New Zealand has a rapidly ageing population — by 2034, one in five New Zealanders will be aged 65 or over. Healthy ageing means more than absence of disease — it means purpose, connection, mobility, cognitive vitality, and the ability to live independently and contribute to community. Grant funding supports social connection programmes, falls prevention, dementia support, age-friendly community development, and the kaupapa that honours the wisdom and contribution of older New Zealanders including kaumātua.
The numbers
Healthy ageing challenges
Positive ageing
Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand)
Ministry of Social Development
Office for Seniors
Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC)
Age Concern New Zealand
National organisation for older adults:
- Elder Abuse Response Service
- Visiting programme
- Information and advocacy
Alzheimers New Zealand
Dementia support and services.
Royal NZ Foundation of the Blind / Blind Low Vision NZ
Services for older adults with vision impairment.
Hearing Association NZ
Hearing health including for older adults.
Presbyterian Support NZ
Aged care and community services.
The Todd Foundation
Community wellbeing including older adults.
Social connection
Falls prevention
Dementia support
Elder abuse prevention
Physical activity
Technology and digital inclusion
Mental health
Māori older adult (kaumātua) wellbeing
Pacific older adult wellbeing
Age-friendly communities
Volunteering for older adults
For Māori, the role of kaumātua (respected elders) in whānau, hapū, and iwi is central — kaumātua carry cultural knowledge, language, and tikanga. Healthy ageing for Māori is not just about individual health but about maintaining one's role in the collective:
- Connection to marae
- Speaking te reo Māori
- Fulfilling obligations to whānau
- Passing knowledge to the next generation
Grants supporting kaumātua wellbeing through kaupapa Māori approaches — rather than mainstreaming kaumātua into generic elder services — are more appropriate.
Social connection as priority
Loneliness among older adults is a major health risk — equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day (research evidence). Applications addressing isolation through genuine social connection programmes are high-priority.
Falls prevention evidence base
Falls prevention has strong evidence — the Otago Exercise Programme and Steady As You Go are proven. Applications building on evidence-based protocols are credible.
Carer support
Many older adults are cared for by family carers — often adult children, or spouses who are also older adults. Applications supporting carers are addressing a frequently overlooked need.
Māori and Pacific cultural safety
Services for Māori and Pacific older adults must be culturally safe and ideally kaupapa Māori or Pacific-led. Applications with genuine cultural competency and community leadership are more credible.
Tahua's grants management platform supports healthy ageing funders and elder wellbeing organisations in New Zealand — with participant tracking, wellbeing outcome measurement, programme reach data, and the reporting tools that help healthy ageing funders demonstrate their investment in positive ageing for all New Zealanders.