• The Awards have been recognising excellence in not-for-profit reporting since 2018.
• Recognising not-for-profit organisations that have embraced reporting requirements and are innovative in their communication with stakeholders.

The Awards, organised by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), celebrate best practice in adopting accounting standards which provide greater transparency and consistency in reporting across the sector.

Peter Vial FCA, New Zealand Country Head at CA ANZ, said he was delighted to see not-for-profit organisations rising to the occasion and embracing the standards set by the XRB in their reporting. He echoed the view of the award judges that “the quality of reporting gets better every year” and it is very pleasing and encouraging to see the diverse causes, not just of the award winners but also of all the organisations that entered. After opening entries to Incorporated Societies that have reregistered under the 2022 Act for the first time in 2023, it was encouraging to see more societies entering the Awards this year.

“It is a rewarding process for both the entities themselves - the award winners will undoubtedly be happy to receive recognition for their hard work - and for us, as promoters of good reporting and witnesses to the progress of charities and other for-purpose entities over the years.”

“New Zealand is a very philanthropic country, with over 29,000 charities with more than $27 billion in annual income, supported by over 170,000 volunteers working 1.4 million hours weekly and more than 100,000 employees . They have a big responsibility to be accountable for that, CA ANZ is proud to support the sector.”

The judging panel consisted of 2021 CA ANZ President Nives Botica-Redmayne FCA, Bob King AT (Fellow), Cherrie Yang CA, Hedy Huang FCA, Maree Laurent CA, Dee Lodhia CA, Zowie Pateman FCA, Allyssa Carle CA, Matt Helem CA, Merchaleen Laaks CA and Lydia Tsen CA.

First place winners in each of the three reporting categories and the sustainability category received a $1,000 prize as did the winner of the First Time Entry Award. The highly commended in each category received a $500 prize.

The reporting and sustainability category prizes are sponsored by chartered accounting firms BDO, RSM, Baker Tilly Staples Rodway, William Buck and PKF. The First Time Entry Award is sponsored by Wild Bamboo.

Award recipients

Tier 1 & 2

Winner, sponsored by RSM: Stardome Observatory

Stardome’s history began in 1948 when the Auckland Astronomical Society began fundraising for a public observatory in Auckland. By 1956 they had significant funds, including a substantial bequest from Mrs Edith Winstone Blackwell for the purchase of a telescope for public use. The Society formed the Auckland Observatory and Planetarium Trust Board to build on these funds and provide for the construction and management of a new observatory. Stardome and its team have been sharing a love of space from its premises in Auckland’s One Tree Hill Domain since 1967 and has operated as a place of exploration, research and sharing of knowledge ever since.

“The team at Stardome is delighted to be selected as the Tier 1 winner in the 2025 For Purpose Reporting Awards. To be the winners for the second year in a row is a testament to the team’s commitment to transparency and meaningful communication about our mission at Stardome. We are dedicated to achieving our strategic goals and this recognition motivates us to continue our journey. Ngā mihi maioha.”

Stardome Observatory Annual Report

Highly Commended, sponsored by PKF: Child Cancer Foundation

Child Cancer Foundation is a New Zealand charity that provides support to children and families on their cancer journey. The focus is on the whānau, not the cancer. No two families’ experiences are the same, and neither is the nature of the support they need. One thing is always the same: they support every family so they can concentrate on the most important thing of all, loving and caring for their child.

"This recognition is a great honour, especially as a smaller charity being reviewed among many excellent, larger organisations. It is a positive and deeply appreciated affirmation for us. It lets us know that our vision, mahi and reporting are all working in concert and to a high standard where accuracy, transparency and measurability matter. On behalf of the entire Foundation, thank you. The generous donation you've given us alongside this incredible award will go directly towards making a difference for the children and families in our care."

Child Cancer Foundation

Tier 3

Winner, sponsored by Baker Tilly Staples Rodway: Girls Rock Aotearoa

The kaupapa of Girls Rock Aotearoa is to create the world we want to live in – a more equal and inspiring place. A charity organisation made up of musicians and music lovers with years of music industry experience. We are committed to guiding the advancement and empowerment of young women, and/or intersex, transgender, takatāpui, queer and gender diverse youth.

