Continuing a legacy
The Tait Foundation is the brainchild of Sir Angus Tait, founder of Tait Electronics and one of New Zealand’s most innovative business leaders.
Established in 1994, the Foundation exists to help fulfil Sir Angus Tait’s vision of encouraging a vibrant community of technology companies in Christchurch. Our core charitable activity is to provide grants to support STEM-subject initiatives at all levels of education, with a focus on Christchurch and Canterbury.
Why support STEM education?
Looking ahead, maths, science and technology will become more crucial than ever.
Most future jobs will require skills in these areas. Not only is New Zealand lagging in teaching these skills, we don’t have enough STEM workers to meet future demand.
Beyond that, STEM education also helps develop the general science literacy New Zealand needs to a grow a smart and socially united population.
That’s why we’re on a mission to:
Increase the number of STEM students throughout the education system in Christchurch and Canterbury
Build the bridges needed to move STEM students through the education system and into STEM careers
The legacy of Sir Angus Tait
Sir Angus Tait (1919-2007) was not motivated by fame or money. He was a modest, resolute and unpretentious man with a strong sense of purpose.
He believed in the importance of acting ethically and was an early proponent of workplace diversity through the encouragement of women in the workforce.
He believed that education is the key to opportunity, and that good teachers create good students.
In the task-focused, unpretentious spirit of Sir Angus Tait our approach is about action over process. We’re here to enable good ideas, not get in the way of them.
Our values
Fairness
Everyone should have access to opportunity. We want to level-up access to STEM education.
Empowerment
We fund for potential impact, rather than constrain good ideas with funding caps.
Simplicity
We keep our admin light so that we can focus more directly on the needs of grantees.
Lasting change
We’re more interested in sustained development than one-off ‘sugar rushes’.
Openness
We’re prepared to do things differently to get a better result.
Funding is now open.
We exist to support learning initiatives in science, technology, engineering and maths, and are especially interested in hearing from new applicants.
Tell us about your project, programme or service and where it fits with our five core focus areas.
We are particularly focussed on activities in Christchurch and Canterbury.