What Toimata Foundation does

Toimata Foundation is a New Zealand charitable trust founded in 2003 (originally as the Enviroschools Foundation) and headquartered in Hamilton, New Zealand. The organization was rebranded to Toimata Foundation in May 2015. It operates two nationwide educational programmes: Te Aho Tū Roa, delivered in Māori-medium education settings, and Enviroschools, delivered in English-medium settings. Together these programmes serve over 1,600 schools and early childhood education centres, engaging more than 100,000 young people across New Zealand. Enviroschools alone represents nearly half of all New Zealand schools.

The foundation's programmes are delivered through a distributed partnership model rather than direct service. Over 80 regional partner agencies — primarily local councils — operate the programmes at the regional level. The core foundation maintains a lean staff of 7 employees led by CEO Heidi Mardon. The foundation operates no proprietary technology platform; the value proposition rests on educational frameworks, regional coordination, and brand credibility developed over two decades. In 2009, the ReGeneration programme was spun off into its own independent trust to streamline focus on the core Enviroschools and Te Aho Tū Roa portfolios.

Funding flows from a mix of central government (Ministry for the Environment), major charitable trusts (J R McKenzie Trust, Tindall), and iwi partners. As a charitable trust, Toimata does not generate commercial revenue. The foundation implemented a four-day working week in January 2023, signaling organizational maturity and a focus on staff retention over headcount expansion.

Name

Toimata Foundation

Legal name

Toimata Foundation

Website

https://toimata.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Toimata Foundation is a Hamilton, New Zealand-based charitable trust operating two nationwide educational programmes — Te Aho Tū Roa (Māori-medium) and Enviroschools — serving over 1,600 schools, early childhood centres, and 100,000+ young people through 80+ regional partner agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Sector Coordination, Clusters & Working Groups (EDADALAE)

Keywords

• Environmental education programs
• Sustainability education
• Maori cultural education
• Action-based learning
• Charitable education trust

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamilton

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Charitable Funding and Grants: As a charitable trust, Toimata Foundation operates primarily through funding from government agencies (Ministry for the Environment), charitable trusts (J R McKenzie Trust, Tindall), iwi partners, and multi-sector funding and in-kind support from the nationwide partner network.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Toimata Foundation is a New Zealand charitable trust that develops and supports two nationwide action-based learning programmes: Te Aho Tū Roa (a te reo Māori programme working with kōhanga/puna reo, kura, wharekura and communities to strengthen connections between People to People and People to Place) and Enviroschools (an English-medium sustainability education programme engaging early childhood centres, primary and secondary schools). Each programme is delivered through a network of trained facilitators, regional coordinators, and partner agencies spanning over 1600 schools and ECE centres across New Zealand.

Product overview

Toimata Foundation operates as a unified platform supporting two complementary nationwide educational programmes: Te Aho Tū Roa (a te reo Māori medium programme) and Enviroschools (an English-language action-based sustainability education programme). Both programmes share the foundation's sustainability-through-learning kaupapa but serve different language settings and age groups, from early childhood through to post-school youth and communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Te Aho Tū Roa: A programme in te reo Māori working with kōhanga/puna reo, kura, wharekura and communities that embraces Māori culture, language and wisdom. Seeks to strengthen connections between People to People and People to Place.
• Enviroschools

Products and services

• Te Aho Tū Roa A nationwide programme delivered in te reo Māori that works with kōhanga/puna reo (Māori language immersion early childhood centres), kura and wharekura (Māori medium schools) and their communities, embracing Māori culture, language and wisdom to strengthen connections between People to People and People to Place. Designed for Māori-medium educational settings and the communities that surround them.
• Enviroschools A nationwide action-based environmental education programme where young people plan, design and implement sustainability projects and become catalysts for change in their families and within the wider New Zealand community. Delivered through early childhood centres, primary and secondary schools, supported by trained facilitators and regional partner agencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100,000 young people actively participating in programmes
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered founding, core, supporting and major.

• Te Mauri TaufoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner who led the development of Te Aho Tū Roa in 2004, established core partnership with Hamilton City Council in 1998 to support Enviroschools guiding principles and first programme kit.
• Hamilton City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal funder of Enviroschools pilot in 1993 alongside Environment Waikato and Community Environmental Programme. Later developed the Enviroschools framework in 2004.
• New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting the nationwide launch of Enviroschools in 2001 and ongoing collaboration in the environmental education sector.
• Mother EarthsupportingOthersPartner organization supporting Toimata Foundation sustainability programmes.
• Te RarawamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIwi partner providing Māori perspective and support for Te Aho Tū Roa and Enviroschools programmes.
• Te Hiku Iwi Development TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIwi development trust partner supporting programme delivery in the Te Hiku region.
• Dept of ConservationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment department partnering on environmental conservation education initiatives.
• Home Performance AdvisorsupportingOthersPartner organization supporting sustainability and environmental performance initiatives.
• Enviroschools Nationwide NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNationwide network of over 80 regional partner agencies (primarily councils) that provide local facilitation and regional leadership for the Enviroschools programme.
• Te Aho Tū Roa KaihāpaicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational coordination body for Te Aho Tū Roa programme, working with Poutautoko (local liaison support) across regions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Young Ocean Explorers: Young Ocean Explorers is a NZ-based youth environmental education platform focused on ocean conservation. Comparable as a NZ-focused youth environmental education player, though narrower in scope (marine only) and using a media/digital delivery model.

Regional players

• Forest & Bird (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds New Zealand): Forest & Bird is a major NZ conservation NGO running education programmes in schools and communities. Comparable in mission (environmental education and action) and NZ-only geography, though operates as a broader conservation body.
• Keep Australia Beautiful: Keep Australia Beautiful runs school environmental education programmes across Australia. Comparable in mission and school-based sustainability education delivery, but geographically distinct from Toimata's NZ focus.
• Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative (AuSSI): AuSSI was the Australian federal-state school sustainability programme offering a framework similar to Enviroschools. Comparable in programme structure and school-based sustainability approach, though Australia-focused and government-administered.

Direct peers

• Keep New Zealand Beautiful: Keep New Zealand Beautiful runs school-based environmental education and litter reduction programmes across NZ schools. Operates in a directly comparable space (NZ, school-focused environmental education) with overlapping community-driven delivery.
• Jane Goodall Institute's Roots & Shoots: Roots & Shoots is a global youth-led environmental and humanitarian programme active in schools worldwide. Direct comparable as a youth-focused, action-based environmental education programme operating through school networks.
• Eco-Schools (Foundation for Environmental Education): Eco-Schools is the leading international environmental education programme for schools, operating across 70+ countries. It is the closest global analogue to Enviroschools, with both programmes using a structured framework to drive sustainability action in schools.

Broad incumbents

• WWF-New Zealand Education Programmes: WWF-New Zealand runs school-based environmental education as part of its global conservation mission. A broader incumbent operating in the same space with comparable school-facing programmes but global scale.

Others

• New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) Education: DOC runs conservation education programmes for schools across NZ and is a listed partner of Toimata Foundation. Comparable in environmental education delivery, though operates as a government department rather than a charitable trust.
• New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE): NZAEE is the NZ sector body for environmental education and a strategic partner of Toimata Foundation. Comparable as a coordinating body in the same space, though it operates as an industry association rather than direct programme delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/toimata-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Toimata Foundation