Waikato Intercultural Fund

Introducing the Waikato Intercultural Fund committee

Building an intercultural Waikato where every community belongs

The Waikato Intercultural Fund committee (WIFC) was born from a moment that reshaped Aotearoa.

In the aftermath of the 15 March 2019 terrorist attack in Christchurch, Momentum Waikato recognised the urgent need for long-term, community-led action to strengthen social cohesion and deepen intercultural understanding.

From this reflection came a commitment: that the tragedy of 15 March would not define us, but instead inspire a future where every culture in the Waikato feels safe, valued, and connected.

Today, the Waikato Intercultural Fund sits under the umbrella of the Momentum Waikato Community Foundation and is guided by a dedicated volunteer committee. Together, we bring donors, community leaders, and advocates into a shared vision for a more inclusive region, one where interculturalism is not just an aspiration, but a lived practice.

Our Purpose

The Waikato Intercultural Fund exists to encourage, enable, and empower the peoples and communities of the Waikato to embrace an intercultural worldview, one where we recognise the diversity of humanity and the humanity within that diversity.

We believe social cohesion is built through relationships, shared understanding, and the everyday practice of inclusion. Our work supports both the grassroots initiatives that bring people together now, and the systems-level change needed to ensure long-term impact.

What We Do

Supporting communities through grantmaking

Over the past two years, the Waikato Intercultural Fund has made four grants to organisations whose work strengthens intercultural relationships, celebrates cultural identity, and creates inclusive spaces across our region. Each initiative we have supported is grounded in anti-racism and proactively demonstrates interculturalism in action.

The organisations we have funded so far are:

Tangata Tiriti–Treaty People, supporting education and dialogue that deepens understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and strengthens relationships between tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti;
Tāhono Trust (formerly Inclusive Aotearoa Collective), whose programmes build cultural capability and connection across communities;
Kotahitanga Gallery by Creative Waikato, enabling arts-based initiatives that celebrate cultural expression and foster shared understanding;
The Refugee Experience collaboration, a joint initiative between EarthDiverse, New Zealand Red Cross, and the Waikato Refugee Forum, amplifying the voices and lived experiences of former refugees through storytelling, education, and community engagement.

These grants support initiatives that bring people together, foster mutual understanding, and build the foundations of a more connected Waikato. They have also helped us identify emerging needs and opportunities, shaping our long-term strategy and deepening our relationships with communities across the region.

Leading Conversations Through Whiria Te Tangata

Alongside grant making, WIFC leads thought leadership through our speaker series, Whiria Te Tangata: Weaving Communities Together. This series provides a platform for leaders, advocates, researchers, and commentators to explore issues of racism, division, identity, and belonging.

To date, we have hosted three events.

Honouring Te Tiriti: Pathways to Social Cohesion in Aotearoa - July 2025: Headlined by Hon. Nanaia Mahuta, who spoke powerfully about identity, belonging, and the responsibilities of Te Tiriti partnerships.

Leadership for Belonging - October 2025: Led by Shamubeel Eaqub, who explored the economic and social dimensions of cohesion in an increasingly diverse Aotearoa.

Equity, Identity & Civic Courage in Aotearoa - March 2026: A panel discussion featuring Margaret Wilson, Kemi Fayomi, Jumana Fouda, and Molly Āperira Huggan, who shared lived experiences and insights on equity, identity, and civic courage.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all our speakers for their generosity, wisdom, and contribution to this kaupapa. Their voices continue to shape the intercultural conversations our region needs.

Above: Vanisri Mills, Jovi Abellanosa, Priya Kurian, Ninitha Koya, Mark Servian, Holly Snape, Antoine Gilbert-Saad and son, Jenny Nand.

Meet the Waikato Intercultural Fund committee

Behind the Waikato Intercultural Fund is a dedicated volunteer committee committed to strengthening social cohesion across our region. Our members bring lived experience, professional expertise, and deep community connections to this kaupapa. Together, we guide the Fund’s strategy, champion intercultural understanding, and ensure that our work reflects the needs and aspirations of the communities we serve.

As a fundraising committee, we work alongside Momentum Waikato to grow the endowment, support community-led initiatives, and create spaces for courageous conversations. Our role is both practical and relational: stewarding resources, building partnerships, and weaving together the many strands that make up the Waikato’s cultural landscape.

Our relationship with Momentum Waikato

WIF operates under the governance and support of Momentum Waikato, the region’s community foundation. This partnership ensures strong stewardship of the endowment fund, robust governance, and access to a wider network of philanthropic and community partners.

Momentum Waikato provides the infrastructure; WIFC, driven by volunteers, provides the vision, leadership, and community connection.

Looking ahead

The Waikato Intercultural Fund is still young, but its mission is ambitious: to help shape a region where intercultural understanding is the norm, not the exception. Through grant making, thought leadership, and community partnerships, we are working to strengthen the social fabric of the Waikato, one relationship, one conversation, and one initiative at a time.

As we continue to grow, we look forward to deepening our impact, expanding our partnerships, and weaving together a more connected, inclusive Waikato.

Join us in this vision

The Waikato Intercultural Fund is a fundraising committee, and our work is made possible through the generosity of donors who believe in a more connected future for our region.

If you would like to support this kaupapa and help build an intercultural Waikato, you can donate to the Fund via the link on this page.

Every contribution, large or small, helps strengthen the relationships that hold our communities together.