Strategic Plan
Strategic Plan 2023-2030
Whakatāuki
Tō Mātou Wawata | Vision
To accelerate courageous transformational change, that creates vibrant, more sustainable and equitable communities.
Ngā Hapori Mātua | Priority Communities

Ā mātou mahi | The way we work
- Commit to meaningful and authentic relationships with all key regional partners – iwi, whānau, hapū, community groups, central and local government agencies.
- Collaborate with other funders and partners to enhance our impact.
- Offer critical thinking, leadership, advocacy, and insight into local, provincial and national conversations.
- Work on the principle of trust with our partners to ensure impact and outcomes, using data as necessary.
Ngā Whanonga Pono | Values
- Mahi Tahi | Collaboration
- Together we are stronger.
- Relationships are authentic, enduring and based on trust.
- Aro Tahi | Focus
- Targeted philanthropic efforts on areas of greatest need.
- Deliberate in our actions.
- Ngākau Pono | Integrity
- Open and trustworthy.
- Value differences and knowledge within our communities.
- Auaha | Innovation
- Pursue the new, be bold and challenge the norms.
- Grow from success and learn from failure.
- Ngākau Whakaute | Respect
Ngā Whakaohoohotanga | Key Drivers
- Asset management – active investment strategies to preserve and grow our communities, now and in the future.
- Impact Funding – committed to equitable outcomes, remove system barriers, and support our communities to achieve their goals.
- Effective organisation – people, systems and communication to support our purpose.
Ō Mātou Herenga | Our Commitments
- Use all resources, including investments, personnel and funding/granting to progress priorities
- Operate in true partnership with our communities
- Be courageous, flexible, innovative and provide leadership
- Live and practice our Kaupapa in everything we do
- Become a climate responsible (Tiakina te Ao Tūroa) organisation
- Work in a way that is consistent with Te Tiriti o Waitangi
Ngā Pou | Pillars
Tū Māori Mai
Māori in the Eastern and Central regions are supported in their aspirations and enabled to empower their whanau and wider community to create an abundant future for themselves, te taiao (natural world) and Te Ao Māori.
We will support projects or programmes that:-
- Promote a strong Māori cultural identity.
- Enhance cultural knowledge and understanding through wānanga / workshops on local Māori histories.
- Contribute towards Marae as part of a works programme.
- Te Reo and Te Ao Māori flourish.
- Matauranga Māori and Kaitiakitanga are considered in all key decisions.
- Put Māori well-being and Te Ao Māori perspectives to the forefront.
- Support Māori housing aspirations with the goal of intergenerational benefit.
- Enable Māori to have equal access to opportunities and Māori aspirations are supported.
- Lead to tamariki, rangatahi and whānau thriving.
- Lead to improved overall equity and well-being.
Ngā Hua | Outcomes
Māori aspirations supported.
Kaitiakitanga | Environment
We commit to practicing Kaitiakitanga to protect and improve our natural environment for future generations.
This means we will support:
- Programmes or initiatives that seek to addressnclimate change implications, including cultural change, leadership and awareness.
- Community-led environmental initiatives.
- Activities that support communities to sustainably manage their natural resources.
Furthermore, we will: -
- Aim to understand the impact that grants make to reduce climate change and to provide support to communities to understand and reduce their own emissions.
- Develop transparent, measurable actions and reporting to reduce climate change emissions that result from ECCT’s operational activity.
- Assess the impacts of ECCT’s investments to reduce the climate change emissions of ECCT’s investment portfolio.
Ngā Hua | Outcomes
- Increased biodiversity.
- GHG reduction in ECCT region and beyond.
- Improved water quality.
He Whare Ora | Healthy, Secure & Affordable Housing
We value healthy, secure and affordable housing as a fundamental human right. We believe everybody in the ECCT region should be housed in suitable, adequate, and affordable accommodation that fits their whānau and cultural requirements.
We support programmes that take a community approach to address sub-standard housing and the impacts of a lack of affordable housing.
Ngā Hua | Outcomes
Increased housing affordability.
Decrease in homelessness.
Sufficient housing stock that meets the needs
Better housing outcomes for Māori and Pasifika.
Mana Taurite | Equity
Equity is an approach that ensures everyone has access to the same opportunities. Equity recognises that advantages and barriers exist and that, as a result, we all don’t start from the same place; we all come from diverse backgrounds. Equity is a process that begins by acknowledging that unequal starting place and makes a commitment to correct and address the imbalance.
This means we support Strong Communities via programmes that:-
- Promote equity and enable access to opportunities that work to affect positive change for the communities we serve.
- Address the needs of parents, whānau and rangatahi, who are vulnerable, at risk and/or with high needs.
- Support and promote inclusivity.
Ngā Hua | Outcomes
Supported communities enabled to deliver local benefits.
Engaged and supported rangatahi.
Hononga | Partnerships
ECCT will collaborate with other funders and partners to enhance our impact and to sustainably grow philanthropic funding capacity in our communities.
We will partner and provide support for: -
- TiraRangatahi
- Iwi
- Existing philanthropic funders
- New funders e.g. Endowment funds with strong community support
- Local and central government
We will support groups in developing a collaborative community approach that will accelerate courageous transformational change.
Ngā Hua | Outcomes
Coordinated and integrated funding delivery and support.
Pāpātanga | Impacts
Greater equity; better health and well-being; strong communities and a flourishing environment.