Ember Innovations Pānui - August 2026
Takurua hūpē nui!
While it’s been freezing cold over the last few weeks, we’ve been staying busy and tinkering away at some pretty awesome kaupapa, including announcing our next round of Research Grants!
In this month’s pānui:
- Research Grants Announcement
- Moemoeā Matariki Kaitahi
- Shifting the Stream
- Nōku te Ao Puna Pūtea | Social Action Grants
- Join us for a Nature Walk
Over the past 7 years, Ember Innovations has provided financial grants towards academic research projects that demonstrate wellbeing innovation or lived experience leadership.
Lived Experience leadership is a growing area of interest for us at Ember Innovations. We recognise the valuable contribution that researchers with lived and living experience are already making, and we want this funding round to strengthen that leadership, amplify its impact, and grow a more connected lived experience research community.
That’s why this funding round is distinctly designed to honour lived and living experience as research leadership.
Ember Innovations warmly welcomes expressions of interest from visionary researchers whose work can contribute to a more compassionate, evidence-informed Aotearoa New Zealand.
We will be hosting an online information hui on Tuesday September 1st. You will hear from previous Ember Innovations Lived Experience Grant recipients, as well as our Academic Panellist, Professor Dr Terryann Clark, followed by a brief Q&A.
To find out more about the criteria, eligibility, and application process, sign up for direct updates through our website:
A few weeks ago we held the first Moemoeā Kaitahi, sharing conversation, laughter, stories, and a delicious kai hākari at Te Ngāhere. The evening was captured in a beautiful live illustration by Dave Wood, which you can see above!
Tuihana Ohia steered the waka, inviting us to listen a little closer, to ourselves and others, and lean in.
Thinking about different whetū. Ururangi and the winds of Tarawhirimatea that carry forth wairua, bringing movement and life. Waitā and the arresting awe of the expansive ocean, sailing towards possibilities despite fear. Tupuarangi and everything that is flourishing, the seeds that were planted now coming towards the light.
And then we leaned out. We want systems innovation, and that means action, movement, and organisation. Kanohi ki te kanohi, exchanging energy, cross-organisational collaboration, space for art and music, third spaces.
An enormous mihi to everyone that offered their time and whakaaro. Listening to where people are at and what they need in community is a real touchstone for us as we think about growing the Moemoeā kaupapa.
Kanohi ki te kanohi spaces are so special. As our friend Stella put it, it was a very cup-filling evening, and we are dreaming of many more in the future!
Watch this space!
In a salient reflection of investment in the arts and wellbeing, Ember Innovation's Innovation Lead, Emily Preston, writes about her experience attending Shifting The Stream: Rethinking Arts Investment, a forum and networking event held by Arts Access Aotearoa:
“One of my strongest insights from Shifting the Stream was the realisation that creative practitioners, individually and as a group, are extraordinary at making something out of very little…”
“This sector delivers an extraordinary return on what is actually a very small investment because practitioners are constantly applying a whole second skillset: stretching, adapting, making do, on top of their artistic and holistic practice.”
For more of Emily’s insights into the intersection of creativity and wellbeing, read the full article below:
If you’re working to create change around mental distress and discrimination, the Nōku te Ao Puna Pūtea | Social Action Grants could be worth exploring.
The Mental Health Foundation is offering grants of $10,000–$40,000 for community-led ideas that challenge stigma and discrimination, centre lived experience, and help create more inclusive ways of working and living. Projects can take many forms, including storytelling, arts, advocacy and community initiatives, with a particular focus on equity and Māori and Pasifika approaches.
This kaupapa creates space for communities to lead solutions, centre lived experience and build more inclusive environments where people’s mana, autonomy and dignity are upheld.
Applications are open now, and close 6 September 2026.
Join us for a Spring walk on Friday, September 11th. We will meet at 7:45am for a 8am start at the Cornwall Park Cafe at Pohutakawa Drive and should arrive back at the cafe by 9am. We hope this is an opportunity to boost our collective wellbeing by creating connection and insight, combined with gentle exercise. RSVP is essential, please email tatiana@emberinnovations.nz to let us know you will join us.
