original objectives – improving the wellness of these sacred waters. We continue to offer thanks and praise for these achievements to date. As this programme now draws to a close we pray that your continued blessings will remain upon these treasured waters evermore. Let excellent health dwell on these waters. Always.