Parafed Waikato

What Parafed Waikato does

Parafed Waikato (legally the Waikato Paraplegic and Physically Disabled Association Inc) is a Waikato-based, New Zealand not-for-profit sport and recreation organisation providing adaptive sport opportunities for people with physical disabilities and visual impairments. It operates more than 14 sport and recreation programmes, including wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, swimming, boccia, goalball, shooting, powerchair football, athletics, cycling and handcycling, para-badminton, rock climbing, adaptive rowing, boxing, and lawn bowls. Core programmatic vehicles are the Youth Club for members aged 8-21 and the annual Halberg Games national tournament. The organisation is governed by a ten-person elected volunteer board, supported by a small paid staff led by a Sports Development Officer, and operates from the Waikato region with training venues across Hamilton including The Peak, Snap Fitness Hamilton North, and Hillcrest High School.

The organisation runs a membership model with three tiers: Full Membership at $35/year for adults, Junior Membership at $20/year for those aged 21 or under or still at school, and Social Membership at $20/year for supporters, volunteers, and family members. Beyond membership fees, revenue is generated through one-off and recurring donations, bequests, and grants from a diversified base of regional and national funders, including Trust Waikato, the Brian Perry Charitable Trust, NZ Lottery Grants Board, Sport NZ, Tu-Manawa, the Hugo Charitable Trust, the Wilson Home Trust, and the Perry Group. Full financial members are eligible to apply for funding assistance covering equipment and competition expenses, and the organisation provides equipment loan and trial access so members can test adaptive sports before purchasing their own gear.

Go-to-market is community-led: members are acquired primarily through word-of-mouth, referrals from healthcare providers, schools, and disability support organisations, supplemented by a website, Facebook, and quarterly newsletters. Distribution is direct and regional, with training sessions, events, and competitions delivered across Hamilton and surrounding Waikato venues. Strategic positioning is reinforced by affiliations with Paralympics New Zealand and Sport NZ, a 2021 Sports Award for Community Connection Active Recreation, and a board that includes current and former Paralympians, lending credibility to the athlete development pathway from youth participation through to Paralympic representation.

Name

Parafed Waikato

Legal name

Waikato Paraplegic and Physically Disabled Association Inc

Website

https://parafedwaikato.co.nz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Parafed Waikato is a Waikato-based not-for-profit providing adaptive sport and recreation programmes for people with physical disabilities and visual impairments, delivering over 14 sports, a Youth Club, and Halberg Games participation through a membership and grant-funded model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adaptive Sport and Recreation Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability & Adaptive Sports Organizations (Paralympic, Special Olympics) (MPAKACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adaptive & Para-Sport Training Programs (MPAKAJAK), Adaptive & Para-Sport Coaching (HSADAEAM)

Keywords

• Adaptive sports programs
• Disability sport services
• Para-sport recreation
• Wheelchair sports clubs
• Inclusive community recreation

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamilton

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees provide recurring revenue. Full Membership costs $35.00 per year (for members 22 years and over), Junior Membership costs $20.00 (for members 21 years and under or still at school), and Social Membership costs $20.00 (for supporters, volunteers, and family members).
2. Donations: One-off donations and monthly support plans from individuals and organizations. The organization accepts credit/debit card donations and bank transfers.
3. Funding Assistance for Equipment and Competition: Full financial members are eligible to apply for funding for equipment and competition expenses. The organization provides equipment access so members can try sports before purchasing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Parafed Waikato delivers adaptive sport and recreation programs for people with physical disabilities and visual impairments in the Waikato region. Through an annual membership ($20-$35), members access 14+ sports (wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, swimming, boccia, goalball, shooting, powerchair football, athletics, cycling, rowing, etc.), equipment trials and loans, financial assistance for equipment and competition, a Youth Club for ages 8-21, and entry pathways to events such as the Halberg Games.

Product overview

Parafed Waikato is a not-for-profit sport organization providing sports and recreation opportunities for people with physical disabilities and visual impairments in the Waikato region. The organization operates a membership-based model offering over 14 adaptive sports programs including wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, swimming, boccia, goalball, shooting, powerchair football, athletics, cycling, and rowing. Core services include a Youth Club program for ages 8-21 years and participation in the annual Halberg Games national tournament. The organization provides funding assistance for equipment and competition expenses, volunteer opportunities across sports programs, and accepts donations to subsidize participation costs and expand adaptive sport offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adaptive Sports Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Members have achieved international success, including Paralympic representation (e.g., Jesse Reynolds in swimming, Robert Hewitt in wheelchair rugby, Devon Briggs as world champion para cyclist)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sport NZcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSport New Zealand is the government agency responsible for sports leadership in New Zealand. Their support provides credibility and access to national sport networks and resources.
• Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParalympics New Zealand is the national governing body for the Paralympic movement in New Zealand. Parafed Waikato is affiliated with PNZ and works together on para-sport development.
• CCS Disability ActionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCS Disability Action is a disability support organization that works alongside Parafed Waikato to support people with disabilities in the community.
• Access Community HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccess Community Health provides healthcare services and may partner with Parafed Waikato for community health initiatives.
• Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBasketball New Zealand supports wheelchair basketball programs and may provide coaching, facilities, or competition pathways.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Special Olympics New Zealand: NZ branch of Special Olympics providing year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities; overlapping adaptive sport mandate though targeting a different disability segment.
• Blind Sport NZ: National NZ organization providing sport and recreation opportunities specifically for blind and low-vision New Zealanders; overlaps with Parafed Waikato's visual impairment programming (e.g., goalball).
• Parafed Auckland: Regional Parafed serving the Auckland region with the same mandate of providing sport and recreation opportunities for people with physical disabilities and visual impairments; direct geographic and functional peer.
• Parafed Canterbury: Canterbury-based regional Parafed offering adaptive sports programs for people with disabilities; operates the same membership and program model as Parafed Waikato in a different region of NZ.

Broad incumbents

• Halberg Disability Sport Foundation: National NZ charity that runs the Halberg Games (which Parafed Waikato members attend) and provides sport inclusion funding and programmes; operates at national scale as a coordinating umbrella that regional Parafeds feed into.
• Paralympics New Zealand: National governing body for Paralympic movement in NZ and Parafed Waikato's affiliate; oversees high-performance pathways and selection, with regional Parafeds serving as grassroots feeders.

Emerging players

• Disabled Snowsports New Zealand: NZ organization providing adaptive snowsports instruction; directly comparable to one of the 14+ programs (Snowsports) offered by Parafed Waikato, demonstrating how individual sport disciplines are also served by specialist bodies.
• Wheelchair Basketball New Zealand: National body governing wheelchair basketball; Parafed Waikato runs a wheelchair basketball program at The Peak in Hamilton, indicating overlap at the regional program delivery level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ParafedWaikato
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/parafed-waikato

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Parafed Waikato