Good Shepherd New Zealand

What Good Shepherd New Zealand does

Good Shepherd NZ is a charitable non-government organisation registered with the New Zealand Charities Commission (CC51642), based in Wellington and operating nationally across New Zealand. It is part of the global Good Shepherd network (present in more than 70 countries, founded over 400 years ago) and traces its New Zealand work to 1886. The organisation supports women, girls, and families experiencing harm and hardship, with financial wellbeing as the core of its mandate.

The service portfolio centres on three offerings: (1) Good Loans, a no-interest, fee-free loan product ranging from $500 to $15,000 with terms up to five years, priced by weekly repayment and targeted at essentials (cars up to $7,000, debt consolidation up to $15,000) for clients earning below published income thresholds; (2) the Family Violence Economic Harm Support Service, which employs two specialists who supported approximately 400 clients in the reported period and negotiates with creditors to reduce or write off coerced debts (documented outcomes include $80,000 and $40,000+ debts addressed); and (3) Hardship Relief Grants, one-time grants for essentials such as heat pumps, furniture, and dental work. Adjacent lines include debt consolidation loans, car insurance for financed vehicles, an Employee Financial Wellbeing programme for employers, and a Consultancy and Collaboration Service that advises Financial Services Federation members on policy and codes of practice. Underlying technology is intentionally thin and human-delivered, with identity verification handled by APLYiD (biometric AML/CFT compliance) and bank-statement analysis by Credit Sense — both third-party integrations rather than proprietary platforms.

The operating model is donation-funded with a self-recycling loan book: client repayments return to the loan fund, grants are paid from donations and legacies (including those managed by Perpetual Guardian), and consultancy generates fee revenue. Distribution is hybrid — direct phone and email service, online enquiry intake, face-to-face advocates in Auckland, Christchurch, and Rotorua, government referrals from Work and Income and Kāinga Ora, channel referrals from MoneyTalks financial mentors, family-violence referrals from Women's Refuge and Shine, employer channels such as Woolworths, and the BNZ banking partnership. Current leadership is Chief Executive Tania Pouwhare with a Board chaired by Gael Surgenor; the operational team numbers 34-35 people.

Name

Good Shepherd New Zealand

Legal name

Good Shepherd NZ

Website

https://goodshepherd.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1886

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Good Shepherd NZ is a Wellington-based charitable NGO that supports women, girls, and families experiencing harm and hardship through no-interest loans (Good Loans), family violence economic harm advocacy, hardship grants, employer wellbeing programmes, and industry consultancy, with national service delivery across New Zealand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Financial Wellbeing Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

Keywords

• No-interest loans
• Financial wellbeing services
• Family violence support
• Hardship relief grants
• Community financial mentoring

Headquarters

HQ city

New Zealand-wide service

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Funding: Charitable donations from public and funding partnerships support service delivery and grant fund. Women in Finance 2026 raised nearly $27,000 for grant fund.
2. No-interest Loans (Good Loans): No-interest, fee-free loans to New Zealanders on limited incomes for essential expenses. Loans are repaid by clients over 6 months to 5 years. Repayments recycled back into loan programme.
3. Consultancy Services: Fee-for-service consultancy helping organisations improve policies, processes and services for people experiencing family violence and financial hardship. Collaboration with FSF on code of practice.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Good Shepherd NZ is a charitable NGO providing no-interest, fee-free loans (Good Loans) ranging from $500 to $15,000 to New Zealanders on limited incomes for essential expenses such as cars, appliances, dental work, and debt consolidation. It also delivers a specialist Family Violence Economic Harm Support Service that negotiates with creditors to reduce or waive coerced debt, alongside Hardship Relief Grants, Employee Financial Wellbeing programmes, and a Consultancy Service helping organisations improve responses to financial hardship and economic abuse.

Product overview

Good Shepherd NZ is a not-for-profit charity offering a coordinated portfolio of financial wellbeing services for women, girls, and families experiencing harm and hardship. The core offerings center on Good Loans (no-interest, fee-free loans from $500-$15,000 for essential items like cars, appliances, and debt consolidation), the Family Violence Economic Harm Support Service (specialist advocacy to negotiate and waive coerced debts), and Hardship Relief Grants (one-time grants for urgent essential needs). Additional services include car insurance, Employee Financial Wellbeing programmes for employers, and a Consultancy Service for industry partners. The organization also provides dedicated pathways for Financial Mentors to refer clients. Together, these services form an integrated approach addressing immediate financial needs, recovery from economic abuse, and long-term financial resilience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Good Loans: No-interest, fee-free loans for New Zealanders on limited incomes to pay for essential expenses and manage or avoid high-cost debt.
• Family Violence Economic Harm Support Service