“Girls Rock Aotearoa is thrilled to receive this recognition, especially as first-time entrants in the For Purpose Charity Reporting Awards. When we gained charitable status in 2023, the most daunting prospect was undoubtedly the reporting standards. As such, we are so proud of our first-ever charity Annual Report, put together by our CFO Nicole Gaffney.

Nicole composed a report so informative and celebratory that we wanted to sing about it - thank you so much to the judges and Chartered Accountants ANZ for joining in the chorus!

Being authentic to who we are is a powerful form of communication, and we are so proud that our work can speak for itself. This award is a testament to the power of community and DIY spirit.”

Girls Rock Aotearoa Annual Report

Highly Commended, sponsored by PKF: Para Kore Marae

Established in 2010, Para Kore Marae Incorporated is a Māori not-for-profit organisation working towards zero waste. It is passionate about and committed to collective action for a zero carbon, zero waste, Aotearoa, New Zealand that honours mana Māori motuhake and regenerates Ranginui and Papatūānuku.

Ka pūtake mai ngā akoranga me ngā kaupapa ka kōkirihia e mātou i te tirohanga Māori, kia waro kore ai, kia te para kore ai ngā whānau, ngā hapū me ngā iwi Māori.

Ka hāpaitia e Para Kore te manawaroa o ngā hapori Māori mā roto i ngā kaupapa panoni whanonga, e takea mai ana i te mātauranga Māori.

We educate and advocate from a Māori worldview for zero carbon, zero waste whānau, hapū, iwi and hapori Māori.

Para Kore supports resilience within Māori communities through mātauranga Māori behaviour change programmes and services.

“This award is a special acknowledgement of the mātauranga, care and hard work our team brings to kaupapa Māori-led reporting. It’s encouraging to see this approach being recognised and reminds us that our stories and outcomes matter.”

Para Kore Marae Annual Report

Tier 4

Winner, sponsored by William Buck: Kiwi Christmas Books

In late 2019, Sonya Wilson had a simple idea: buy some books to donate to kids at Christmas and get her mates to buy some too. That idea became Kiwi Christmas Books, a charity scheme that took off almost of its own accord, resulting in the donation of more than 1600 brand-new books to families in need that Christmas.

From these small beginnings in Auckland, Kiwi Christmas Books has grown into a nationwide charity, collecting thousands of brand-new books each year from kind, book-loving Kiwi donors. It has now donated more than 40,000 books to children and families from Kaitaia to Bluff and everywhere in between. For many children it is their first ever book; for some, it is their first ever Christmas present.

“Kiwi Christmas Books feels very honoured to have been selected by CAANZ for this award. We are a tiny team who run the charity around our day jobs, so this accolade and its accompanying prize money really does have an impact on an organisation of our size. We so appreciate CAANZ's support of our organisation and their recognition of our work through these awards and would like to thank them for the amazing work they do for charities of all tiers across New Zealand and for their belief in the Kiwi Christmas Books kaupapa in particular - that good books help to grow great kids and that every Kiwi kid deserves access to quality books. This award will help us deliver more books to families in need across Aotearoa in 2025 and beyond.”

Kiwi Christmas Books Annual Report

Highly Commended, sponsored by PKF: Cycling without Age Napier Trust

Cycling Without Age (CWA), began in 2012 by Ole Kassow in Copenhagen, Denmark. Ole wanted to help elders get back on their bicycles but had to find an answer to their limited mobility. His solution was a trishaw in which he offered rides to his local nursing home residents.

CWA is now an international program in 40+ countries. The Napier Chapter was created in 2022 by Alan White and Liz Barrett and we are excited to be a part of this global community.

“The Award is very special because it means that not only have we met the reporting requirements but that more people will get to know and understand what Cycling Without Age is all about. 'Without Age' refers to CWA positioning aging in a positive context. The Award also enables our thanks to all our funders, donors and supporters to be broadcast more widely, without whom we could not have funded our 3 trishaws.

