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.