Products and services

• Good Loans (No-interest loans) No-interest, fee-free loans ranging from $500 to $15,000 for New Zealanders on limited incomes to pay for essential expenses including cars, appliances, dental work, and debt consolidation. Repayments are recycled into the loan programme, with terms up to 5 years.
• Family Violence Economic Harm Support Service Specialist support service helping people address and recover from economic abuse due to family violence, including negotiating with creditors to reduce or write off debts, advocating with banks, and supporting access to family violence hardship provisions.
• Hardship Relief Grants One-time grants provided to clients experiencing significant hardship who cannot afford loan repayments, for essential needs such as furniture, heat pumps, wheelchair batteries, and dental work. Examples include $1,100 for deck installation and $3,950 for a heat pump.
• Car Insurance Insurance service for vehicles purchased through Good Loans, providing coverage for clients on limited incomes who may not access traditional car insurance.
• Employee Financial Wellbeing Programme Services for employers to support their employees experiencing financial difficulty, including financial coaching and access to Good Loans via employer partnerships such as Woolworths.
• Consultancy and Collaboration Service Advisory service helping businesses and organisations improve policies, products and services to better support people experiencing family violence and financial hardship, including workshops and customer journey mapping. Co-designed the code of practice with the Financial Services Federation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35% decrease in worry about money among clients
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Selwyn FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2025Partnership to design and pilot a new support service for single older women experiencing housing instability. Combines Good Shepherd's financial wellbeing services with Selwyn Foundation's services for older people. Funding from both organisations plus Perpetual Guardian-managed legacies of Sir Ernest Hyam Davis and Yvonne (Mollie) Carr.
• Perpetual GuardiancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2025Partner managing legacies of Sir Ernest Hyam Davis and Yvonne (Mollie) Carr that fund the housing support pilot for single older women. Provides estate planning services and enacts philanthropists' wishes to support older people into housing.
• Financial Services Federation (FSF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2024Partnership to create code of practice helping specialist lenders prevent and reduce economic harm for customers experiencing family violence. Co-designed with FSF member organisations including UDC Finance, MTF, Turners, credit unions, and finance arms of motor vehicle brands. Companion resource developed for implementation guidance.
• BNZ (Bank of New Zealand)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 September 2024Partnership providing Good Loans and DEBTsolve programmes. BNZ helped change eligibility criteria to increase access for people excluded from traditional finance. Supported featured client in navigating debt resolution process.
• MoneyTalkscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral pathway for free financial mentors who can support clients to complete loan applications and get on top of finances. Primary referral source for financial mentor support.
• Kāinga Ora – Homes and CommunitiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGovernment agency referring clients to Good Shepherd for Good Loans. Income thresholds and eligibility criteria aligned between organisations.
• Work and Income (WINZ)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGovernment agency referral partner. Clients referred for urgent costs, grants, or advances. Good Shepherd directs clients to WINZ when they cannot assist with loans.
• Women's RefugecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFamily violence service referral partner. Primary referral source for family violence economic harm service. Assesses safety before Good Shepherd begins financial support.
• ShinecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFamily violence service referral partner. Provides family violence training and policy review support (dvfree). Refers clients experiencing economic harm to Good Shepherd.
• WoolworthsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployer partnership providing employee financial wellbeing programme. Refers employees experiencing financial hardship to Good Shepherd services.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NILS (No Interest Loan Scheme) Australia: Australian no-interest loan scheme for low-income households. Closest direct functional peer to Good Loans — operates on the same community lending model for essential items, comparable loan sizes, and similar charity funding structure.
• Shine (Safer Homes in New Zealand Everyday): Family violence service providing dvfree workplace training and policy support. Refers clients experiencing economic harm to Good Shepherd and provides family violence training back to Good Shepherd — a tight two-way referral peer in the DV economic harm space.
• Good Shepherd Australia: Australian sister organisation offering the same suite of no-interest loans, family violence economic harm support, and financial wellbeing services. Shares governance overlap (Stella Avramopoulos serves on both boards) and operates as the closest functional mirror of Good Shepherd NZ.
• MoneyTalks: Free nationwide financial mentor service funded by the NZ government. Primary referral source for clients who need budgeting support before becoming eligible for Good Loans — directly intertwined with Good Shepherd's intake pathway.
• Women's Refuge New Zealand: NZ's largest family violence service and a primary referral partner for Good Shepherd's economic harm service. Operates shelters and advocacy for women experiencing domestic violence — directly aligned with Good Shepherd's specialist financial harm response.

Regional players

• Citizens Advice Bureau New Zealand: Nationwide NZ free advisory service providing budgeting, financial capability, and referral support. Operates across the same communities Good Shepherd serves and frequently intersects with their client base for complementary services.

Broad incumbents

• Salvation Army New Zealand: Major NZ faith-based social services provider with foodbanks, budgeting services, transitional housing, and family support. Comparable scale and mission to Good Shepherd but with a broader, more diversified service mix.
• Auckland City Mission: Large NZ social services charity offering emergency food, housing, and social support across Auckland. Overlaps with Good Shepherd in hardship relief and family support but operates a broader portfolio including foodbanks and housing.
• Presbyterian Support New Zealand: Network of regional Presbyterian social service organisations delivering family support, counselling, and community services across NZ. Comparable mission and beneficiary base with broader regional infrastructure.
• Wellington City Mission: Wellington-based social services charity providing foodbank, social housing, and budget advisory services. Geographic overlap with Good Shepherd NZ's Wellington base and overlapping beneficiary cohorts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/good-shepherd-nz

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 Good Shepherd New Zealand