Since it was established in 1984 to assist Christchurch Polytechnic’s 50,000 staff and students with enterprising projects, CPIT Foundation has received donations from individuals, companies and the Polytechnic itself to build its funding base to a level that can help make a difference.
Among some of the major projects the Foundation has helped to fund are the establishment of the Media Studies Department, the Child Care Centre and, more recently, the new contemporary arts performance space that will provide a stage for Circus Arts, NASDA and Jazz School students, as well as entertainment for all students.
When appropriate, the Foundation bestows the Dame Jean Herbison Prestigious Award for an outstanding student or project that reflects the values of service to others that characterised Dame Jean’s contribution to education.
The Foundation has also funded much smaller projects, such as students monitoring toxins in Lake Forsyth, helping to restore the Travis Wetlands on the outskirts of the city, and the inaugural Tamariki Achievers Awards. Click here for some examples of recent grants and awards recipients.
Some awards can provide seed funding to help a small project or a little enterprise get started, while other awards can fund major projects that benefit a large number of CPIT’s students and the wider community.
The Foundation is managed by Executive Director Tony Kunowski, from an office in Allen Street next to the CPIT Campus, and governed by a board of Trustees, who are drawn from the business and education sectors in Canterbury.
CPIT Foundation
34 Allen Street
PO Box 22 631
Christchurch
Phone (03) 365 3469
Fax: (03) 379 9878
Email: cpfoundation@xtra.co.nz