Get impact investment — The Ākina Foundation

Expressions of interest have now closed.

Thank you to everyone that took the time to apply for this grant! Keep an eye out on socials for the 2023/24 cohort of recipients.

The 2023/24 programme is powered by the generous folks at:

You could use the programme funding to access:

Accounting and financial support
Business and impact consultancy services
Marketing and communications services
Other support that aligns with your plans to seek investment

Please note: this funding cannot be used for general business expenses, development, or validation – it is specifically for services that enable you to get ready for a significantly larger amount of investment.

How to apply

1. Submit an expression of interest so we can confirm your eligibility

Not sure it’s for you? Attend our info session and then submit your expression of interest.

2. If you’re eligible you’ll be invited to submit a full application.

3. Successful applications may receive up to $25k or part thereof to help access professional services

4. Get ready to go out to investors to scale your business and impact!

What are the eligibility requirements?

To be eligible to apply for the Impact Investment Readiness Programme your organisation needs:

To be an NZ incorporated organisation with some of your activities benefiting NZ
A realistic plan to make a social, environmental and/or cultural difference
A strategy for growth and a need for significant financial investment to fund it
A plan to get ready for that investment this year

More information about the IIRP

What is impact investment? +

Impact investing brings together problem-solvers of real world challenges, and refers to investing with the intention of generating a measurable social or environmental impact alongside a financial return. The impact investing market is estimated to be over $1trillion globally, going to initiatives that exist to generate a measurable positive impact to benefit people and the planet.

Find out more about Impact Investment

What support do successful organisations receive? +

Up to $25,000 to spend on professional services to help your impact-driven organisation get ready for investment.
Examples of ways funding has been used in the past include paying for the costs of preparing an impact model, for an Information Memorandum, producing financial projections and assistance with developing or refining business models.
Please note: this funding cannot be used for general business expenses, development, or validation – it is specifically for services that enable you to get ready for a significantly larger amount of investment. Past recipients generally receive over 20 times the amount of this funding in investment from investors.

What is the timeline for applications? +

Applications are assessed on a rolling basis untill all funding is allocated.

While we endeavour to review your application as quickly as possible, there’s usually a few weeks between applying and being notified of the outcome.

What is included in an application? +

A clear and concise description of your impact and how you intend to achieve a positive change in people’s lives or for the environment.
A clear and concise description of how your organisation is financially sustainable, and why investors will want to invest in it.
A description of your plans for growth and how this funding would help you become investment ready.

Why is Ākina running this programme? +

Ākina exists to transform New Zealand's economy through the power of impact! One way we're doing this is by helping to grow a stronger and more streamlined impact investing market in New Zealand; one where more funding is available for social and environmental initiatives.

We want this programme to encourage more investment in impact-driven businesses, to increase the overall impact made by social enterprises and other purpose-led businesses in New Zealand.

Where does the funding for the programme come from? +

The funding for the Impact Investment Readiness Programme comes from the generous contributions of our programme partners Foundation North, Russell McVeagh, Bay Trust and Tindall Foundation.

The Impact Investment Readiness Programme is not currently supported by The New Zealand Government. However Ākina, through The Government funded programme The Impact Initiative, has recommended that the government fund the delivery of a programme that increases the pipeline of businesses ready to take on impact investment. See recommendation 3.2 (page 32) in the report A Roadmap for Impact for more information.

Still have questions?

Send an email to iirp@akina.org.nz for more information.

With more investment flowing into impact, there needs to be impact-led enterprises ready for investment. Ākina's Impact Investment Readiness Programme (IIRP) is helping to solve the shortage of investable deals.

The IIRP programme helps fund impact-led businesses to access the professional services they need, to become ready for investment.

Recipients of grants from the 2022 programme have already raised an impressive $23.1m in funding, a whopping 77.1x return on the $300,000 of funding allocated.

“We have a big lofty goal to ensure whānau prosperity through sustainable employment, especially for Māori and Pasifika. [This programme] will allow our organisation to create a solid foundation required to enable a sustainable future for our people.”

— Courtenay Hurt-Suwan, Kaihautū, Social Labour Supply

“This grant will assist us with our growth aspirations and, most importantly, ensure the partnerships we are looking at are well aligned with our sustainability and social impact values. ”

— Florence Van Dyke, Co-Founder and CEO of Chia Sisters