John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation

What John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation does

The John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation is a New Zealand not-for-profit charitable trust founded in 2008 by Olympic 1500m champion Sir John Walker, headquartered at the Momentum Hub in Vector Wero Whitewater Park, South Auckland. The foundation's stated mission is to engage at-risk young people aged 5-14 in Auckland's areas of greatest need in sport and physical recreation as a pathway to healthier lifestyles and positive life choices. It operates eight programmes spanning swimming, athletics, weightlifting, multi-sport camps, blind and low-vision sport, and moving-water safety, all delivered free of charge to participants.

The flagship Community Swim programme, launched in June 2008 with two pilot schools, has delivered approximately 1.5 million free water-skills-for-life lessons and now reaches over 18,000 children across 91 primary schools in Auckland South and East, with 98% of participants reporting increased water confidence. Other core programmes include Run, Jump & Throw for Gold (athletics), Lift for Gold (weightlifting), Primary Sport, Wero (fast-moving water safety at Vector Wero), BLENNZ Sport (for blind and visually impaired students), and Intermediate Schools Sports Camps at Camp Adair.

The foundation has no proprietary technology platform and operates with a lean five-person staff under General Manager Rick Pickard. Its business model is donor-funded rather than commercial: it raises money through corporate sponsorships (The Lion Foundation, Honda New Zealand), Auckland Council and Water Safety New Zealand grants, charitable trusts (Joyce Fisher, Grassroots, NZCT, Four Winds, Foundation North), and individual donations via JustGiving, then deploys funds through delivery partners including Swimgym, Counties Manukau Sport, Athletics Auckland, YMCA, and Second Nature Charitable Trust. Approximately $450,000 is spent annually on the Community Swim programme alone, and over $5.5 million has been raised for that programme over nine years. The foundation serves a beneficiary population that is 37% Pacific Island, 24% Maori, 20% Asian, and 19% NZ European.

Name

John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation

Legal name

John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation

Website

https://fieldofdreams.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation is a New Zealand charitable trust founded in 2008 by Olympic champion Sir John Walker, delivering eight free sport and water safety programmes to at-risk youth aged 5-14 across 91 primary schools in South and East Auckland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Sports and Recreation Non-Profit

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aquatics Programs (Pools, Swim Lessons, Lifeguarding) (EDALAIAF), Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)

Keywords

• Youth sports programmes
• Water safety education
• Community recreation
• Charitable foundation services
• At-risk youth engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The foundation raises funds from individuals and businesses through platforms like JustGiving and direct donations to support its 8 sports and recreation programmes for at-risk youth.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide financial support, in-kind contributions, and expertise. Major sponsors include The Lion Foundation, Honda, Four Winds Foundation, and various charitable trusts.
3. Government and Trust Grants: The foundation receives grants from Auckland Council, Water Safety NZ Drowning Prevention Fund, and various charitable trusts to fund operations and specific programmes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation is a charitable trust that delivers free sports and physical recreation programmes to at-risk young people aged 5-14 in Auckland's areas of greatest need. Its flagship Community Swim programme provides free water-skills-for-life lessons, including pool entry, transportation, and professional instruction, to over 18,000 children annually across 91 primary schools. The foundation also offers athletics, weightlifting, primary sport, moving water safety, and intermediate schools sports camps programmes.

