Can I apply for funding?

Not exactly. We don’t run funding rounds or ask for traditional grant applications. But if your mahi connects strongly with ours, you can tell us about it through our guided enquiry.

Do you only fund in Christchurch?

Ōtautahi is home and where most of our relationships and funding sit. Some of our mahi reaches across Aotearoa where there’s an opportunity for wider change.

Do you only fund work directly with young people?

No. Young people are at the heart of our mahi, but some of the biggest influences on their lives sit around them. We support organisations, people, research, communities and systems that help create better conditions for young people to thrive.

What ages do you mean by ‘young people’?

We generally focus on rangatahi and young adults around 12–25. But human development is considerably messier than a birthday, so we don’t treat those ages as hard boundaries.

Ambitious changefor generations

We’re Wayne Francis Foundation.

We back people, ideas and mahi creating better possibilities for young people in
and around Ōtautahi, and change that can ripple much further.

We’re a family foundation based in Ōtautahi Christchurch, with young people at the heart
of our mahi.

For almost 25 years, we’ve backed people working towards better outcomes for young people and their communities. Today, that means funding, research, relationships, sharing what we learn and sometimes rolling up our sleeves and getting involved ourselves.

We’re interested in where we can be genuinely useful, particularly where a good idea, strong relationship or different way of doing things could create change that lasts.

Funding is a big part of what we do. But it isn’t the whole story. We work in, with and around the people, communities and systems that shape young people’s lives.

That might mean backing an organisation for the long haul. Funding research because we need to understand an issue better. Connecting people who should know each other. Supporting the people who support young people. Sharing what we learn. Making a submission. Or taking a chance on something others aren’t quite ready for yet. Different mahi needs different things.

See how our funding works

How we
work

We look for the ripple.

We look for the ripple. Young people don’t exist in isolation. Their wellbeing is shaped by whānau, identity, housing, education, relationships, communities, opportunities and the systems around all of them.

So we don’t only ask will this help a young person today? We’re also interested in what could change around them tomorrow.

Young people don’t exist in isolation. Their wellbeing
is shaped by whānau, identity, housing, education,
relationships, communities, opportunities and the
systems around all of them. So we don’t only ask will
this help a young person today?

We’re also interested in what could change around
them tomorrow.

We gravitate
towards mahi that:

Starts withstrengths

Sees the strengths, knowledge and potential young people, whānau and communities already hold.

Is shaped closeto the action

Values lived experience, community knowledge and the people who understand an issue because they’re in it.

Builds connectionand belonging

Recognises the importance of whanaungatanga – strong relationships, connection and belonging.

Has room to grow,learn or influence

A good idea in one place can sometimes change practice somewhere else.

Feels like arelationship,not a transaction

Trust matters to us. So does looking after
the relationships around the mahi- learning
together, being honest when things get tricky
and sticking around when change takes time.

Looks at whatsits underneath

Looks beyond the immediate problem to
what might need to change around young
people too – the kind of thinking often
called systems change.

That bigger-picture thinking iswhat we mean when we talkabout systems change.That bigger-picture thinkingis what we mean when we talkabout systems change.

Guided
enquiry

Got something you think we
should know about?

Got something you think we should know about? We’re not an application-based funder, and we don’t have application rounds or a giant form waiting to ruin your afternoon.

Most of our funding grows from relationships, conversations, things we’re learning and gaps we’re seeing. But that doesn’t mean the door is closed.

Tell us a little about your kaupapa and we’ll help you work out whether there might be a connection.

Start form

How our
funding works:

There isn’t one way we fund. Sometimes we make a one-off contribution. Sometimes we
commit for years. Sometimes we help test an idea, build capability, commission research or
support something that might unlock bigger change. And sometimes the most useful thing
we can do isn’t funding at all. What stays fairly constant is how we want to work: Relationally,
flexibly and with trust. We want the people we support spending their energy on the mahi.

Sometimes we make a one-off contribution. Sometimes we commit for years. Sometimes we help test an idea, build capability, commission research or support something that might unlock bigger change.

And sometimes the most useful thing we can do isn’t funding at all. What stays fairly constant is how we want to work: Relationally, flexibly and with trust.

We want the people we support spending their energy on the mahi.

Learn where we can help Explore our mahi

Resources

We commission research because we have questions. And occasionally we put our name to something we think needs to change. If it might
help someone else too, we’d rather it didn’t sit there gathering dust.

Take what’s useful

FAQ’s

Not exactly. We don’t run funding rounds or ask for traditional grant applications.
But if your mahi connects strongly with ours, you can tell us about it through our guided enquiry.
Ōtautahi is home and where most of our relationships and funding sit. Some of
our mahi reaches across Aotearoa where there’s an opportunity for wider change.
No. Young people are at the heart of our mahi, but some of the biggest influences on their lives sit around them. We support organisations, people, research, communities and systems that help create better conditions for young people to thrive.
We generally focus on rangatahi and young adults around 12–25. But human development is considerably messier than a birthday, so we don’t treat those
ages as hard boundaries.

More funding FAQ’s

Not quite us?

That’s okay!

We know finding the right funder, or even knowing where to start, can be a mission. If your kaupapa isn’t a fit for WFF, we’d still like you to leave with something useful.

Have a look through our resources and research, explore the organisations we work alongside, or get in touch and we’ll point you in another direction if we can.

Get in touch Resources