Getting your first paid job. Finding new ways to communicate and create. Connecting with your culture. Playing sport. Building friendships. Having more of a say in what happens in your community. 

They are ordinary parts of a good life, and they sit at the heart of Spectrum Foundation’s latest funding round. 

The disability-focused funder has invested $486,000 in its 2026 open funding round, supporting organisations across its priority areas of health and wellbeing, education and employment. 

Each organisation creates opportunities for disabled people to participate, contribute and pursue what matters to them. 

Disabled people are also part of deciding where the funding goes. A lived-experience Philanthropy Moderation Panel assesses applications and informs funding decisions. 

Panel spokesperson Seth Killick says: 

“Life looks different for everyone. I believe this funding round shows our focus on supporting disabled people to forge their own paths, their way. 

“For one person, that might mean finding meaningful work. For someone else, it could be expressing themselves creatively, connecting to their culture, taking part in sport, building friendships or having more of a voice in their community. But for everyone, choice and self-determination sit at the heart of a good life. Through supporting these organisations, we hope more people have more opportunities to decide what matters to them and to pursue their goals.” 

The funded organisations are: 

  • Foundation for Equity and Research New Zealand – to support Wānanga Ōkawa: Tō Reo, Tō Mana a three-day accessible cultural leadership wānanga, co-designed and led by tāngata whaikaha Māori in partnership with Ngāti Paoa.  
  • Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust – to bring specialist music therapy into local communities, reducing barriers such as travel, cost, and accessibility. 
  • Enabling Good Lives Taranaki – to maintain this local Enabling Good Lives community presence, amplify community voice, foster leadership and strengthen connections 
  • Disability Sport Auckland – to expand and improve an adaptive strength and conditioning programme and provide swimming confidence sessions. 
  • Pawsible Service Dogs – to support the development of this new organisation working to reduce the cost of access to a service dog and involve disabled people in dog training. 
  • Recreate NZ – to support the ‘Illuminate Night Market’, an all-inclusive community event that celebrates the talents and value of young people with diverse abilities in Auckland and the employment programme, ‘Moxie’. 
  • Project Employ – to support an employment and training programme for young people with learning disabilities in Auckland.    

Smaller grants have also been provided to Horses Helping Humans Taranaki, Earth School, Ted’s Space, Stardust Wairarapa, Prader-Willi Syndrome Association NZ, Achilles New Zealand, Goalball New Zealand, PHAB, Riding for the Disabled Cambridge, Sailability Wellington and Māpura Studios. The funding round comes after a year of significant change and discussion about disability support in Aotearoa. 

Spectrum Group Chief Executive Sean Stowers says: 

“There has been a lot of discussion this year about systems, structures and what disability support should look like. Behind all of that are people who want choice over their lives, opportunities to participate, and communities where they belong. 

“What gives me hope when I look at this funding round isn’t just the funding. It’s the ideas, leadership and determination in disabled communities within Aotearoa. Our role is to listen to what disabled people and their whānau are telling us matters, and to put resources behind the people making positive change happen.”