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Image: (L-R Top) Lycaena feredayi Glade Copper Butterfly, Climate Action Campus Ōtautahi
(L-R Bottom) Deaf Way Founder Jaime and David Brown, Ko Wai Au Trust staff
Auckland, NEW ZEALAND – 22 September 2025: Canon Oceania has today announced the winners of its 2025 Grants Program, recognising grassroots organisations for their work in addressing key social and environmental challenges in Aotearoa.
To help this year’s winners amplify their work and expand their impact, Canon is awarding each organisation $5,000 in funding and technology across the categories of Community, Education, Environment, and Culture.
Community groups and schools undertake crucial work, from environmental initiatives to mental health support, education, and broader advocacy. Being able to tell their stories is a way to draw attention to the important and inspiring work they do.
Over the last 19 years, Canon’s Oceania Grants Program has helped over 120 not-for-profits, community organisations, and schools with more than $600,000 dollars support, empowering them to raise awareness of local issues, strengthen their impact, and make positive change.
“Canon’s belief that community is the fabric of our society is at the heart of everything we do, and technology can play an important role in sharing stories and bringing people together,” said Kotaro Fukushima, Managing Director for Canon Oceania.
“This year’s Grants Program winners are a powerful example of that belief in action, and we are proud to celebrate the spirit behind their work. We share in their celebrations and look forward to seeing how these grants make a real and lasting difference across New Zealand.”
Te Awamutu-based charity, Ko Wai Au Trust, has supported over 200 rangatahi in the past year, addressing a range of needs from opening bank accounts to work experience opportunities and mental health support.
The organisation's vision centres on giving rangatahi and their whānau the tools to thrive independently.
Ko Wai Au Trust Co-Founder and General Manager, Georgina Christie, said there is a huge need in the local community. She adds that most of the children they currently help are referred by families and caregivers, a positive sign that more are accessing services before things get worse.
Canon’s Grant will fund equipment to document their work through social media, aiming to attract more community support while providing participants with a platform to share feedback.
"Winning this Grant will help empower our team to capture and share the true impact of our work and create a platform for rangatahi to provide feedback," Georgina said.
The Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust is dedicated to protecting, researching, and restoring New Zealand's native butterfly and moth species.
The Trust provides schools, gardening groups, and interested public with access to species information, the latest research, and practical tips for how to create good habitats for moths and butterflies.
The not-for-profit organisation plans to use its Canon Grant to investigate long-standing speculation about copper butterflies - New Zealand's biggest butterfly group, which experts believe may include significantly more species than currently recognised.
Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust Secretary, Jacqui Knight, said the Canon Grant is vital to their work. "We can't save our butterflies if we can't identify the different species, and Canon's technology makes that possible."
Deaf Way raises awareness and supports the Deaf community, promoting equal opportunities for them in all areas of life.
Established by a husband-and-wife team, they create free online courses covering important topics such as budgeting, health, and self-advocacy with the aim of fostering a more equitable and inclusive society.
The charity will use its Canon Grant to support the production of a new course on financial literacy, aimed at supporting Deaf and Turi Māori.
Founder of Deaf Way, David Brown, said the Deaf community, including Turi Māori and Pasifika Deaf, face many barriers to accessing information and support.
“This Grant will ensure Deaf Way continues to create awareness about the Deaf community as well as improve the information inequity the Deaf community faces.”
Through hands-on environmental education, Climate Action Campus Ōtautahi teaches young people practical ways to reduce their environmental impact, focusing on food production and reuse strategies.
Since starting in 2021, the first-of-its-kind campus has been working directly with tamariki to provide practical climate action skills.
Canon’s Grant will fund equipment to record education programmes and community events. The footage will be uploaded to their website, extending the programme's reach beyond its current participants.
"Receiving this Grant means we can capture and share the learning that happens here every day," said Learning Advisor and Lead Horticulturalist, Sandi Bobkova
"We’ll be able to record our education programmes and community events through high-quality photo and video, creating resources that showcase the mahi on site and inspire even more people to get involved. We're so grateful to our community for their collaboration and support, and to Canon for providing this Grant and equipment."
More information about Canon Oceania’s 2025 Grants Program, including current and previous winners, is available on Canon’s website at: https://www.canon.co.nz/about-canon/community/grants
