Community Grants

An update from the Community Liason Committee Chair

Tēnā koutou katoa,

It fills me with pride to be writing the first Community Liaison Committee Chair report. I would like to begin by acknowledging the recent flooding in Tāmaki and the exceptional response demonstrated by our community as they rallied together to provide support and assistance to those affected.

This collaborative effort is a testament to the invaluable role that community-based services play in times of crisis. Secondly, I want to acknowledge our partnership with Tāmaki Regeneration Company (TRC). In 2015, the CLC was established to provide a community voice to the way TRC works, and since then we have consistently collaborated to deliver on outcomes for Tāmaki.

In late 2022, we worked together to develop a community-led grant distribution programme which supported three tertiary students into higher education and provided funds to many more community projects. Creating equitable outcomes lay at the heart of these grants so we were elated to see so many strong applications from our Pasifika and Māori community. We are excited to announce that the community grants will be reopening later this year.

Growing the governance capabilities in Tāmaki is a priority for the CLC. Over 2022 and 2023, the CLC and TRC contracted KPMG to deliver a series of Governance 101 workshops to community leaders in Tāmaki. Attendees learnt about governance roles and responsibilities, strategy, leadership, and financial analysis from governance specialists, Matthew Mudford and Carlos Talataina.

I also want to congratulate Barry Bublitz, board director of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, who is the first sponsor of the CLC and TRC partnership to complete the Institute of Director’s Company Directors course. Finally, good luck to the four other community and Mana Whenua members attending the company directors’ course later this year.

In closing, I want to thank Shelley Katae, the TRC senior leadership team, and my fellow committee members for their dedication to our kaupapa and the wider Tāmaki community.

Nāku nā,
Maria Meredith
Community Liaison Committee Chair