Anglican Care Network (ACN) is one of our Faith Funding Managers distributing funds on our behalf nationwide. ACN is a nationwide network of social service agencies, parish-based community programmes and inter-church projects or partnerships. Our funds are allocated to initiatives across seven Dioceses in the programme area of supporting families and social services.
Here we talk to the ACN team about their work and the partnership we share.
How long has your organisation been working in this role as Tindall Foundation funding manager?
Since 1998
What is involved in your role of Tindall Foundation Funding Manager?
To distribute the funding allocated to Anglican Care, we contact each of the seven Anglican Tikanga Pakeha Diocese who have two Anglican Care Network [ACN] representatives. These local representatives that have the local knowledge contact Anglican agencies and parish based social services and invite them to make applications. These applications are collated and passed onto the ACN Executive, who makes the decision as to which organisation will receive funding based on The Tindall Foundation’s criteria.
How do you work with The Tindall Foundation and the wider community in this role?
The Tindall Foundation’s unique funding model works because we are entrusted to distribute the funding on the basis of our local knowledge. The way we work aligns with the Foundation’s philosophy and criteria for allocation.
How would you describe your organisation’s relationship with The Tindall Foundation?
We appreciate that The Tindall Foundation model is based on building strong relationships. The Foundation staff have taken time to build a trusting, caring relationship with us over many years and we appreciate this. The Tindall Foundation really goes the extra mile and takes a keen interest in local communities, funded projects and the benefits to the community. For example, when the Christchurch earthquakes struck, Tindall Foundation staff and family members got in touch quickly to see where resources were urgently needed and they kept in touch understanding that the need continued several years after the earthquakes stopped. They recognised the demands on social service agencies and their staff. We were moved by their generosity to resource the caring of workers. A more recent example responding to immediate need is the Bay of Plenty floods.
We appreciate that not only does the Foundation use resources as a way of caring, they continue their one-to-one caring relationships with organisations with a sense of genuine interest, concern and personal time. The Tindall family and staff show a distinct generosity of spirit to the work of distributing their funds.
Approximately, now many organisations would you support a year using Tindall Foundation funds?
23 organisations were supported in the last 12 months
How much money approximately does this equate to each year?
The next release of funds for distribution in 2017/18 will be approx $195,000
In your role you must work with charities and philanthropic organisations, what do you enjoy about working in this sector?
Working collectively with people who care and are compassionately working towards equality of opportunity, inclusion and social justice. Working with large numbers of volunteers who generously give of their time.
Seeing change and enjoying the opportunities to be innovative and creative to respond to emerging needs in a collaborative creative way.
What do you enjoy about your role?
Seeing the seeds of ideas planted, and through resourcing from The Tindall Foundation, being able to grow ideas to meet the aspirations and goals of our communities.
There’s a real sense of enjoyment when you see a fledgling project flourish through the allocation of funding. Likewise, in being able to see an agency work alongside the community and then witness the benefits blossoming within their community. Sometimes pioneer projects find it hard to attract funding and it’s good to be able to meet that gap with Tindall Foundation funding.
You are in a job where giving back to the community is central to what you do. What do you get out of the job personally?
Being a representative of a faith based network we seek to enable every person within their community to have the opportunity to play a just, fulfilling and appropriate part in the community according to the resources reasonably available both internally and externally. When we are able to be that love of Christ in action it is personally satisfying
There is reward in knowing that ideas are given life. Projects are funded and can actually happen rather than just remaining an idea.
Our understanding is that whenever we give, we receive in a different way and a culture of reciprocity is created where there is a flow of giving and receiving.