Kiwi couple's $100m gift to transform environment

Green Ideas editorial team ISSUE 9. Apr14-May14

You can expect some spectacular gains for New Zealand’s clean, green reputation with the donation of a staggering $100 million by Kiwis Annette and Neal Plowman.

The Kerikeri couple have set up The Next Foundation, which will allocate its funds in payments of up to $5 million at a time to environmental or education projects deemed aspirational, ambitious and high-impact.

The foundation will be overseen by an advisory panel headed by Chris Liddell, the former second-in-command at Microsoft and current chairman of Kiwi company Xero, with applications for grants opening in June.

The Plowmans made a fortune by selling the reusable bathroom towels company NZTS and in the past they have been very discreet with their generosity.

They cover the running costs of the Auckland City Mission, yet even the staff at the homelessness charity had no idea where the money was coming from for the first four years. They’ve also previously purchased an entire island for Auckland Zoo to turn into a wildlife sanctuary, and quietly fund large-scale pest control in the Nelson region.

However, with their latest massive donation to the green and education sectors, they’ve reluctantly found their identities in the spotlight.