What Centre for Strategic Philanthropy (CSPNZ) does

The Centre for Strategic Philanthropy (CSP) is a New Zealand registered charity (CC60749) founded in 2022 and headquartered in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), operating as a convening and advisory platform for individual philanthropists and families who want to apply a strategic, business-like approach to giving. CSP serves wealthy individuals, families, and family foundations across Aotearoa New Zealand, offering five core services: Sector Reviews (independent research produced with PwC), Small Group Wānanga (facilitated workshops), Events & Field Trips, Tailored Support for personal or family giving plans, and Partnerships & Collaborations that introduce givers to pooled-funding opportunities. The organisation has also incubated two collaborative giving vehicles — the Aotearoa Lifecourse Fund (ALF) focused on outcomes for young people, and AMPLIFY focused on financial education — and continues the legacy of the NEXT Foundation, which completed a $100 million ten-year spend down in 2024.

CSP has no proprietary technology platform; its delivery model is relationship-driven and human-mediated, executed by a six-person team led by Co-CEOs Bill Kermode (former NEXT Foundation CEO) and Kristen Waters, alongside directors for Communications, Finance, and Events. The go-to-market motion is community-led: new givers are brought in through referrals from existing Partners and founding funders, curated events, field trips, and facilitated wānanga, with no paid advertising or commercial sales motion. Revenue is sourced from charitable contributions by founding funders and family partners; CSP charges no fees to givers, and financial details are not publicly disclosed. The organisation also acts as a steward of the legacy of landmark partnerships it inherited or supported, including Project Janszoon ($21M+ over 14 years for Abel Tasman National Park restoration) and the Taranaki Mounga Project ($24M landscape-scale restoration), with the former formally handed to a next generation of guardians in July 2026.

Name

Centre for Strategic Philanthropy (CSPNZ)

Legal name

Centre for Strategic Philanthropy

Website

https://cspnz.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Centre for Strategic Philanthropy (CSP) is a New Zealand registered charity that convenes individual philanthropists and families, providing independent research, workshops, events, tailored support, and pooled-funding collaborations to encourage strategic, business-like giving across Aotearoa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropy Advisory and Strategic Giving Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Project Preparation Facilities & Technical Assistance Windows (BPADAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)

Keywords

• Strategic philanthropy advisory
• Collaborative giving networks
• Philanthropy research services
• Family giving support
• Philanthropy convening services

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland (Tāmaki Makaurau)

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Funding: CSP is funded through support from founding funders and family partners who share a commitment to strategic philanthropy. Revenue comes as charitable contributions rather than commercial service fees. CSP is a registered charity (CC60749) and does not charge fees for its services to givers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CSP is a registered New Zealand charity that convenes and supports strategic philanthropists through independent Sector Reviews (produced with PwC), facilitated Small Group Wānanga workshops, Events & Field Trips, Tailored Support for personal or family giving plans, and Partnerships & Collaborations that enable pooled, collaborative giving. The organisation also incubates collective funding initiatives such as the Aotearoa Lifecourse Fund and AMPLIFY Financial Education Fund.

Product overview

The Centre for Strategic Philanthropy is a charitable organization that serves as a platform connecting strategic givers in New Zealand. The organization offers five core services: Sector Reviews (independent research from PwC partner), Small Group Wānanga (facilitated workshops), Events & Field Trips, Tailored Support (personalised giving plan assistance), and Partnerships & Collaborations (introductions for pooled giving). CSP also incubates collaborative giving initiatives such as the Aotearoa Lifecourse Fund and AMPLIFY Financial Education Fund. The organization operates primarily through a website platform and events, with services delivered by a small team based in Auckland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sector Reviews Independent research produced with PwC that gives philanthropists an overview of cause areas they care about and are thinking of investing in, supporting evidence-based giving decisions.
• Small Group Wānanga (Workshops) Facilitated sessions on topics of common interest that bring like-minded givers together to exchange ideas, connect, and learn.
• Events & Field Trips In-person opportunities for inspiration, discussion, and debate for the CSP community of givers and their supporters, including breakfast kōrero and site visits.
• Tailored Support Personalised assistance and expertise for givers interested in building or refining their personal or family giving plan.
• Partnerships & Collaborations Introductions and connections for givers wishing to pool resources and contribute to meaningful change in a cause area, including incubation of collaborative giving initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• NEXT Foundation's ten-year $100 million spend generated transformational environmental and educational outcomes across New Zealand
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Taranaki Mounga Project PartnersflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Consortium of community, council, private sector, and philanthropic partners including Department of Conservation (DOC), eight local iwi (Ngā Iwi o Taranaki), Shell New Zealand, Toi Foundation (previously TSB Community Trust). Later joined by Manaaki Whenua / Landcare Research and Jasmine Social Investments. The $24M project achieved first ungulate-free national park in Aotearoa.
• Project Janszoon PartnersflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Partnership between Neal and Annette Plowman, NEXT Foundation, Department of Conservation, mana whenua, community organisations and volunteers. More than $21 million invested over 14 years to restore Abel Tasman National Park. Formal handover to next generation of guardians occurred in July 2026.
• PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSP's partner PwC provides independent research through Sector Reviews, giving givers an overview of areas they care about and are thinking of investing in.
• Aotearoa Lifecourse Fund (ALF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSP incubated this collaborative giving initiative bringing together givers focused on improving long-term outcomes for young people. ALF finds, funds and scales evidence-based programmes for tamariki and rangatahi. Led by Izzy Horrocks and Jimmy McLauchlan.
• AMPLIFY - Financial Education FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSP incubated this collaborative giving initiative that pools contributions to make quality financial education more accessible, inclusive, and effective for school-aged tamariki and rangatahi. Led by Kate Coles.
• ENGAGEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvidence-based self-regulation programme for preschoolers, supported by Tindall Foundation. CSP featured ENGAGE's scaling story at their 'Making Moonshots Possible' event. Led by Jimmy McLauchlan, with support from Professor Stuart McNaughton.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-for-strategic-philanthropy

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Centre for Strategic Philanthropy (CSPNZ)