March 05, 2026

#hauora: Twelve Whānau-Led Hauora Projects Receive $60,000 Funding Boost

Matthew Tukaki Posted On March 5, 2026

Twelve whānau-led health and wellbeing initiatives across Aotearoa have received a combined $60,000 in funding through a new grants programme designed to support grassroots solutions for improving whānau hauora.

The funding comes through the Whānau Voice Grants initiative run by Te Taura Ora o Waiariki, an iwi-based public health organisation focused on strengthening Māori health outcomes.

The programme was originally expected to support ten projects, but strong interest and the quality of applications led organisers to expand the first funding round to twelve initiatives.

The selected projects reflect a wide range of approaches aimed at improving wellbeing within communities. Many of the initiatives are designed to support whānau through locally driven solutions that prioritise cultural connection, community engagement and preventative health.

Te Taura Ora o Waiariki says the grants are intended to empower communities to develop their own responses to challenges affecting whānau wellbeing rather than relying solely on top-down health programmes.

The funding recognises that Māori communities often have deep knowledge of the issues affecting their own whānau and are well placed to design initiatives that reflect tikanga, local needs and lived experience.

Projects supported through the grants are expected to focus on strengthening whānau wellbeing through activities such as health education, community connection, cultural engagement and initiatives that address the social determinants of health.

Organisers say whānau-driven approaches play an important role in improving long-term health outcomes because they build on relationships, cultural identity and collective responsibility.

The Whānau Voice Grants programme is also designed to support innovation by allowing communities to test new ideas that may not always fit within traditional health funding models.

By backing smaller community initiatives, the programme aims to encourage practical solutions that can make a meaningful difference at a local level.

Te Taura Ora o Waiariki says supporting these projects is part of a wider commitment to strengthening whānau resilience and ensuring Māori voices remain central in shaping approaches to health and wellbeing.

The funded initiatives will now begin delivering their programmes within their communities, with the expectation that the projects will contribute to stronger whānau connections, improved health awareness and more locally grounded solutions to wellbeing challenges.

For organisers, the success of the first funding round highlights the strong appetite within Māori communities to lead their own hauora initiatives and create solutions that reflect the values and aspirations of their people.