Moving Communities Fund: our 2025 impact across Aotearoa

15 December 2025

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At Kinetic, we’ve always believed our role goes beyond getting people from A to B. Over time, that belief has shown up in practical ways through local support, school partnerships, donated services and backing community groups doing important work.

In 2025, we brought those efforts together with the launch of our Moving Communities Fund in Aotearoa, following its introduction in Australia the year before. The response was bigger than we expected. Nearly 300 organisations from across the country applied, offering a powerful glimpse into the care, creativity and determination shaping communities every day.

From those applications, we selected a group of organisations whose impact is felt in very real ways. What connects them is not profile or scale, but the difference they make on the ground.

For Otago Wheelchair Rugby, support from the Fund has helped young athletes take part in the sport they love. Investment in equipment and accessibility means players can train, compete and belong, building confidence and connection along the way.

Special Olympics North Otago used support from the Fund to enable 12 athletes and five volunteers to attend the 2025 National Summer Games in Christchurch that took place 10-14 December. After years of training and qualification, athletes competed, connected and celebrated achievement together, an experience that extended well beyond sport.

Papamoa Community Patrol plays a vital role in strengthening local safety through a strong volunteer presence. Support from the Fund helps cover essential operating and training costs, enabling more frequent patrols and a highly visible presence that builds reassurance, connection and safer neighbourhoods across Papamoa.

EVolocity is opening doors for rangatahi through hands-on experience designing and building electric vehicles. Support from the Fund helps turn curiosity into confidence and opens pathways into future careers.

For Moana Vā, the Fund is supporting greater storytelling capacity, helping share voices and experiences from Pacific Rainbow+ communities and strengthen connection and visibility.

And in the Wairarapa, funding is helping provide high-visibility vests for children travelling to school in low-light conditions, improving safety and offering reassurance for families and drivers.

Alongside the individual projects, the Fund has also shifted our own perspective. We’re used to seeing people as they move through our network. The Fund has given us a clearer view of the organisations supporting those same people behind the scenes, often quietly and with limited resources.

This first year is a starting point. There is more to learn, more to support and more stories to share, and we’re committed to continuing this work with care and intention across Aotearoa and Australia.

Explore more stories from our 2025 Moving Communities Fund recipients: