Foundation North has announced a major boost to its investment in the G.I.F.T initiative.

Trustee Chris Severne, Chair of the Foundation’s Grants Committee, was a keynote speaker at the Hauraki Gulf Forum’s recent Marine Park Conference where he announced a $2 million boost to the Foundation’s G.I.F.T Fund (Gulf Innovation Fund Together), bringing its total investment in the fund to $7 million.

The G.I.F.T fund supports innovation to restore the mauri (life essence) of the Hauraki Gulf, and has provided more than $4.5 million in grants to researchers, inventors, educators and not-for-profits since its inception three years ago.

“Through G.I.F.T we are seeing that it is possible to start to move the levers for systems change in the Hauraki Gulf”, said Mr Severne. “The Hauraki Gulf is a national treasure and we are excited to work in partnership with the Hauraki Gulf Forum and other Gulf stakeholders to restore its wellbeing”.