Queenstown Airport today announced a new partnership with the Wakatipu Community Foundation (WCF) to support community philanthropy.

Queenstown Airport’s Partnerships and Marketing Manager, Vanessa Hartnell, says the purpose of the partnership is to deliver long-term benefits to the communities the airport serves and is aligned with the airport’s Sustainability Strategy.

“We are proud to be part of the Queenstown Lakes community and it’s important to us that we balance our activity with preserving what makes our region a special place to live, work and visit.

“The airport is an important community asset and the WCF is building a community asset. We want to support our region to thrive through positive collaborations such as this partnership,” Ms Hartnell says.

The Wakatipu Community Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit organisation governed entirely by a volunteer board and a lean operating scheme, which keeps administration costs low. The foundation’s donations are invested and the income earned goes to a broad range of donor-led local projects and causes.

Wakatipu Community Foundation founder and chief executive Jennifer Belmont says it is one of the fastest-growing community foundations in the country, granting more than $2.5 million to community groups and projects over the past five years. It has $30m in pledged bequests and more than $1.5m in funds under management.

“The foundation’s mission is to grow philanthropy in the Wakatipu Basin and we are thrilled to have Queenstown Airport’s help to do that,” she says.

“We’re different because we’re not about one single cause; we’re about facilitating long-term connections between a place and its people. The Wakatipu Community Foundation supports local organisations and initiatives that make a positive impact through a wide range of organisations, including those focused on youth, education, health, the arts, and the environment.

“Partnerships such as that with Queenstown Airport help build permanent funding streams to achieve long-term resilience for our community so we can make an even greater impact for generations to come.”