The J R McKenzie Youth Education Fund

To assist in the betterment, education, advancement and physical welfare of the youth in the community, particularly in cases where bereavement, sickness or family disturbances leave the children in need of assistance if they are to continue their studies.;

Grant Criteria

The Fund wishes to help where death,
sickness, family break up or economic
hardship cause difficulty for young
people and their caregivers to meet the
costs of their education. Applications
must be related to a young person’s
education, although this term can be
broadly interpreted. The Fund will not
cover general tuition fees.

Types of Grants Made

Depending upon local criteria, grants may cover:

  • School uniforms and clothing and footwear.
  • Special tuition or course fees.
  • Text books and stationery.
  • Special grants especially for glasses or to help students with special needs.

Apply for a Grant

Grants are available to individuals not organisations.
The form can be downloaded from here.

Please note, additional information maybe requested.

Income for Distribution

The J R McKenzie Youth Education Fund
is one of the trusts established by the
McKenzie Family.

The income of the fund comes from
dividends and interest, and an annual
grant from the J R McKenzie Trust.

The J R McKenzie Trust is a philanthropic
trust and provides grants totalling
approximately $3 million annually to
organisations working towards a socially
just and inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand.

About the Fund

The late Sir John McKenzie so appreciated
the success of McKenzies stores in this
country and the support given him by the
people of New Zealand, that he founded
the Youth Education Fund in 1938 to
help deserving young people to receive
education. Since its inception, thousands
of young New Zealanders have received
assistance.

Administration

The Fund is administered entirely by the
Rotary clubs of North Harbour, Auckland,
Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and
Dunedin. These clubs have a separate
committee who receive and consider all
applications from individuals (through
Rotarians), other Rotary clubs, community
organisations, school principals, ministers
and social workers. After considering the
degree of hardship and seeing evidence
of a degree of self-help, they distribute
grants to the most deserving cases
through the nearest Rotary Club, who
can discuss problems and offer advice,
if requested. Applications are invited
around September of each year, but can
be made at any time.
The primary contact person in each of the
six Rotary districts in New Zealand is listed
below: