“Aoraki Foundation provides a simple and trusted way for our clients to support South Canterbury long after they are gone. The team make the process straightforward and are a valuable partner when discussing charitable giving with clients.”
Professional Advisors
Helping Your Clients Leave a Lasting South Canterbury Legacy
Quick Facts
- Family trust distributions accepted
- Tax credits available for eligible donations
- Local South Canterbury impact
- Gifts can be made during life or through an estate
- Minimum Named Endowment Fund: $50,000
- We can meet directly with clients
How We Help Professional Advisors
We help lawyers, accountants, financial planners and trustees have meaningful conversations about legacy, charitable giving and community impact. We work alongside advisors to make charitable planning simple, effective and rewarding for clients.
During the succession planning process, many clients are thinking not only about providing for family, but also about the legacy they wish to leave in their community. Professional advisors play a vital role in helping clients achieve both.
We can help design the right plan so that your clients can make charitable gifts either in their lifetime or through their will that will create lasting impact in South Canterbury.
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By partnering with Aoraki Foundation, advisors can:
Help clients create a lasting legacy in South Canterbury.
Offer a simple and trusted solution for charitable giving.
Connect clients with causes and community needs that align with their values.
Avoid the cost and complexity of establishing and administering a private charitable trust.
Ensure charitable gifts continue to have an impact for generations to come.
Access local expertise and support throughout the planning process.
Receive support from a local team with knowledge of South Canterbury's charitable sector and community needs.
Whether a client is considering a gift during their lifetime, a bequest in their will, a family trust distribution, or another form of giving, our team can work alongside you to develop a solution that reflects their wishes and maximises their community impact.
Our role is to make charitable giving easy for both advisors and clients, while ensuring every gift contributes to a stronger and more vibrant South Canterbury for generations to come.
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Ways Your Clients Can Give
The Aoraki Foundation provides a variety of ways for your clients to give back to South Canterbury. This means we have an option available for all types of clients to ensure it is easy and effective. We are happy to talk through these options directly with you and/or your clients. Our giving options include:
Gift in a Will
Family Trust Distribution
Establish a Named Endowment Fund
Resettling an existing charitable trust
Donate during their lifetime
Gift property, shares and investments
Contribute to one of our existing funds
Workplace giving
What We Can Offer
At no cost to you, we can:
Offer tips and resources for discussing charitable giving with your clients.
Consult with you and your clients to help them meet their charitable and financial goals.
Provide a short information session for your staff – request an Aoraki Foundation speaker below.
We’d love to hear from you! Book a time to meet with one of our team.
How it Works
Legacy in Action
A South Canterbury farming family wanted to support local education for future generations while ensuring the family farm remained in family ownership. Working alongside their lawyer and financial advisor, they established a Named Endowment Fund through Aoraki Foundation. Today, that future gift will provide annual support to local students for generations to come.
Have a Few Questions?
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The most natural moments are when a client is making or updating their will, selling a farm or business, restructuring or winding up a family trust, or going through a big life change such as retirement or losing a partner. A simple question works well: “Is there a cause or community you’d like to support as part of your plans?” Many people never leave a charitable gift only because nobody asked. If your client is interested, we’re happy to take it from there with you.
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A Named Endowment Fund gives your client a lasting, named fund supporting the South Canterbury causes they care about. It avoids the cost and work of setting up and running their own trust. We look after governance, Charities Services compliance, investment, grant-making and trustee succession, so your client and their family don’t have to. There’s no compulsory set-up fee. An annual administration fee applies, and the minimum to set up a Named Endowment Fund is $50,000. Clients can still stay involved in recommending where grants go.
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Yes. We accept distributions from family trusts, which can create a new fund or add to an existing one. Trustees of a charitable trust that has become hard to administer can also resettle it with us. The original purpose and name can carry on while we take over the administration. We suggest checking the trust deed early to confirm the trustees have the power to do this, and we’re happy to work through it with you.
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Our 2026 Will Information Pack includes suggested clauses for a specific, residuary or percentage gift. When drafting, please use the Foundation’s full legal name and charity number (CC42601). We recommend keeping the will clause simple and putting the detail of your client’s wishes in a Memorandum of Wishes, which can be updated without changing the will. We have an example Memorandum on our website.
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Whichever suits you and your client. We can work quietly in the background, providing information and documents for you to use, or meet with your client directly, with or without you there. We respect the relationship you already have, and we treat all client discussions in confidence.
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Yes, and many do. Setting up a fund during their lifetime lets a client see their giving at work, claim donation tax credits along the way, and settle how they want the fund to be used. Their will can then add to the same fund, so the legacy continues as they intended.
Have another question? Our full FAQs, under About Us on our website, cover giving options, tax benefits, fees, investments and how funds are governed. You’re also welcome to contact Richard directly on 021 181 7141.
Ready to Start the Conversation?
Whether your client is considering a charitable bequest, family trust distribution, lifetime donation or Named Endowment Fund, we'd be pleased to help.
The Aoraki Foundation team are available to present to your organisation and employees, simply fill in the form, and we will be in touch.
Contact
Richard Spackman
richard@aorakifoundation.org.nz
021 181 7141