Tailored Trading and Proactive Saving: Orchid Horizon’s Twin Finance Solutions For many female business founders, building a business means juggling paid work, startup demands, and family responsibilities – often all at once – which, without a financial buffer, can make committing to a new venture feel insurmountable. The Women Entrepreneurs Fund, founded by Joy Shivas in 2022, is working to upend the gender imbalance in the startup sphere by providing female founders with p

Back to Basics: Michelle Chim’s "Papercup" Phone In 2022, Joy Shivas turned her vision for a more diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem into reality. Her Women Entrepreneurs Fund, supported by Kura Tāwhiti – Canterbury Community Foundation, is an endowment fund that continues to grow, supporting female business founders year after year. Now, thanks to Joy’s generosity, three more extraordinary women have been given a lifeline. Speaking of lines, Michelle Chim, one of our lates

Syncing with your Cycle: Lizzy Leonard's Smart Meal-Planning Platform The Women Entrepreneur’s Fund is back with another round of $10,000 grants for female business founders – moving the needle ever-closer to an equitable startup system. Thanks to the continued support and vision of donor Joy Shivas, we have three more remarkable winners to celebrate. Lizzy Leonard has launched an innovative SAAS product you’ll want to sink your teeth into. Born out of her own experiments wi

Storm recovery, wins for wāhine and major board news to kick off 2026

Tania Anderson helps people think better and differently – an immensely valuable skill she will soon bring to Kura Tāwhiti – Canterbury Community Foundation as our newest Trustee. Tania is a seasoned systems designer, evaluator, and governance professional focused on social innovation and outcomes. With nearly 20 years’ experience across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, she specialises in designing and supporting change in highly complex social systems, inclu

With sincere pleasure — and a measure of Cantabrian pride — we welcome Colin Mansbridge, Chief Executive of the Crusaders, to the Board of Kura Tāwhiti – Canterbury Community Foundation as co-Chair. Colin is an experienced senior executive with cross-disciplinary leadership experience spanning both the banking and sports sectors. Since becoming CEO of the Crusaders in 2018, he has led one of New Zealand’s most iconic sporting franchises through a period of remarkable growth

Impact100 Canterbury welcomes new member Rebecca Inch, sponsored by Seed the Change.

A trust transfer to your local community foundation allows your society or trust to wind up its structure while keeping its name, purpose, and story alive.

Featured in Business Canterbury's Bold Company series: How our renewed strategy, endowment-focused model and partnership programmes are working to build long-term community resilience.

Stepping forward while giving back in 2025.

Craigs Investment Partners has delivered again this holiday season, with their Workplace Giving programme supporting three more local charities through Kura Tāwhiti – Canterbury Community Foundation. The yearly initiative redirects traditional Christmas gifting toward meaningful community support, contributing more than $7,500 to charitable organisations in the Canterbury region in 2025. Craigs' Workplace Giving allows employees to donate a portion of their monthly pay t

Here at Kura Tāwhiti, we’re continually inspired by people who care deeply about our region and its future.

The Christchurch Foundation has transformed into Kura Tāwhiti – Canterbury Community Foundation , marking an exciting new chapter in how we serve Christchurch City and the Selwyn and Waimakariri districts. It was important for our name to represent the whole region, and our approach to building an endowment for this community and place we call home. This pausing and reassessing who we are and what we stand for reflects the shift in our purpose: to build a long-term funding

Joy Shivas partnered with The Christchurch Foundation to establish the Women Entrepreneurs Fund, providing financial and holistic support to female founders to cover their living expenses while they drive their business forward.

The Christchurch Foundation’s Women Entrepreneur’s Fund continues its mission to close the gender gap in entrepreneurship by backing innovators like Emily Blythe, whose ideas are redefining the aviation industry.

The Christchurch Foundation's Women Entrepreneurs Fund has awarded $10,000 to Tracy Austin for her innovative approach to reuniting lost pets with their owners.

The Christchurch Foundation is thrilled to introduce our new Board member, Lucy-Mary Mulholland. Lucy-Mary brings a wealth of frontline experience in community development initiatives across Aotearoa, including managing youth-led festivals, community centres and neighbourhood building projects; working as a child therapist in schools; designing placemaking activations; and facilitating strategy development for community and environmental organisations. She now works as an

Read the latest news from the Christchurch Foundation.

Lymphoedema is often called "the hidden disease" – and for good reason.

“Barbara has always been quietly generous. She’s thoughtful, progressive, and always thinking about how to help others – even after she’s gone.”