Empowering young people in Aotearoa to build strong financial foundations

About AMPLIFY

AMPLIFY - Financial Education Fund is a five-year collaborative philanthropic initiative that aims to help make quality financial education more accessible, inclusive, and effective for young people in Aotearoa New Zealand.

We work alongside the financial education sector to empower tamariki and rangatahi to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to build strong financial foundations and create the futures they aspire to.

  • Why Financial Education Matters

    Evidence shows that starting financial education early - and continuing it in practical, age-appropriate ways - helps lay strong foundations for financial well-being later in life.

    Yet, in 2023, fewer than 25% of school-aged children in Aotearoa New Zealand accessed structured financial education. Many young people reach key life stages without consistent opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make sound financial decisions.

    We aim to change that.

    See our goals

  • Our Approach

    We work alongside financial education providers and sector partners to:

    • Identify gaps in the delivery of meaningful financial capability outcomes for school-aged children.

    • Partner with selected programmes that address those gaps or offer scalable models.

    • Support robust impact measurement and shared learning.

    See our investment criteria

  • Team and Vision

    AMPLIFY is led by Kate Coles and guided by an Investment Committee with extensive experience in the financial education sector.

    We aim to be an engaged, transparent and learning-oriented funding partner. In addition to flexible, multi-year funding, we work alongside organisations to strengthen impact measurement, reflect on what is working, and share insights (with permission) that can benefit the wider sector.

    Meet the team

  • It’s a privilege being part of AMPLIFY. In my opinion, generational change will be achieved by successfully educating our children about money management. Thank you to everyone involved.

    David Kneebone, former Executive Director, Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission, and AMPLIFY Investment Committee member

  • For me, AMPLIFY is about service — using my skills in finance and governance to back programmes that give young people the confidence and tools to thrive. At a time when cost-of-living pressures are weighing heavily on families, we have a unique opportunity to make financial education practical, inclusive, and effective. If we get this right, we can change the story for a generation, unlocking resilience, wellbeing, and opportunity across Aotearoa.

    Sasha Lockley, Co-Founder and CEO, Money Sweetspot, and AMPLIFY Investment Committee member

  • I’m delighted to be a part of this kaupapa and am genuinely grateful for the opportunity AMPLIFY provides to the Financial Capability landscape in Aotearoa.

    David Tikao (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu), Investment Manager of Endowments, Ngāi Tahu Holdings, and AMPLIFY Investment Committee member