Laura Fergusson Trust

What Laura Fergusson Trust does

Laura Fergusson Trust Incorporated is a New Zealand registered charity (CC29785), founded in 1965 and incorporated in 1967, headquartered at 52 Symonds Street, Auckland. It delivers services to physically disabled people in the Auckland and Northland regions across four interconnected pillars: Housing (permanent, transitional and respite accessible homes, with a planned pipeline of more than 160 units), Rehabilitation (re-opened purpose-built spinal rehabilitation centre plus a partnered gym programme with Rope and a wellness hub), Advocacy (data-driven campaigns on accessible housing and young disabled people in aged care), and Research (collaborations with AUT, University of Otago and University of Auckland, including the Chair of Rehabilitation at AUT established in 2002).

Its product surface also includes the LiFT Hub shared workspace, which hosts co-tenants such as CatWalk, Headway, Harikoa, Autism NZ and White Cloud, and a tiered Membership Programme (Annual $30, Lifetime $360, Charitable Entity $100, Corporate $250) with voting rights at General Meetings.

The business model is a non-profit hybrid: most operating capital is sourced from donations (processed via Stripe with NZ tax receipts), charitable grants, and fundraising activities, supplemented by membership subscriptions and regulated service fees from rehabilitation and housing programs. Distribution is regional and direct via the Auckland headquarters, the rehabilitation centre, housing projects, the website, and phone-based intake. The Trust's technology stack is limited to standard SaaS (Stripe, Xero, Mailchimp/Campaign Monitor, Google Analytics, Meta Pixel); no AI/ML capability is disclosed. Leadership comprises CEO Ray Finch, Chair Simon Dunlop (grandson of founder Lady Mary Caughey), Deputy Chairs Professor Sue Stott and Linda Smeele, with senior operational leads in housing development, clinical services, and strategic projects.

Name

Laura Fergusson Trust

Legal name

Laura Fergusson Trust Incorporated

Website

https://laurafergusson.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Laura Fergusson Trust is an Auckland-based New Zealand charity delivering housing, rehabilitation, advocacy, and research services for physically disabled people across Auckland and Northland, funded through donations, memberships, and service fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

Keywords

• Disability support services
• Accessible housing services
• Spinal rehabilitation services
• Disability advocacy programs
• Disability research programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The Trust collects donations from individuals, corporations, and charitable organizations. Donation payments are processed securely through third-party gateways (Stripe). The organization issues tax receipts for donations as required by Inland Revenue under New Zealand law.
2. Membership Subscriptions: The Trust generates revenue through annual and lifetime membership subscriptions with tiered pricing: Annual Subscription $30, Lifetime Subscription $360, Charitable Entity $100, Corporate Subscription $250. Membership provides access to news, updates, and voting rights at General Meetings.
3. Rehabilitation Services: Following the 2025 reopening of the purpose-built rehabilitation centre in Auckland, the Trust provides rehabilitation services for people recovering from spinal injuries and physical disabilities, supporting patients and families with clinical and community-based care.
4. Housing Services: The Trust develops and manages accessible housing options including permanent homes, transitional homes, and respite accommodations for physically disabled people across Auckland.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Laura Fergusson Trust is a New Zealand-registered charity that delivers four interconnected service areas to physically disabled people in Auckland and Northland: accessible Housing (permanent, transitional, and respite homes), Rehabilitation (partnered gym programmes, mainstream wellbeing access, and a new purpose-built spinal rehabilitation centre), Advocacy (policy submissions, awareness campaigns, and lived-experience representation), and Research (university-partnered studies into disability and rehabilitation outcomes). It is funded primarily through donations, membership subscriptions, and grants, with service delivery supported by its LiFT Hub shared workspace in Auckland.

Product overview

Laura Fergusson Trust operates as a disability advocacy and housing organization offering four interconnected service areas: Housing (permanent, transitional, and respite accessible homes), Rehabilitation (partnered gym programme, wellness hub, mainstream access), Advocacy (policy campaigns, awareness activations), and Research (evidence-based studies with university partners). Supporting these core services is the LiFT Hub workspace community and Membership Program for supporters. The organization focuses on physically disabled people in Auckland and Northland, providing pathways from hospital to home, data-driven advocacy, and community-based rehabilitation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LiFT Hub: A vibrant workspace located at 52 Symonds Street, Auckland, serving as a shared space for organizations, networks, and collaborators in the disability and healthcare space.

