Building digital futures together: InternetNZ's community funding impact
We are proud to share the impact of our 2024–2025 community funding, investing $999,500 into initiatives that champion digital equity, innovation, and collaboration across Aotearoa. This year, we’ve deepened our commitment to supporting Māori communities, with 44.86% of funding ($448,390) directly empowering Māori individuals and organisations.
Image: Pilot of place-based funding at Tāiki E!
Highlights of our partnerships
Through our Rangapū | Partnerships ($416,500), we collaborated with trusted allies like Digital Futures Aotearoa, Katoa Connect, and TUANZ to drive systemic change. From empowering tamariki with digital skills to co-hosting conferences on community innovation, these partnerships amplified collective action. As TUANZ CEO Craig Young shared:
"It is a true partnership where we combine our voices when we can to magnify our impact"
Powering grassroots change
Our Powering Communities fund ($353,622) backed projects bridging digital divides:
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Puāwai Pūrau Academy opened STEMM pathways for ākonga Māori.
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Blind Low Vision NZ enhanced Alexa accessibility for deafblind users.
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Vaka unlocked 3D design careers for South Auckland youth.
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All is for All engaged with tangata whaikaha (disability-led) groups to expand their 101 Content Creation workshop for disabled creators.
Innovating funding models
In Te Tairāwhiti, we partnered with Tāiki E! to pilot place-based funding, centring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and community-led design. This approach fostered ‘collective benefit over ‘me’ or ‘us’’, uniting local groups like the Tairāwhiti Environment Centre and Hinemaurea Marae in a tuakana-teina mentoring model.
Advancing accessibility
Our Pūtea Tautoko | Grants prioritised inclusivity, supporting 12 organisations to improve web accessibility. Recipients like Migrant Against Acceptable Standard of Health Aotearoa (MAASHA) highlighted how this funding created a more inclusive, user-friendly online presence.
Looking ahead
These investments reflect our unwavering commitment to an Internet for everyone. By backing community visionaries, nurturing partnerships, and challenging traditional funding models, we’re building a digital future rooted in equity and collaboration.
Explore the full impact story and funded projects.
Images: SkillWise
