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Net Zero Fund
Carbon Critical's first initiative · Est. 2020
A simple, tax-efficient pathway for people in Aotearoa to back the world's most cost-effective climate charities—without the donation tax credit getting lost at the border.
Impact summary
This page is about real-world impact already delivered: what we saw, how we designed around it, and why the model worked well enough to become a template for what we build next.
- Tax-efficient
- Evidence-led
- Partnership-based
- Transparent
What we observed
We identified a high-leverage gap for climate philanthropy in Aotearoa and created a practical solution.
Opportunity
Globally, a small set of charities and grassroots groups are exceptionally effective at averting greenhouse gas emissions per dollar—policy influence, conservation, clean energy access, and more. Supporting them is one of the highest-impact things a donor can do.
Problem
Kiwis who wanted to give to those overseas organisations often could not claim a donation tax rebate in the usual way—so the incentive structure that makes local giving attractive was missing for some of the best climate bets on the planet.
Strategy: build the bridge, not another charity
We did not try to replicate what those global organisations already do well. Instead, we created a simple pathway that removes the friction between Kiwi donors and climate charities they want to support.
How impact is achieved
The fund works because it stacks a few key components that build trust and encourage follow-through.
- Evidence-led selection Grantees sit in a portfolio aligned with rigorous climate effectiveness thinking—similar in spirit to recommendations from groups such as Founders Pledge, Giving Green, and Effective Altruism NZ (linked from netzerofund.nz).
- Tax efficiency The structure is designed so donations can qualify for New Zealand tax benefits in a way that direct offshore giving often could not—unlocking serious capital from donors who care about both impact and fiscal discipline.
- Operational clarity We used a registered NZ charity as the administrator, full transparency in accounting, and a clean division of responsibilities to reduce ambiguity for donors and recipients.
- Choice + diversification Supporters can back a favourite organisation or spread a gift across the portfolio—matching different risk and storytelling preferences while keeping execution simple.
Outcomes so far
We are thrilled that the Net Zero Fund has resonated with the philanthropic community in Aotearoa.
- More than half a million dollars moved to climate work offshore—at high marginal impact
- Twenty-three organisations supported across a deliberately diverse mix of approaches
- Strong donor uptake and positive feedback from both donors and grant recipients
- A reusable playbook: partnership model, compliance path, and storytelling that others could mirror
- Proof for Carbon Critical that “build the missing infrastructure” beats awareness theatre
“The climate crisis is the biggest threat to our lives as we know it, and will disproportionately affect those who have done the least to contribute to it. The Net Zero fund allowed us to fund charities that focused on solutions that were both practical and prioritised climate justice, and we were glad to find a way that allowed us to contribute from Aotearoa.”
What it unlocked for us
The success of the Net Zero Fund inspired us to look for other high-leverage opportunities in the climate space. It was a valuable lesson that solutions do not always need to be complex or high-tech, and sometimes they are hiding in plain sight.
As our first initiative, the Net Zero Fund has shown we can achieve our mission of achieving measurable outcomes through innovative thinking and collaboration. We are now working on new ideas to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in Aotearoa and around the world.
Get involved
Visit the Net Zero Fund website or find out what else we are working on.