Trust Horizon celebrates $50 million milestone in 2025 Community Update
Trust Horizon has shared a range of granting highlights in its 2025 Community Update, including the milestone moment of $50 million granted to the community since the Trust’s inception.
In the 2024/2025 year, Trust Horizon received 124 grant applications, 93% of which were approved. This saw a total of $3.4 million given in community grants – sending the Trust’s lifetime total to $51,918,958.
Trust Horizon reached the $50 million mark in September 2024, with the approval of a $87,976 grant for an electric van for the Eastern Bay Accessible Transport Charitable Trust’s Waka Eastern Bay transport service.
Other community grants from this milestone year include a wide range of groups, organisations, charities and initiatives. A $90,650 grant helped bring the Eastern Bay’s first ever fully electric greens roller to the Ōhope Beach Golf Links. $95,000 went towards innovative NZ AutoTraps for Ōhiwa Headland Sanctuary Trust and Whakatāne Kiwi Trust, to help make their predator control efforts more efficient and effective.
$150,000 went to the creation of a Community Energy Contribution Grant funding pool, which has so far helped lower the energy costs for 58 marae and community groups. While at Galatea School, support from Trust Horizon saw the installation of a pool heat pump and thermal pool cover – increasing the pool’s usable months from 2-3 to 6-7 months each year.
For the Galatea School community, the grant’s effects have been felt both in and out of the pool. “By investing in energy-efficient initiatives, we can educate our students and community on the importance of being energy-conscious citizens of the future,” says Vanessa Koroa, Galatea School Principal.
Along with significant investment in the community, Trust Horizon has also this year continued its focus on impact investing. A $1.2m lending facility backed by Trust Horizon and delivered through Community Finance is set to help turn Kawerau into the home of New Zealand’s first refrigerant destruction facility. The Trust also committed a further $1.8m to support Lodestone to expand its Aotearoa solar farm developments.
“Reaching $50 million invested into the community across our 30 years is a big milestone for the Trust,” says Trust Horizon Chief Executive, Derek Caudwell. “Now we’re looking forward to what the next 30 years will bring, and we hope to be able to do even more to help support the community’s aspirations.”
To help realise this ambition to do more, Trust Horizon is proposing a change to its Trust Deed. Currently, the Trust Deed restricts the Trust’s granting efforts to solely energy-related projects. Trust Horizon is proposing to remove this stipulation, and broaden its granting ability to any charitable purpose – not just those related to energy. This change could unlock millions more in potential community funding, and see the Trust’s next major granting milestone reached far sooner.
“The Trust has achieved a lot since its inception, but we do now have the potential to achieve even more,” says Trust Horizon Chair, David Glover. “This proposed change will give us the flexibility to have a greater impact in areas such as education, poverty relief, and health. It’s an exciting next step, both for the Trust and for the Eastern Bay’s communities we support.”
This year, Trust Horizon’s Public Meeting will take place on 30th October from 10-11am. The meeting is open to the general public, and is an opportunity to provide feedback on business plans, audited accounts, annual reports, and other matters. Please email reception@trusthorizon.org.nz if you wish to attend or speak at this year’s meeting.
To read Trust Horizon’s 2025 Community Update in full, download it here. The update will also be distributed with the 24th September Beacon and 25th September Ōpōtiki News.
The 2025 Trust Horizon financial statements can also be downloaded here.