Youth in Philanthropy Aotearoa

What Youth in Philanthropy Aotearoa does

Youth in Philanthropy Aotearoa (YIPA) is a Wellington-based non-profit, founded in 2023 with 6 employees, that operates a portfolio of six interconnected community programmes serving Aotearoa New Zealand's non-profit and changemaker ecosystem. Its core offerings include The Boring Fund Aotearoa, a community-funded microgrant programme distributing $500 grants to small charities for unglamorous operational costs such as web hosting, accountancy, and admin time, using a random-draw selection model with no reporting requirements; Dabble, a low-cost web-presence service ($100-$1,000 setup, $10/month or $100/year hosting) targeting charities, podcasts, theatre shows, and portfolios; Hapori, a free digital community platform on Circle.so for systems-change changemakers; Starlo Productions, a creative duo offering communications, podcast, and film services to the for-purpose sector; the Community Film Challenge, an annual weekend filmmaking competition pairing Wellington filmmakers with charities and screening at the Embassy Theatre; and the BHC Trust's Maka Leadership Programme, a West Auckland youth leadership initiative that has engaged 199 rangatahi across 31 programmes.

The underlying technology stack is deliberately commodity: RocketSpark powers the Dabble mini-site network and individual sub-brand properties, Circle.so hosts the Hapori community, Open Collective provides transparent donation rails for the Boring Fund, and Google Forms handles grant applications. No proprietary technology, AI/ML capability, or bespoke platform architecture is evidenced; the operating model is one of orchestrated light-weight SaaS rather than deep engineering.

The business model blends several mechanics. Web services generate modest, low-margin revenue via one-time setup fees and recurring hosting subscriptions priced on a sliding scale with no profit motive. The Boring Fund operates as a pass-through donation vehicle — $15,000 koha target for 30 microgrants in the 2026 round — where donated funds flow directly to grantees and are not organisational revenue. Creative work via Starlo and Community Film Challenge produces sporadic project income. Distribution is fully self-serve and community-led: a simple website contact form for Dabble, a Google Forms application for the Boring Fund, organic social (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn), the Not All Tattoos Are Rainbows podcast, and an annual film showcase event. Customer segments are horizontal and long-tail: registered charities with under $140,000 in annual operating payments, rangatahi aged 14-17, and individual creators needing basic web presence — with no enterprise anchor customers and no disclosed multi-year contracts.

Name

Youth in Philanthropy Aotearoa

Website

https://dabble.nz

Company type

Private

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Youth in Philanthropy Aotearoa is a Wellington non-profit running a portfolio of programmes — including $500 microgrants, low-cost web services, a youth leadership programme, and an annual community film challenge — that serve small charities, rangatahi, and changemakers across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-Profit Philanthropy Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH)

Keywords

• Community microgrants
• Low-cost websites
• Youth leadership programmes
• Non-profit support services
• Community filmmaking

Headquarters

HQ city

Henderson

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Web Development Services: One-time upfront cost for creating basic web pages, ranging from $100 to $1,000 depending on complexity.
2. Web Hosting Subscription: Monthly or annual subscription covering hosting, CMS, design software, and domain name.
3. Microgrant Fund Distribution: Community-funded microgrants of $500 for small non-profits. Funded by everyday people through donations (koha).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Youth in Philanthropy Aotearoa is a non-profit portfolio operating through the Dabble website community that delivers microgrant funding, low-cost web presence services, youth leadership programmes, community filmmaking initiatives, and digital community platforms to support Aotearoa New Zealand's for-purpose sector.

