Creating a socially just and inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand
Kia hua mai he whenua ka toko i te tika me te pono hei korowai mō Aotearoa
Nau mai, haere mai. Welcome to the J R McKenzie Trust.
The J R McKenzie Trust is a philanthropic family trust that has been grantmaking in Aotearoa New Zealand since 1940. Known for funding groups and initiatives that often struggle to get grants elsewhere, we distribute allocated funds through a variety of approaches and mechanisms to organisations that align with our vision of a socially just and inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand.
Our funding is made possible by dividends received each year from Rangatira Investments, a company established by Sir J R McKenzie in 1937, that pioneered private investment in New Zealand. Today it grows iconic New Zealand businesses utilising a co-investment model.
The Trust is registered with Charities Services CC54094 and is a member of Philanthropy NZ.
Please browse our website to learn more about us, what we fund and the people and organisations we support.
Breaking News
Te Anga Rautaki - J R McKenzie Trust’s New Strategy 2021-2030 Announced
J R McKenzie Trust’s new strategy, Te Anga Rautaki, is the latest expression of the giving philosophy developed over the last 80 years by the McKenzie family; a philosophy grounded in respect for the mana and mahi of the organisations and communities it supports.
Our Programmes
Te Kāwai Toro was established in 2003 to proactively support and enable Māori Development. The catalyst was a review that identified that only a small percentage of Trust funds were allocated to Māori, and an under representation of Māori in J R McKenzie Trust’s philanthropic activities.
He oranga tamariki, he oranga whānau, he oranga tāngata
“Imagine an Aotearoa New Zealand where all our children, young people and mokopuna flourish.”
The Peter McKenzie Project is a $17m fund established to create change which reduces the number of children and families living in poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Opportunities, Partnership and Collaboration Fund
The Opportunities, Partnerships and Collaboration fund (OPC) sees the J R McKenzie Trust proactively seeking opportunities to work with other funding partners to achieve its goal of being an intentional facilitator of social change.
Completed Programmes
Connecting Education and Communities
CEC worked with innovative, locally-led initiatives that are focussed on disrupting disadvantage by addressing the connections between communities and education.
