Investing in Capacity: A Review of Arts Waikato and Social Services Waikato

This review found that support for capacity building is useful, and enables the funder (in this case Trust Waikato) to increase its impact in the community, enhance non-profit sustainability, and leverage (add value to) the funds it distributes. A number of different ways in which funders may support capacity building are identified, but there are distinct advantages to investing in building an on-going hub of expertise within the sector as the vehicle to carry this out. Trust Waikato is a national leader in this approach, and could usefully promote this model with other funders. The separate developments and contexts of Social Services Waikato and Arts Waikato are documented, and issues for future development identifed.