Product overview

Youth in Philanthropy Aotearoa operates through a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on supporting the non-profit sector. The core offering is The Boring Fund Aotearoa, a microgrant initiative providing $500 grants to small nonprofits for operational costs. Supporting programs include Dabble (low-cost web services), Hapori (systems change community platform), Starlo Productions (creative content services), Community Film Challenge (filmmaking for charities), and BHC Trust (youth leadership). These programs collectively address gaps in funding, digital presence, community connection, creative production, and youth development within Aotearoa's impact sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Boring Fund Aotearoa A community-led microgrant fund providing $500 grants to small nonprofits in Aotearoa for unglamorous operational costs such as web hosting, accountancy, and admin time. Selection by random draw with no reporting requirements.
• Dabble Website Service A low-cost web presence service for charities, podcasts, theatre shows, and portfolios, offering templates and custom builds starting at $100-$1,000 upfront with $10/month or $100/year ongoing costs.
• Hapori A digital community platform (pātaka) for systems changemakers in Aotearoa, providing a space to share experiences, resources, and opportunities. Free to join.
• Starlo Productions A creative duo providing communications and film production services for Aotearoa's for-purpose sector, including podcasts, short films, and community websites.
• Community Film Challenge An annual programme pairing Wellington filmmakers with local charities to create short films during an intensive weekend, with films screened at the Embassy Theatre and prize money of approximately $12,000.
• BHC Trust (Brotherhood Continues Trust) A free youth leadership and community programme based in West Auckland, delivering the Maka Leadership Programme for rangatahi aged 14-17, holiday programmes, and community navigation services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of whānau surveyed said Maka Leadership is important or very important to their community's wellbeing
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

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 core and minor.

• Open CollectivecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026Open Collective platform used for hosting and managing the community microgrant fund. Provides transparent fund management and donation processing.
• Rochelle Stewart-Allen (The NGO Coach)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three founders of The Boring Fund Aotearoa. Brings NGO coaching expertise and philanthropy knowledge.
• Volunteer WellingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelen Anderson (General Manager) co-founded The Boring Fund. Organisation hosts Film Challenge and community programmes.
• Embassy TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScreening venue for Community Film Challenge annual showcase event.
• Te Herenga Waka (Victoria University of Wellington)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm Programme partnership with Dr Paul Wolffram serving as faculty advisor for Community Film Challenge.
• Circle.socoreTechnology or IntegrationCommunity platform hosting the Hapori digital pātaka for systems change changemakers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Foundation North: Auckland-region community foundation that pools donations and distributes grants to local non-profits for community impact. Directly comparable grantmaking-and-distribution model, scaled across the Auckland region.
• The Tindall Foundation: A major NZ family-backed grantmaking foundation distributing funds to community organisations, including operational support. Same mission space as the Boring Fund but at a much larger cheque size and grant scale.
• Comic Relief (UK): Mass-market fundraising charity distributing small-to-mid grants to community projects, with light reporting. Operates the same community-funded microgrant thesis as the Boring Fund, but at a much larger scale and brand.
• Volunteering New Zealand: National umbrella body for volunteering in NZ, connecting volunteers and community organisations. Helen Anderson's Volunteer Wellington role and the broader volunteering infrastructure parallels Dabble's community-building work.

Direct peers

• The Boring Fund (UK): The UK-origin Boring Fund created by Christina Poulton, which directly inspired The Boring Fund Aotearoa. Both provide small, no-reporting grants for boring operational costs of community organisations.
• Nikau Foundation: A NZ community foundation offering donor-advised funds and grants to grassroots community organisations. Operates in the same micro-to-mid grant space and shares the goal of funnelling donations into operational support.
• The Gift Trust: NZ organisation providing gift trust administration and operational support to small charities; Jackson Lacy of Youth in Philanthropy also works in Gift Trust operations. Comparable as a back-office enabling layer for small NZ non-profits.
• Ara Taiohi: National peak body for the youth development sector in Aotearoa, supporting youth programmes through capability-building and sector advocacy. Closely comparable to the youth leadership and rangatahi development work at BHC Trust.
• Inspiring Stories: NZ charity running youth leadership and community impact programmes, including scholarship-style support for young changemakers. Directly comparable to the rangatahi leadership pipeline work of BHC Trust / YIPA.

Others

• Open Collective: Transparent fund-management platform used by YIPA to host The Boring Fund Aotearoa. Not a competitor but an enabling infrastructure peer; comparable as a fundraising-and-grant distribution stack for grassroots organisations.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/youth-in-philanthropy-aotearoa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Youth in Philanthropy Aotearoa