CWA provides the essence of bike rides by focusing on health and surrounding effects of riding a bike, such as connection with nature, feeling the wind in your hair, and experiencing various scents, sounds and sights, without the constricting boundaries of age and the physical exercise required to ride a bike.

Our team of volunteer pilots are priceless, and they were already delighted just to have been selected for the shortlist. Our "wind in your hair" pleasure measures show they have now ridden over 7,760 km of passenger rides with smiles to date, since the first ride was undertaken in May 2022.”

Cycling Without Age Annual Report

Sustainability

The Sustainability Award recognises how an organisation demonstrates the effective management of economic, social, and environmental resources to ensure a prosperous future for the entity and its stakeholders.

Winner, sponsored by BDO: The Planetary Accounting Network

The Planetary Accounting Network, or PAN, works to enable people, businesses and governments to make decisions that will revitalise and sustain our environment using Planetary Accounting, a framework for science-based decision making to respect and stay within the Planetary Boundaries. They support a broad range of initiatives, such as setting corporate Planetary Science-Based Targets (P-SBTs), creating "Planetary Facts" labels for products and services, and developing future visions and roadmaps for cities and regions to operate within the planet's limits.

“At PAN, we exist to help people, organisations, and governments achieve their economic and social goals within scientific environmental limits and communicate this with their stakeholders. We are thrilled to have won the Sustainability Award for communicating “effective management of economic, social, and environmental resources to ensure a prosperous future” as this is testament that we are “walking the talk” both in the way we operate, and the way we communicate this.”

The Planetary Accounting Network Annual Report

Highly Commended, sponsored by PKF: Garden to Table

Garden to Table’s kaupapa is to empower tamariki to grow, harvest, prepare and share great food. Their programme is highly practical and child-centric, supporting students to learn to work together. The theme of “kids doing everything” is a key component of the sessions; skills are not watered down for tamariki and they learn to operate in the kitchen and garden as they would at home, with careful observation and guidance. They teach children to nurture, share, and manaaki guests, whilst building awareness of individual and collective responsibility to manaaki te taiao - care for our environment. Supporting children’s health and wellbeing is central and celebrating the preparing and sharing of great food fosters community connectedness.

“We at Garden to Table Trust relish being involved in these reporting awards and are humbled to be recognised for contributing to positive sustainability impact. We are proud of our Garden to Table tamariki who see themselves as kaitiaki and stoked to support our schools to connect children with Papatūānuku through growing, cooking and sharing kai as a community.”

Garden to Table Annual Report

Winner - First Time Entry Award, sponsored by Wild Bamboo: The Fono Group

The Fono works collaboratively and in partnership with families, communities, government, service providers and stakeholders ensuring our services remain culturally appropriate and safe. They are built on a culture of caring - both in the improvements they want to see in the lives of their people, but also in their own approach on the ground to ensure that everyone they work with feels respected and supported. This culture of caring is combined with a drive to improve wellbeing and equity for Pasifika, delivered with a cultural awareness of the differences of our communities from the general population and the required approach to support them to better meet their needs.

“We are honoured to receive the First Time Entry Award, which is deeply meaningful for The Fono as a Pacific led charitable organisation. Our annual report serves as more than a financial compliance document—it's our accountability tool that demonstrates how effectively we deliver on strategic outcomes for our communities and stakeholders. This recognition celebrates everyone at The Fono, from our frontline teams delivering essential services to our back-office staff ensuring sustainability, transparency and accountability. We're proud of this acknowledgment of our reporting excellence and hope to inspire other Pacific organisations to join us on the journey.”

The Fono Group Annual Report

Thank you to our sponsors for their continued support helping to shine a bright light on the incredible mahi of New Zealand charities and not-for-profits.

Tier 1and 2 Award winner sponsored by RSM
Tier 3 Award winner sponsored by Baker Tilly Staples Rodway
Tier 4 Award winner sponsored by William Buck
Sustainability Award winner sponsored by BDO
Highly commended for each Award Tier sponsored by PKF New Zealand
First time entry Award sponsored by Wild Bamboo