In 2021, the Todd Foundation and other funders from the Weave collective supported Philanthropy New Zealand to develop Match | Te Puna Taurite (MTPT) – a digital platform that ‘flips the model’ of funding.

Launched in May 2022, MTPT provides an easier way for fundseekers to get in front of multiple funders at once. Fundseekers can upload a profile and funding requests to one place rather than having to approach funders individually with tailored applications.

Anika Speedy, the Manager of the platform notes: “Match | Te Puna Taurite has been developed to create systems change in the funding system in Aotearoa New Zealand. It won't happen overnight, however we can create some immediate fixes by creating a more equal playing field by reducing the burden of accessing funding for fundseekers. The aim is to facilitate greater collaboration for funders with more of our key equity groups being funded and a more unified funding landscape for everyone, sharing knowledge and ideas."

This vision strongly resonates with the Todd Foundation, so on top of contributing to the platform’s development, our trustees tagged $50,000 of our 2022 donation budget for staff to allocate to organisations and initiatives listed on the platform. While we’ve mostly moved away from small one-off grants to community groups, to focus on more long-term larger grants, we thought this was an important platform to support.

Staff had the pleasure of logging onto the platform and funding eight charities around Aotearoa who are doing incredible work.

It was an awesome opportunity for us to keep an equity focus on our funding and to learn about new small charities that have popped up around the country. It’s a platform still in its infancy but we can see the huge potential it presents.