Supporting Māori business

There are a range of tools, support and information to help Māori businesses grow their capacity including regional and business-specific networks.

Regional networks

Organisation Region
Federation of Māori Authorities(external link) National
Whāriki(external link) Auckland
Te Humeka(external link) Waikato
Tairāwhiti Māori Business Network (email) Gisborne
Hawke’s Bay Māori Business Network (email) Hawke’s Bay
Te Manu Atatu Incorporated(external link) Whanganui
Te Rōpū Pakihi(external link) Kapiti and Horowhenua
Te Awe(external link) Wellington
Te Kupeka Umaka ki Araiteuru (KUMA)(external link) Otago and Southland

Business specific networks

Ngā Aho(external link) - Design professionals

Ngā Kaitatau Māori o Aotearoa(external link) – National Māori Accountants Network

Ngā Ngauru Hauora o Aotearoa(external link) – National Māori Health Providers Association

Ngā Pou Mana(external link) – Allied health professionals

Te Ao Marama(external link) – the NZ Māori Dental Association

Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa(external link) – Māori Law Society

Te Kāhui Atawhai o Te Motu(external link) – National Collective Iwi Māori Social Services

Te Ohu Rata o Aotearoa(external link) – the Māori Medical Practitioners Association

Support and capacity building

Business.govt(external link) – has tools and assistance for those in business or intending to start or manage a business.

Callaghan Innovation(external link) – supports business to be innovative.

Community Development scheme(external link) – supports iwi, hapū to become more self-reliant.

Community Internship programme(external link) – enables iwi, hapū to fund interns.

Community Organisation Grants scheme(external link) – helps iwi hapū to deliver community-based social services.

Kāinga whenua loans(external link) – and available from Housing New Zealand's for individuals or land trusts to purchase Māori land.

Māori Business Growth Support(external link) – is run by Te Puni Kōkiri. It helps Māori businesses to become established and grow. It is focused primarily on Māori small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that have a clear commercial focus. Its fundamental criteria is the owner self-identifies as Māori and that the business is an independent entity based in New Zealand. Māori businesses can be connected with other business growth agencies to help them establish and grow the business.

Mātauranga Kura Taiao Fund(external link) – is administered by the Department of Conservation to encourage the use of traditional knowledge to manage biodiversity.

Ministry of Culture and Heritage's website(external link) – has potential sources of funding for arts, culture and heritage activities.

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise(external link) – provides a range of assistance for businesses.

Ngā Whenua Rāhui(external link) – protects indigenous ecosystems on Māori land.

Oranga Marae(external link) – is a new fund jointly administered by NZ Lotteries and Te Puni Kōkiri with wide scope and flexibility in its funding criteria. 

Poutama Trust(external link) – has 3 funds:

  • Pūtea Kimihia is for businesses to investigate innovative ideas.
  • Pūtea Tipuranga is for businesses to purchase services or products to help business growth.
  • Pūtea Whakaako is for businesses to gain relevant skills or management support.

Support for Volunteering fund(external link) – is for iwi and hapū to support volunteers.

Sustainable Farming Fund(external link) – is administered by the Ministry for Primary Industries to help farming businesses. The Ministry has other funds as well. 

Toi ake (external link)and Tohunga / Tukunga(external link) – are administered by Creative NZ to support a range of community cultural activities, projects, events and programmes.

Youth worker training scheme(external link) – encourages the development of training opportunities for youth workers.

Information resources

Community resource kit(external link) – a guide for setting up and running community organisations.

Effective Governance(external link) – Te Puni Kōkiri provides information to help trustees and directors with their responsibilities and role as guardians and leaders.

Māori land online(external link) – a snapshot of current ownership, trustee, memorial and block information for land that falls within the jurisdiction of the Māori Land Court.

Māori Women’s Development Inc(external link) – to support the economic development of Māori women and whanau.

Marae fire safety(external link) – the Fire Service has Māori iwi liaison teams that provide advice and information regarding the fire safety of maraes.

Poutama Trust(external link) – provides business development services to Māori.

Te Kāhui Māngai(external link) – directory of iwi/hapū groups and national and urban Māori organisations/marae

Te Ratonga Whakamārama Putēa(external link) – funding information service

Te Tumu Paeroa(external link) – the new Māori Trustee who work with owners of Māori land to protect and build their assets.

The Icehouse(external link) – supports Māori trusts and iwi organisations looking to navigate business growth with training, coaching and networks.

Last updated: 21 February 2023