Support Local Causes... Forever

Want to make a lasting impact on our community?

Discover how you can be a part of something extraordinary by donating to the Acorn Foundation’s Vital Impact Fund.

Donate Now

You can donate now via internet banking or credit card. To donate now using a credit card, please complete the online donation form on this page.

We’ll send a donation receipt for you to claim your tax credit. You will not be charged a credit card fee.

To donate via internet banking, please make your gift to the Acorn Foundation Grants Account: 12-3194-0034025-01. Be sure to write Vital Impact Fund in the reference section.

Please note: to protect you from fraud, we will never request or confirm your bank account or credit card details via email.

How it works

1. Donate

When you donate to the Vital Impact Fund, your contribution joins a collective force dedicated to addressing our community's most pressing issues. Whether you can give a little or a lot, every contribution matters.

2. Investment and Growth

All donations are pooled and invested, generating returns year after year. This ensures that your generosity multiplies over time, creating a self-sustaining fund.

3. Annual Distributions

The Acorn Foundation’s Distributions Committee, comprised of dedicated volunteers, carefully reviews funding applications from local charitable organisations. They select those with the greatest need and potential for impact, ensuring that your donation goes where it’s needed most.

4. Perpetual Giving

A portion of the investment returns is distributed annually to support the chosen organisations, while the remainder is reinvested to grow the capital in the fund. This cycle continues indefinitely, meaning your gift will keep giving back to the community forever.

Recipients so far...

The Vital Impact Fund has distributed over $174,000 to 28 local charities and community groups since it began in 2011. That’s the power of collective giving.

These groups are the beating heart of our communities in the Western Bay of Plenty, and many of them depend on the generosity of local individuals to do the vital mahi that they do - day in, day out.

In the last two years, the Vital Impact Fund has contributed more than $52,000 to the following local groups (click to learn more about each recipient):

Why Choose the Vital Impact Fund?

Local Impact, Real Change

Your support stays within the Western Bay of Plenty, making a tangible difference where you live.

Effortless Giving

No need to choose among various charities; our committee ensures your donation goes where it’s most effective.

Community Unity

Join your neighbours, friends, and fellow community members in a shared mission to create a better future.

Lasting Legacy

Leave a legacy of goodwill that will continue to transform lives long after you’ve given.

Join the Cause

We invite you to become a part of the Vital Impact Fund’s story.

Your donation is more than just a gift; it’s a pledge to keep the spirit of giving alive in our community, forever.

Every donation is receipted, so you can claim up to 33.3% tax back, up to the level of your taxable income.

donate now

Give a Gift Certificate

Looking for a meaningful gift for a friend or family member?

Why not donate to the Vital Impact Fund on their behalf, and give them an Acorn Gift Certificate?

The process is simple. Head to our Donate Now page. Fill out the form with your details and select the 'Acorn Vital Impact Fund' from the drop-down.

In the comments section, please state that you would like a gift certificate sent and tell us:

The name of the recipient
The recipient's email address OR their postal address (if you would like it posted instead)
The name of the sender

Alternatively, you can donate via internet bank transfer, and then send us an email including the above details.

Under current NZ legislation, your donation will qualify for a 33.3% tax rebate up to a limit of your taxable income.

donate now

The Acorn Vital Impact Fund is also available to eligible TECT consumers

Are you a Mercury customer and in a position to consider putting your TECT rebate to work in our community? The Acorn Foundation Vital Impact Fund lets you do just that. The fund invests your donation and the interest earned is distributed each year to deserving community organisations — so your donation keeps growing and giving back forever.

You’ll even be able to get tax back — with a donation receipt from Acorn Foundation, you can claim a 33.3% tax credit each year up to the level of your taxable income.

It feels good to give, but it feels better to give forever. Find out more about gifting your TECT rebate here.