The Mātātuhi Foundation is proud to announce funding for 6 more initiatives from writers, editors and organisations that share our kaupapa for developing the literary landscape of New Zealand.

• Re-Draft Writing Competition: growing the skills, knowledge and enthusiasm of teenage writers.

• Story Tour Programme: enabling writers to participate in the only dedicated nationwide community tour programme for children’s literature in New Zealand.

• Aotearoa New Zealand Review of Books: developing the skillset of a new generation of book reviewers across the Motu through mentoring and online training.

• Hooked on Books He Ao Ano: supporting Read NZ’s Hooked on Books Programme to transform into a more authentic programme run by teens, for teens.

• Landing Press Writing Workshops: enabling inclusion and skill building across the Motu with voices who are not usually part of Aotearoa’s literary landscape

• Kupu Toi Takataapui: supporting the growth and development of an online literary journal devoted to takataapui Maaori.

Established by the Auckland Writers Festival in 2018 to support the NZ literary community with funding for new literature-related initiatives, the Foundation has now invested more than $200,000 into the sector.

Five years along, the Founding Chair, Anne Blackburn, reflects on her time as Chair of the Mātātuhi Foundation.

“In the five years since our establishment we have completed ten grant rounds distributing over $200,000 to more than 50 projects.  As we approached this milestone we reflected on the eligibility criteria and the scale of grants and decided even more could be achieved by simplifying the criteria and modifying our grant ranges. Applications received for May and October closing dates each year may now request between $5,000 to $20,000, up from the previous $5,000 limit. Our major grants round closing in August will now invite applications for funding between $25,000 and $50,000.  We are confident that these changes will attract a wider group of applicants and span of projects and strengthen the achievement of our Kaupapa.”

Grants to date have supported workshops, websites, podcasts, teaching resources, and community projects, including the mentoring of youth and emerging writers, creating an online bibliography of books available in te reo, and projects that celebrate and preserve our literary history.

ENDS.