Muriwhenua Tika Charitable Trust
Trust Purpose
Muriwhenua Tika Charitable Trust (MTCT) was established to assist advancing the independence and security of all those who whakapapa to or live in the rohe of Muriwhenua through a range of charitable initiatives and activities.
The Trust deed defines Muriwhenua as the iwi group comprising Ngāti Kurī, Ngāi Takoto, Te Pātu, Ngāti Kahu, Te Aupōuri and Te Rarawa.
Under Clause 4.3 of the Trust Deed its objectives are:
- To receive, hold, manage and administer the Trust Fund for every Charitable Purpose benefiting all those who whakapapa to Muriwhenua or live in the Rohe whether it relates to the relief of poverty, the advancement of education, cultural, health and social services or any other matter beneficial to the community of Muriwhenua and its Members;
- To provide support and assistance to the Members in respect of education and training, housing, health care, age care as well their mental, emotional, physical and cultural wellbeing;
- To carry out such activities which promote literacy and education within the community including to make education and scholarship grants to Members;
- To promote and support all aspects of Muriwhenua tikanga and history for the social and cultural benefit of the Members of Muriwhenua; and
- To carry out such other Charitable Purposes within New Zealand as the Trustees determine from time to time
Community Resilience Programme - Te Hapua Marae
In November 2025 the Trust were successful in applying for $63,000 funding on behalf of Te Hiku o Te Ika marae, Te Hapua for a solar energy project. The application was made through Northland Regional Councils Flood Resilience team’s 35 Marae Project.
The originally application was initially declined in June. The reason was because Te Hiku o Te Ika marae is situated in a tsunami and coastal inundation susceptible area. However, the application was made on the basis a modular unit would be installed and later relocated uphill to the new marae when its development is completed.
Further discussions ensued with the funding project team to clarify those aspects of the application. The application was later approved in November following further dialogue with Northland Regional Council’s funding project team. A key part of the application’s eventual success was due to members of Te Hapua community’s FENZ successfully completing a Civil Defence Centre programme for Te Hapua.
The Marae energy resilience proposal involves:
- 20.4 kWh battery storage to provide marae back up during power outages;
- Marae energy independence – reduce marae power bills; and
- A relocatable 16.72kW (total power rating 17.6kW) solar energy system, capable of operating off the grid.
Solar Panel Location
Benefits:
Estimated lifetime savings: $110,964
Self - consumed energy: 99%
Solar Export Earnings p.a: $1,276
CO2 Reduction: 68 tonnes CO2
The solar panels will be installed on the largest roof surface, connected to two single phase Deye 8kW inverters and 20kWh battery storage. The inverters and batteries will be housed in a shed at the rear of the building.
The application has been passed onto the Marae Committee to liaise with the installer and the funder, EECA, to get the system up and running.
Community Needs Assessment Project
Trust members have made a strategic decision to seek funding for a Community Needs Assessment research project. The community needs assessment project aims to identify and prioritise the most pressing housing, education, and health needs of the Muriwhenua community. The research will inform future planning and prioritise strategic planning activities for housing, health and educational needs for the Muriwhenua community.
The research will use a range of inclusive social research methods, the assessment will engage a broad cross-section of Muriwhenua whānau—across all age groups and the broader rohe—to ensure findings accurately reflect the realities of Muriwhenua. A key component will include spatial planning analysis and gathering whānau perspectives on current Muriwhenua Incorporation strategic priorities, providing a foundation for targeted, community-led solutions.
A specific philanthropic family trust has been identified as a potential funder for this project. At the time investigations were made to the Trust its 2025 funds had been fully allocated and we are awaiting confirmation when the 2026 funding round opens. MTCT will be seeking funding through Te Pou Maori which supports tangata whenua aspirations prioritising Maori success, intergenerational leadership, innovation and collective action.
To increase chances of successfully applications from organisations that provide funding to charitable trusts like MTCT they require evidence of the needs of their constituent communities. A robust and well-designed community needs assessment is seen as the first step in providing the foundation for future funding requests to other funding organisations.
Other potential funding options were investigated including through Foundation North and TPK but these applications were unsuccessful.
