About us

Wayne Francis Foundation is a family foundation based in Ōtautahi, backing people, organisations and ideas working towards better possibilities for young people. We bring funding, curiosity, relationships and a willingness to do things a little differently. We’ve changed a lot since we began. We hope we always will.

Wayne Francis Foundation is a family foundation based in Ōtautahi, backing people, organisations and ideas working towards better possibilities for young people.

We bring funding, curiosity, relationships and a willingness to do things a little differently. We’ve changed a lot since we began. We hope we always will.

Where we
came from

Wayne, pictured outside his farm with his kuri, Tess, 1980

Wayne Francis was a farmer, businessman, horseman and proud Cantabrian who worked hard, did well and wanted to put some of that good fortune to work for others. Towards the end of his life, he
began thinking seriously about what
that could look like.

Wayne was living with terminal cancer and had also experienced the devastating loss of his son, Nick, to suicide. Those experiences helped shape the two things he chose to put at the heart of the Trust: young people and cancer research.

Wayne was living with terminal cancer and had also experienced the devastating loss of his son, Nick, to suicide.

Those experiences helped shape the two things he chose to put at the heart of the Trust: young people and cancer research.

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Where we
came from

Wayne, pictured outside his farm with his kuri, Tess, 1980

Wayne Francis was a farmer, businessman, horseman and proud Cantabrian who worked hard, did well and wanted to put some of that good fortune to work for others. Towards the end of his life, he began thinking seriously about what that could look like.

Our people

The humans behind the Foundation. WFF is governed by members of the Francis family and independent trustees, and brought to life day-to-day by a small team of kaimahi in Ōtautahi.

Jess BensonOperations Lead

Jenn ChowaniecGeneral Manager

Penny PrescottProject Lead

Angelina TivaluPractice Lead

Sari PantherAccounts

The board

Helena FrancisChair

Jono CampbellTrustee

Andrew O’ReganTrustee

Jamie BlaxallTrustee

Danita FerreiraTrustee

Michelle BergmanTrustee

Tangata Te Tiriti

A commitment we have to
keep practising.

It shapes the relationships we build, the decisions we make, where we direct resources and what we expect of
ourselves. We’ve invested deliberately
in learning over the years.

These days, much of that learning happens through practice – tikanga in our hui, relationships with kaupapa Māori organisations, our Kaupapa Māori fund,
the PYDA and continuing to listen when
we’re challenged. We’re learning.
We expect to keep learning.

It shapes the relationships we build, the decisions we make, where we direct resources and what we expect
of ourselves. We’ve invested deliberately in learning
over the years.

These days, much of that learning happens through
practice – tikanga in our hui, relationships with kaupapa
Māori organisations, our Kaupapa Māori fund, the PYDA
and continuing to listen when we’re challenged.

We’re learning. We expect to keep learning.

A family
foundation

With privilege comes responsibility.

WFF exists because one family had the means to
give. We’re conscious of what that makes possible and what it asks of us. The Foundation’s resources give us an opportunity to contribute to a fairer future and put some of that privilege to work for others.

Today, Wayne’s daughter and his grandchildren remain involved in the Foundation, carrying his legacy into
its next chapter.

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With privilege comes responsibility.

WFF exists because one family had the means to give. We’re conscious of what that makes possible and what it asks of us. The Foundation’s resources give us an opportunity to contribute to a fairer future and put some of that privilege to work for others.

Today, Wayne’s daughter and his grandchildren remain involved in the Foundation, carrying his legacy into
its next chapter.

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Nearly 25 years
changes things

The Foundation looks different from the Trust Wayne started in 1999. The world around young people keeps changing, and we need to keep learning and changing with it. We’re proud of where we’ve come from and we’re really interested in what we can help make possible next.

Explore our mahi