Rata Foundation: 35 years investing in Canterbury

Rata Foundation, formerly the Canterbury Community Trust, has supported Waipuna Youth Services for over a decade. Their investment in our community has been transformative, enabling us to grow our youth development, reintegration, and young parents programmes at a time when they were needed most. We acknowledge Rata Foundation’s enduring commitment to building stronger communities across Canterbury, and the trust they place in organisations like Waipuna to make that vision real.

What this partnership has made possible

Rata Foundation’s support has funded core elements of Waipuna’s work across multiple services, from the Adventure Therapy programme with youth in the justice system, to counselling support for rangatahi navigating their path forward. Their belief in community-led solutions aligns deeply with our own values.

About Rata Foundation

Rata Foundation is the South Island’s largest philanthropic funder, managing a $695 million endowment that generates over $26 million annually for communities across Canterbury, Marlborough, Nelson, and the Chatham Islands. Established in 1988 as the Canterbury Community Trust and renamed in 2015, Rata has provided nearly $600 million to community organisations over 37 years, investing entirely from the returns of its endowment.