Products and services

• Housing Program Accessible housing services offering permanent homes built for independence, choice, and connection; transitional homes for continued rehabilitation after clinical settings; and respite options for families and whānau. Focused on supporting physically disabled people to move from hospital to home with dignity across Auckland.
• Rehabilitation Services Lifelong rehabilitation journey support including a partnered gym programme with trusted organizations, mainstream gym and wellbeing access, and a proposed rehabilitation and wellness hub. Focused on rebuilding confidence, independence, and ongoing growth beyond clinical settings for people recovering from spinal injuries and physical disabilities.
• Advocacy Services Advocacy ensuring physically disabled voices shape decisions through awareness campaigns, policy submissions, and collaborations. Amplifies lived experience to represent needs in policies, services, and attitudes shaping daily life for the disability community.
• Research Services Evidence-based research driving lasting change, collaborating with partners like AUT, University of Otago, and University of Auckland. Funds high-level disability and rehabilitation research to demonstrate what works, reveal need, and measure impact.
• LiFT Hub Shared workspace located at 52 Symonds Street, Auckland, housing the LFT team and providing space for other disability and healthcare organizations and collaborators. Tenant organizations include CatWalk, Headway, Harikoa, Autism NZ, and White Cloud.
• Membership Program Individual, community, and partner membership options including Annual ($30), Lifetime ($360), Charitable Entity ($100), and Corporate Subscription ($250) tiers. Members receive news updates, invitations to General Meetings, and voting rights at AGM.

Quantifiable outcome

• Development of 160+ permanent and transitional accessible homes
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Auckland University of Technology (AUT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Trust established the Chair of Rehabilitation at AUT in 2002 and continues to collaborate with AUT on research into disability and rehabilitation. AUT is referenced as a research partner on the Research page.
• University of OtagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Trust collaborates with University of Otago on high-level research into disability and rehabilitation. May share de-identified or aggregated research data with university partners.
• University of AucklandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a research partner on the Research page. The Trust may collaborate with University of Auckland on disability research initiatives.
• CHFA (Community Housing Regulatory Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHFA is listed as a housing partner on the Housing page. The partnership supports the Trust's development of accessible housing options for physically disabled people.
• RopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRope is the partnered gym organization supporting the Trust's Partnered Gym Programme for rehabilitation. This collaboration provides safe, inclusive exercise and rehabilitation options within local communities.
• CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Research TrustminorOthersCatWalk is a tenant at the LiFT Hub and is described as having a world free from spinal cord injury paralysis as its mission. Sophia Malthus serves as an ambassador for CatWalk.
• HeadwayminorOthersHeadway is a tenant at the LiFT Hub. Their mission is changing the way Aotearoa responds to concussion and brain injury together.
• HarikoaminorOthersHarikoa is a tenant at the LiFT Hub. They deliver a national solution empowering people to live independently and thrive in inclusive communities.
• Autism NZminorOthersAutism NZ is a tenant at the LiFT Hub. Their vision is to empower the autistic and wider autism communities.
• White CloudminorOthersWhite Cloud is a tenant at the LiFT Hub. They offer an international internship programme for university students completing practical work experience placements with host organizations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Life Unlimited: NZ disability charity providing information, advisory, and support services to disabled people and whānau. Comparable in mission and community-led delivery model, though broader across disability types and focused on advisory rather than direct housing/rehabilitation.
• Halberg Foundation: NZ charity focused on physical disability inclusion through sport, recreation, and advocacy. Comparable in mission (physically disabled Kiwis), community-led delivery, and reliance on donations and corporate partnerships.
• New Zealand Spinal Trust: NZ charity supporting people with spinal cord impairment through rehabilitation, peer support, and advocacy. Closely overlaps with LFT's spinal rehabilitation and advocacy work and addresses the same Auckland/NZ spinal injury population.
• CCS Disability Action: New Zealand's largest disability advocacy and support organisation, providing community support, information, and advocacy for disabled people. Directly comparable in mission, target population, and advocacy-plus-services model, though broader in scope than LFT's physical-disability focus.
• Blind Low Vision NZ: National NZ disability organisation providing habilitation, advocacy, and community services for people who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision. Comparable in operating an integrated services-plus-advocacy model funded by donations and government contracts.
• Multiple Sclerosis Society of New Zealand: NZ-wide charity supporting people with MS through advocacy, information, and support services. Comparable as a condition-specific disability charity combining advocacy, member services, and regional delivery funded by donations and grants.
• Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust (Canterbury): Sister entity in Christchurch providing brain injury rehabilitation, housing, and community services. Operates the same integrated housing/rehab/advocacy model in a different region and is often conflated with the Auckland Trust.

Others

• Te Pou: NZ workforce development organisation for the mental health, addiction, and disability sectors. Comparable as a sector infrastructure body that LFT may partner with or draw capability from, rather than a direct service competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Emerge Aotearoa: Large NZ disability support provider delivering community, residential, and rehabilitation services across multiple regions. Broader in scope and larger in scale than LFT, but competes for the same government disability support funding and donor dollars.

Emerging players

• CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Research Trust: NZ charity funding research toward a cure for spinal cord injury paralysis. Co-located with LFT at the LiFT Hub and shares spinal injury focus, but differentiates by concentrating on research funding rather than housing and clinical services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LFTAuckland
• Instagraminstagram.com/laurafergussonauckland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laura-fergusson-auckland

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Laura Fergusson Trust