# Motu Research and Education Foundation

**Charities Register number:** CC10530
**Status:** Registered
**Registered since:** 2007-07-01
**Sector:** Education
**ICNPO group:** Education and Research
**Region:** Wellington
**NZBN:** 9429043143733
**IRD donee status:** yes — donations may qualify for a tax credit

## Purpose

The Motu Research and Education Foundation was established in 2006, with the aim of building capability of economic research and public decision-making. We build capability in the public sector by funding and promoting research into public policy issues affecting New Zealand without advocating an ideological or political position. Specifically, we provide: Funding for Internships, Funding for Māori scholarships, Funding for visiting academics to present in New Zealand, and Seed funding to explore new areas of economic and policy research. The Motu Foundation is not an operational entity. We don’t carry out our own research, so in pursuing these objectives, the Foundation co-operates with a range of people and organisations, particularly Motu Research. The Motu Foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees, which consists of some of New Zealand’s most distinguished business people and academics.

## CharityData rating

- **Grade:** B+ (82.5 / 100)
- **Financial health:** 90/100
- **Governance:** 65/100
- **Transparency:** 65/100
- **Computed:** 2026-10-01 (methodology 3.11)
- **Flags raised by the methodology:** none

Ratings are an analytical view computed from this charity's own filings to the Charities Register, using a published methodology: https://charitydata.co.nz/charity-insights/methodology. They are not advice and not a statement about any individual.

## Latest annual return (year ended 2025-06-30)

- **Total revenue:** NZ$195k
- **Total expenses:** NZ$114k
- **Surplus / deficit:** NZ$80k
- **Total assets:** NZ$973k
- **Total liabilities:** NZ$83k
- **Net assets:** NZ$890k
- **Cash reserves:** NZ$151k
- **Government grants:** NZ$0 (0.0% of revenue)
- **Donations:** NZ$145k
- **Staff costs:** NZ$0
- **Volunteers:** 0
- **Source filing (PDF):** https://register.charities.govt.nz/Document/DownloadPdf?pdfType=AnnualReturnSummary&relatedId=7520fb1c-4c56-f011-bb44-0022480ffcd1&isPublic=true

All figures are as filed by the charity with Charities Services, in New Zealand dollars.

## Filing history

| Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Surplus/deficit | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-30 | NZ$195k | NZ$114k | NZ$80k | NZ$890k |
| 2024-06-30 | NZ$144k | NZ$63k | NZ$81k | NZ$809k |
| 2023-06-30 | NZ$101k | NZ$64k | not disclosed | NZ$728k |
| 2022-06-30 | NZ$48k | NZ$52k | not disclosed | NZ$692k |
| 2021-06-30 | NZ$64k | NZ$52k | not disclosed | NZ$696k |
| 2020-06-30 | NZ$62k | NZ$59k | not disclosed | NZ$684k |
| 2019-06-30 | NZ$65k | NZ$88k | not disclosed | NZ$681k |
| 2018-06-30 | NZ$86k | NZ$51k | not disclosed | NZ$703k |
| 2017-06-30 | NZ$105k | NZ$68k | not disclosed | NZ$667k |
| 2016-06-30 | NZ$74k | NZ$52k | not disclosed | NZ$630k |

## Governance

- **Officers on the register:** 7 current (23 including former)
- **Chair recorded:** no
- **Auditor:** KPMG New Zealand
- **Most recent audit opinion:** unqualified

Individual officers and trustees are not listed here. Their names are on the public Charities Register (https://register.charities.govt.nz/CharitiesRegister/ViewCharity?accountId=CC10530) and on the charity's profile page.

## Data freshness

- Register details: as of 2026-10-01
- Financials: last updated 2026-05-29
- Rating: computed 2026-10-01
- This document generated: 2026-10-01

Figures are as filed. A charity that has filed since the dates above may have newer numbers on the Charities Register.

## More data

- Charity profile: https://charitydata.co.nz/charities/motu-research-and-education-foundation
- Structured facts (JSON): https://charitydata.co.nz/api/v1/charities/motu-research-and-education-foundation/facts.json
- Short summary: https://charitydata.co.nz/api/v1/charities/motu-research-and-education-foundation/summary.md
- Rating methodology: https://charitydata.co.nz/charity-insights/methodology
- Official register entry: https://register.charities.govt.nz/CharitiesRegister/ViewCharity?accountId=CC10530

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Published by [CharityData NZ](https://charitydata.co.nz). Canonical: https://charitydata.co.nz/charities/motu-research-and-education-foundation. Primary source: Charities Services (Ngā Rātonga Kaupapa Atawhai), Department of Internal Affairs. Analytical scores are CharityData's own, computed under a published methodology, and are not advice. Generated 2026-10-01T18:11:14.319Z.