Product overview

John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation is a charitable trust operating 7 sports and physical recreation programmes aimed at improving young people's health and physical ability while teaching teamwork, mutual respect and empathy. The foundation's flagship Community Swim programme delivers free water skills for life lessons to over 18,000 children annually, while BLENNZ Sport serves blind students, Run Jump Throw for Gold introduces athletics, Lift for Gold develops weightlifting talent, Primary Sport engages primary school children, Wero provides moving water safety training, and Intermediate Schools Sports Camps offer diverse sporting experiences. All programmes are delivered through partnerships with organisations including Counties Manukau Sport, Athletics Auckland, Auckland Council, Swimgym, YMCA, and Second Nature Charitable Trust.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Swim Flagging programme providing free water skills for life lessons, including pool entry, transportation, and professional instruction, to approximately 160,000 free lessons annually for over 18,000 children in Years 3-6 from 91 primary schools across Auckland South.
• BLENNZ Sport Sports programme delivered at BLENNZ Homai Campus for blind and visually impaired students, providing learning experiences using specialised resources and outside-of-classroom opportunities including NZ Blind Cricket events.
• Run, Jump & Throw for Gold Athletics programme introducing run, jump and throw disciplines to Papakura schools through coach-led sessions during and after school, providing recreation, fitness and life skills through purpose, discipline and achievement.
• Lift for Gold Weightlifting programme run through Papatoetoe Olympic Weightlifting Club in South and West Auckland, focusing on building resilient athletes of character with potential to develop into future Commonwealth Games medalists and Olympic representatives.
• Primary Sport Sport and physical recreation initiative for Year 5 and 6 children (aged 9-11) in Manukau, engaging over 20,000 children annually through after-school sports programmes, in-school coaching support, inter-school competitions, and holiday programmes for at-risk youth.
• Wero – Introduction to Fast Moving Water Safety Water safety extension programme offered to Year 6 students from low decile schools at Vector Wero Whitewater Park, teaching moving water safety through rafting courses including safety briefings, gear fitting, and supervised water crossings.
• Intermediate Schools Sports Camps Sports camp partnership with YMCA at Camp Adair, offering Year 7-8 students from Auckland South Intermediate Schools the opportunity to participate in a range of traditional and new sporting codes free of charge.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60,000 young people engaged annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Auckland CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partner providing operational support, funding for buses, and access to community facilities including pools. Auckland Council's Sport & Recreation grants support foundation operations.
• SwimgymcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKey delivery partner providing professional swimming instructors for the Community Swim programme across Auckland South pools.
• Counties Manukau SportcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDelivery partner for BLENNZ Sport and Primary Sport programmes, providing sports expertise and coaching support.
• Athletics AucklandminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDelivery partner for the Run, Jump & Throw for Gold athletics programme for primary school children.
• Second Nature Charitable TrustcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDelivery partner for the Wero fast-moving water safety programme at Vector Wero Whitewater Park. Co-sponsor of the Momentum Hub.
• YMCAminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner for Intermediate Schools Sports Camps delivered at Camp Adair in the Hunua Ranges.
• Papatoetoe Olympic Weightlifting ClubminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDelivery partner for the Lift for Gold weightlifting programme in South and West Auckland.
• DeloitteminorOthersProfessional services firm supporting foundation operations.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Halberg Foundation: New Zealand charitable trust that uses sport to enhance the lives of young New Zealanders with physical disabilities, including the Halberg Games and inclusive sport programmes. Directly comparable as a NZ sport-for-youth charity targeting underserved communities with a similar grant-funded, partnership-led delivery model.
• Surf Life Saving New Zealand: National water safety organisation running drowning prevention and surf education programmes, including school-based 'Beach Education' and 'Pool Safe' programmes. Comparable mission area to the Community Swim and Wero programmes, with similar free school-delivered water safety instruction in Auckland and beyond.
• Graeme Dingle Foundation: New Zealand youth development charity delivering school-based programmes (Kiwi Can, Project K, Stars, Career Navigator) to build resilience and life skills in young people. Comparable as a NZ charity operating structured, school-delivered youth programmes funded by corporate sponsors and trusts, with similar geographic focus on underserved communities.
• YMCA (New Zealand): National youth-focused charity operating fitness, recreation, and camp programmes across New Zealand including school sports camps at Camp Adair (where FYFOD Intermediate Schools Sports Camps are delivered). Comparable as a multi-programme youth recreation operator with overlapping camp, swimming, and youth development offerings.
• KidsCan: New Zealand charity supporting children in low-decile schools with food, clothing, and health programmes. Comparable as a NZ non-profit raising funds from corporates and trusts to deliver free programmes to at-risk youth in lower socio-economic communities, with similar donor-base composition.

Broad incumbents

• Sport New Zealand (Sport NZ): Crown entity responsible for New Zealand's play, active recreation, and sport system, distributing government funding and setting national policy. Comparable as the overarching national body that funds and frames the youth sport and recreation space in which FYFOD operates.
• Water Safety New Zealand: National water safety body that coordinates drowning prevention efforts, administers the Drowning Prevention Fund, and supports community water safety initiatives including the Water Skills for Life curriculum used by FYFOD. A current funding partner and the closest broad national peer in the same water-safety-instruction space.
• Aktive - Auckland Sport & Recreation: Auckland regional sport and recreation organisation funded by Auckland Council that connects communities with sport, recreation, and play opportunities. Comparable as a broader Auckland-based sport/recreation body operating in the same region with overlapping school and community partnership channels.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/JWFYFOD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/john-walker-find-your-field-of-dreams-foundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation