About
Our Story
Photo: Liz Carlson
By the people of Southland, for the people of Southland
Across Murihiku Southland, there is a quiet strength, a spirit of resilience, generosity and a community that inspires people to look out for one another and where there is a deep commitment to ensuring our people and places thrive. It is this same local spirit that led to the creation of the Southland Foundation, launched in May 2024.
Created by the people of Southland, for the people of Southland, the Foundation was established to help nurture and grow the long-term prosperity of our region through giving, partnerships and philanthropy, creating a new way for Southlanders to support the future of the region they love. The idea began taking shape in 2023, when conversations with funders, iwi, businesses, professional advisers, local government and potential donors showed strong support for establishing Southland’s own community foundation.
As part of New Zealand’s nationwide community foundation network, Southland Foundation provides a trusted way for generous locals to support the causes, organisations and communities they care about most. Through a simple yet powerful giving model, donations are invested and grown, with investment returns distributed back into the community so every gift can keep giving, supporting Southland today and into the future.
Donors can give in ways that suit them, whether through one-off or regular giving, personal or corporate giving, or by leaving a gift in their will. Southland Foundation provides the charitable framework, governance and expert oversight to make giving simple, effective and enduring.
Together, we can build a lasting legacy for Southland supporting the people, places and causes that matter most, now and for generations to come.
Our Vision
A Southland where giving is ingrained in our region’s identity.
Our Purpose
To secure and grow generosity to support and strengthen Southland communities.
Ambitious
We have a growth mindset, strive for excellence and continuously push boundaries to bring about meaningful change.Our Values
Connected
We build trusted relationships and collaborate to achieve positive outcomes. We have effective regional engagement. We leverage the impact of storytelling, motivating donor giving to causes that resonate with their values and passions.
We support the region's ability to determine its own path forward and that sustainable positive change comes from within our community. We are agile and responsive to the changing needs of Southland communities.