About the Appeal
The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal was launched by Prime Minister John Key on 27 February 2011. The Appeal is the official, global fundraiser for the recovery effort for Christchurch and the Canterbury region. The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal was set up to complement emergency support provided by other charitable agencies, and core government responsibilities.
Mark Weldon, former chief executive of NZX, donated his time and expertise to lead fundraising for the Appeal.
The Appeal continues to help rebuild those things that are at the heart of Christchurch communities, the places and services that make a city worth living in. When the earthquake struck Canterbury, community facilities which took decades of fundraising to put in place, such as sports fields, parks, community buildings and historic buildings, were ruined within hours.
If we want to put a city back together, we need to put its communities back together too.
Frequently asked questions
How long will the Appeal run for?
The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal is no longer fundraising.
Is there money still available?
No. The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust has allocated available funds to projects and is no longer receiving requests for funding.
Where has the money gone?
100 per cent of money raised has gone to Canterbury. The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal invested in seven core areas to restore communities. They are:
- Sport and Recreation
- Education/Youth
- Hardship/Spiritual and Faith
- Economic Revitalisation
- Heritage and Culture
- Large Permanent Projects
- Community Permanent Projects
The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust was set up to manage the disbursement of the Appeal funds in the community.
Why did we need this appeal?
Funds from the Appeal cover a critical area in the rebuild of Christchurch. While the central and local government is committed to rebuilding necessary infrastructure - roads, water, bridges, for example - the community infrastructure is equally important.
The pools, sports fields, heritage buildings and education extras are the places and services that make a city worth living in. It was critical that these facilities were restored and, if possible, improved.
How did this appeal differ from other earthquake fundraising efforts?
The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal was the official global fundraiser for the recovery effort. The Appeal acts as a large funding pool that supports organisations working to rebuild Christchurch communities.
The trustees sought expert advice about where the funds were best used and avoided any double up with other funds or providers. It did not fund services that were the responsibility of the government.
Does all money raised really go to Canterbury?
That’s right - 100 cents in every dollar raised by the Appeal goes to Christchurch. There are some minimal costs associated with some international fundraising avenues, such as text donations in the United Kingdom, which are unavoidably incurred before the funds are delivered to the New Zealand Trust.
How was the money spent and who did the work?
The services are delivered by local on-the-ground experts that were identified by the Trustees and the Advisory Board, based on their ability to deliver services to the community in a timely and cost-effective manner.
How did you report on what happened to the money?
The Trust is fully transparent and fully audited by the New Zealand Public Audit Office. The Trust is required to file an annual return with the Charities Commission, detailing its full financial statements. This is publicly available on the Charities Commission website.
What’s your charitable status?
The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal is a charitable trust established under the Charities Act (charity registration number: CC46329).
See www.charities.govt.nz for more information.
The Appeal had direct charitable status in Australia and Canada. In the USA and UK, the appeal was associated with a specific local charity established for this purpose.
What’s your legal structure?
The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal is an independent Trust established under the New Zealand Charities Act (registration number: CC46329). It has direct charitable status in New Zealand, Australia and Canada and is working in association with charitable bodies established in the US and UK for this purpose.
The New Zealand Government lends support by covering administration costs and providing resources to increase the fundraising capacity of the Trust. All money received by the Appeal is put towards the earthquake recovery effort and is audited by the New Zealand Public Audit Office for transparency.
