The Room Where It Happened

Highlights from the Impact100 Canterbury Grant Award Breakfast 

One of the best things about a community organisation like ours is seeing firsthand what happens to a good vision when great people say yes. At the inaugural Impact100 Canterbury Award Breakfast on 17 June, founding members cast a vote that would ultimately change the lives of countless others.

Hosted by The George Hotel and generously sponsored by JBWere, the award breakfast filled our cups and hearts as we heard proposals from Aviva, One Mother to Another, and Hoa Motuhake Sports Trust, for high-impact projects supporting women and whānau in Canterbury. While these three organisations were selected as finalists, the caliber of submissions across the board was exceptional – more details on the other applicants to follow.

Impact100 Canterbury Award Breakfast: By the Numbers

• 75 local wāhine in attendance (and a handful of gentleman allies)

• 34 pioneering members in 2025/26

• 25 highly impactful grant applicants

• 4 meticulous committee reps

• 3 outstanding finalists

• 3 phenomenal panelists

• 2 indefatigable co-founders

• 1 A-grade ambassador

• 1 transformational $27,000 grant

The three finalists pitched their proposals with boundless passion, commitment, and verve, creating the best kind of dilemma for Impact100 Canterbury members when it came time to vote. Ngā mihi nui ki a koe to Aviva, One Mother to Another, and Hoa Motuhake for the precious time and energy it took to pull their pitches together, and for everything they continue to do, day-in-day-out, for so many in our community.

And the grant goes to...

Hoa Motuhake was voted this year's major grant recipient, with $27,000 awarded to support 30 at-risk tamariki through mentoring and structured sports participation in the next two years. Aviva and One Mother to Another each received grants of $2,500 to support their operations this year.

Panel Prize Bits

We were lucky to hear from three founding members in a panel discussion led by Impact100 Canterbury’s newest ambassador, Nicola Toki, associate partner at MSH Consulting and familiar to many as the voice behind RNZ’s much-loved Critter of the Week segment. Nicola brought her signature wit and warmth as panel facilitator, steering the kōrero and audience with ease – no surprise after more than a decade on radio!

Karen Hattaway, founder of Manu Restaurant, shared moving insights on women reclaiming their agency and power through philanthropy. Gabrielle Boyd, HR Manager at Mike Greer Group, talked about her experience with Impact100 Whakatipu, and how organisations can support and amplify collective giving. Rebecca Inch, Arts and Laws graduate and Project Coordinator at Seed the Change, offered her perspective on sponsored membership and creating equitable access to philanthropy. Their collective insights, honesty, and willingness to share their kaupapa was a real gift – and if the electricity in the room afterwards was anything to go by, a clear highlight for many.

As Karen reflected:

“With the world as crazy as it is, collective giving is so important right now. In New Zealand, as we see more of these specialist groups getting their funding cut, this is such a crucial time for women to stand together and do something for good. Women move mountains. I look over these wāhine toa here today and I think: ‘Goodness me, you can feel the power and connection in the room, with new connections happening every moment. This is so beautiful.”

Impact Enablers

A special shoutout to major sponsor, JBWere; and to The George for their hospitality and beautiful breakfast spread. Impact100 Canterbury is also grateful to Works and Seed the Change for sponsoring seats for two founding members. Other notable mentions include BNZ, Wilson and Dorset, and The Crossing for hosting events throughout the year, with support from Coffee Culture and Christchurch Archaeology Project also hugely appreciated.

The Time is Now

Thanks to the vision of Impact100 Canterbury, the courage of its founding members, and the support from the local business community, dozens of Canterbury families have been given a new lifeline in 2026. It’s been exciting to watch this movement grow wings and take off in our region, and after such an enriching and impactful first grant cycle, its potential is truly limitless. If you’d like to get involved with Impact100 Canterbury, whether as a member, a business sponsor, or as an ally for now, you can start your journey here.