Taranaki Foundation is the new name for Te Karaka Foundation; one of over 1800 community foundations that exist throughout the world to provide support to local causes through charitable giving and endowments.
When new leadership arrived at Te Karaka Foundation, they decided to conduct a strategic review of the brand. Interviews with the local community and other stakeholders in the region revealed what the leadership feared; that the foundation was not connecting with potential donors and that its mission was not clear. The public simply did not know who they were or what they did.
The next phase of the project was therefore to re-launch Te Karaka Foundation. Research into similar global organisations showed that the most successful regional foundations were named after their location. It became clear. “Te Karaka” needed to become “Taranaki”. The same organisation but with a new name that made the purpose of the foundation obvious; to help create a prosperous Taranaki for everyone.
The newly-named foundation is only a matter of weeks old at the time of writing, yet the feedback has been overwhelming. The foundation with its new purpose, mission and identity has inked three new corporate partnerships and created eleven new funds worth tens of thousands in new donations. These outcomes are truely living up to the lofty goals of the foundation “inspiring. Giving."
