The Wilberforce Foundation

About This Project

The Bishop’s Action Foundation (BAF) and The Wilberforce Foundation have created an exciting partnership that enables them to build off each partners respective strengths and maximise their impact supporting faith-based organisations to make a difference across Aotearoa. Both organisations work as catalysts for change, seeking to nurture and support new innovations that will respond to the many challenges being faced by families and communities.

Originally founded as a faith-based philanthropic The Wilberforce Foundation has evolved its strategy to focus on more than giving money and to include capability and capacity building, research and kick starting strategic projects that can become sustainable and flourish long after their funding has ceased.  BAF has a long track record of nurturing new innovations and releasing them to flourish long beyond BAF’s involvement, these initiative have included a range of capability building projects such as The Wheelhouse, NZ Navigator, The ICT Gateway and Mentoring Foundation of New Zealand, so they are well placed to work with Wilberforce to develop their approach.

Chris Clarke, CEO of Wilberforce said “BAF’s expertise and track record of achievement is really advancing the ability of The Wilberforce Foundation to meet its exciting strategic goals.”

BAF itself is a faith-based community development engine and partnering with The Wilberforce Foundation is providing wide ranging connection to the faith-based sector as well as supporting BAF to explore its own values and deepen its own faith journey.

For Simon Cayley, CEO of BAF, “working with The Wilberforce Foundation is an exciting new journey for us as we network with such a great team, inspired by the phenomenal work of William Wilberforce, and accelerate our role supporting faith-based organisations to achieve long-term outcomes.”