Chair and CEO report

For the year ended 31 March 2011

Bay of Plenty Communities and the Trustees who serve them through BayTrust can reflect on another positive and inspiring year! In the 12 months to 31 March 2011 the Trust paid out a total of $2.8m in grants to 199 community organisations and $117,900 in Dillon Scholarships to 60 students with disabilities. During that period the Trust’s investments returned $11.413m (8.4%) and the Trust reserved $2.3m for capital maintenance (inflation adjustment) and put $4.5m in its Grants Maintenance Reserve.

At year-end actual net Capital was $144m, up from $137m at 31 March 2010.

During 2010 the Trust carefully re-evaluated its strategic directions and reaffirmed its commitment to its five strategic outcomes* by replacing the long-standing geographic basis for grant-making with outcomes-based policies and procedures. At this early stage the new arrangement seems to be working particularly well.

Granting highlights of BayTrust’s Year included:

• ACTIVE: Continued support of Sport Bay of Plenty’s flagship CoachForce programme which is so essential to helping children and young people enjoy and succeed in sporting/recreation activities. (The Trust was the foundation funder in 1997 and has committed a total of $7.2m to June 2012.)

• HEALTHY: Continued support ($200,000 p.a.) of the Rotorua-based BayTrust Rescue Helicopter operated by the Philips Search & Rescue Trust. In the last 12 months this service completed 93 missions, saved countless lives and significantly helped many individuals and families throughout the Bay. Also $18,000 to the Environmental Education for Resource Sustainability Trust towards installing rain-water tanks into schools.

• EDUCATION: $31,360 to the Central Plateau REAP for its Foundation Skills programme.

• CULTURE: $20,000 to the Pirirakau Inc. Society towards its Pa Restoration.

• ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: $78,000 to the Opotiki District Council to assist with its Harbour development research.

In August 2010 Paula Thompson stood down from the Chairmanship of the Trust and Mary Dillon was elected in her place.

During the year under review Trustees Sandra Kai Fong (Rotorua) and Anne Simpson (EBoP) retired, and Roku Mihinui (Rotorua) and Karla Hammond (EBoP) were appointed to the Board. Sandra had served two terms (eight years) and Anne one term (four years). Special thanks go to Paula Thompson for her forward focus and strategic thinking as both Trustee and Chair of BayTrust and Sandra Kai Fong and Anne Simpson for their contribution to the successful growth of the Trust particularly in the investments area.

Bay of Plenty Communities are very well served by the many sporting, cultural, welfare and other groups supporting them, and BayTrustees & staff are delighted to be active contributors to these organisations’ and communities’ many successes.

Our sincere thanks to all Trustees and staff for their enthusiasm, energy and commitment to BayTrust over the past 12 months.

Mary Dillon
Chair
16.06.2011

Bruce W Cronin
Trust Manager

*The Trust’s five strategic outcomes are:

• Active Communities
• Healthy Communities living in Healthy environments
• Educated Communities
• Culturally-enriched Communities
• Communities developing their full potential.