The recent Sustainable Business Network Symposium, which connected business with community groups, was a powerful reminder of the impact that aligned values and collaborative efforts can have on restoring te taiao (the environment). As we continue to face environmental and resourcing challenges, the role of enabling community groups is more crucial now than ever.
Natalie Jessup, GM Tāngaro Tuia te Ora presenting feedback, with Graeme Atkins, Kaitieki and Kaihautū – Environmental Science Director for the Tairāwhiti Ngutukākā Project. Photo: Phil Crawford,.
Our working group on the day developed key recommendations for how funders can effectively enable and empower kaimahi (staff) and community groups to restore our natural heritage and native biodiversity.
Priorities for effective investment and sustainable relationships and outcomes included:
1. Values Alignment
It's essential to ensure that there is a strong alignment in values between community groups and business sustainability strategies. This alignment builds the foundation for trust and long-term collaboration. Take the time to understand the core principles driving both the funders and the community groups and ensure that they resonate with each other. This shared commitment is crucial for fostering successful partnerships.
2. Expand the Definition of Volunteering
Volunteering goes beyond physical restoration work like planting trees. Many community groups are in need of specialised skills such as HR, IT, planning, and administrative support. Funders can greatly enhance the impact of their contributions by offering expertise in these areas. Providing access to these skills can help community groups operate more efficiently and sustainably.
3. Support Genuine Storytelling
Encourage community groups to share their stories and the impact of their work in a genuine and authentic manner. Funders can facilitate this by supporting initiatives that bring people back to the whenua (land), allowing them to see firsthand the positive changes being made. This approach not only builds stronger connections but also helps to demonstrate the tangible outcomes of the funding.
4. Foster Trust for Open Collaboration
Building trust between funders and community groups is key to navigating challenges together. When trust is established, it creates an environment where difficulties can be openly discussed, and solutions can be co-created. Funders should emphasise transparent communication and be willing to engage in collaborative problem-solving with the groups they support.
5. Embrace Flexibility and Adaptation
Partnerships may evolve over time, and it’s important for funders to remain flexible and open to these changes. As new situations and opportunities arise, the scope of the partnership might shift. Funders should be prepared to adapt and support community groups in exploring new approaches that may not have been part of the original vision.
6. Commit to Sustainable, Long-term Support
To create real, systemic change, funders must focus on providing sustainable and long-term support. Ideally, this support should span multiple generations, ensuring that the initiatives funded today continue to have a positive impact well into the future. By committing to long-term partnerships, funders can help build the resilience and capacity of community groups to achieve lasting environmental restoration.
A great example of this is a Māori-led restoration project in Ōtautahi Christchurch which now has corporate sponsorship to support their initiative to restore the whenua for 25 years. This agreement took two and half years to negotiate and the longevity of the commitment is ensuring a much deeper understanding of the relationship and better trust for long-term outcomes.
Join us today and be a part of the solution.
In a world where environmental challenges can sometimes feel overwhelming, the commitment, collaboration and alignment of resourcing between funders and community groups offers innovative ways to meet strategic objectives.
By aligning values, fostering trust, embracing flexibility, and committing to long-term support, funders can play a pivotal role in driving impactful environmental restoration. Your support can help us empower communities, restore habitats, and protect our precious natural heritage for generations to come.
If you’re passionate about making a real difference and would like to partner with Tāngaro Tuia te Ora, the Endangered Species Foundation on any of our projects, your support will help us to reach more people and scale our impact faster. For more information and to connect with us please contact our General Manager, Natalie Jessup – natalie@endangeredspecies.org.nz.
"Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini" - Success is not the work of an individual, but the work of many. Together, we can achieve great things.
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