How The Campbells Helped Create The Kaituna Local Impact Fund
When David and Susan Campbell first arrived in the Bay of Plenty, they imagined it might be a place to visit occasionally. But within months, they fell in love with Maketū – its people, its culture, and its spirit of community. What began as a temporary plan became a lifelong commitment to a place they now call home.
“After we’d been here for a few months, we were just so in love with the village and the people and the country that we decided we were going to stay,” Susan recalls.
The Campbells quickly found themselves ingrained in the Maketū community. Running the local dairy connected them with everyone in town. Before long, they helped establish a Rotary Club in Maketū of just 1,000 people, a club that went on to thrive for 19 years. “You can’t wander through this town without seeing the marks of what the Rotary Club did,” David reflects. “Collectively, given the opportunity, people here achieve an amazing amount.”
Their lives before Maketū also shaped their perspective. Susan taught in Washington, D.C., and later in Fiji, where she saw the difference education could make in communities with limited resources. In his early career, David saw firsthand with his work in the drug and alcohol treatment industry that real progress happens through collective effort. Years later, David's work took him to Fiji, where his path crossed with Susan’s — beginning both a partnership in life and a shared journey of giving back. “The impact always came from people working together – professionals, volunteers, family members, and supporters,” he says. “That’s what makes things happen.”
Creating the Kaituna Local Impact Fund
As Acorn Foundation donors, the Campbells were already committed to smarter giving. But each year, when asked to direct the returns from their fund, they found themselves struggling. “Every year we’d have this debate about where the money should go,” Susan explains. “There were always so many needs.”
It was this challenge that sparked an idea. Why not create a dedicated fund for the Maketū area, a way for people who love the community to pool their generosity and make a lasting difference?
“Other people must feel the same way,” Susan thought. “I’m sure there are plenty of people who don’t quite know what to do with their money, and this seemed like a way to involve more of the community.”
From that vision, the Kaituna Local Impact Fund was born. Working alongside Acorn, the Campbells helped establish the Local Impact Fund, providing a sustainable source of support for grassroots causes and organisations in the region.
“The concept of a Local Impact Fund is the next level of what makes Acorn significant,” David says. “It pools more resources into the community, multiplies the impact, and creates a new way for people to work together.”
For the Campbells, one of the most exciting parts was how easy the process felt. “The best thing was that Acorn already had the infrastructure set up,” Susan says. “All we had to do was share the idea, and the team made it real.”
A Legacy of Collective Giving
As the fund prepares to distribute its first grants in 2026, David and Susan are both hopeful and confident about its future. “I don’t just have hope,” David says. “I have confidence. The evidence is there – collective giving works, and Acorn has a proven track record.”
They are quick to emphasise that you don’t need to be wealthy to participate. Even small, regular contributions can grow into something powerful when invested wisely. “Start small,” Susan encourages. “Even a little bit given regularly compounds quickly. It grows faster than you think, and it makes a real difference.”
David agrees: “Often people say they don’t have much to give as a reason not to give. But everyone is already contributing – through their time, their volunteering, their support of local groups. Financial giving is just another form of that."
They view legacy giving as a chance to create tools and opportunities that the whole community can benefit from. “If someone wants to make an impact, they don’t have to start something new,” David reflects. “By working through Acorn, they’re enhancing what already exists. The foundation is there – it’s proven, and it works.”
Their story shows that what matters most is simply getting started. As Susan says: "Just start. It doesn’t have to be much. Over time, it will grow into something far greater than you could have imagined."
The Kaituna Local Impact Fund shows how one idea can become something much bigger when a community gets behind it. Thanks to David and Susan, this legacy will continue to support local people well into the future.
If you’d like to explore how you can make a lasting difference, reach out to the Acorn Foundation team for a chat.