Bridging the gap in mental health & addiction care
The Spencer Maxwell Foundation is a registered charitable trust supporting individuals and communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.
We provide direct financial assistance to those who might otherwise miss out on vital assessment and care for mental health or addiction challenges, while also funding grassroots community services.
10.5%
of Kiwi adults experience an unmet need for mental health or addiction support every year.
NZ Health Survey 2025
Are you or your community service falling through the gaps?
We may be able to help.
Our mission is to ensure that vulnerable people can access early, meaningful assessment or support when they need it most - especially those who face financial barriers and cannot afford the cost of care themselves.
Our three pillars of support
1. Funding support for individuals
We offer targeted financial assistance for individuals across Aotearoa who fall through the gaps of the healthcare system.
This pathway explicitly serves people who do not meet the strict criteria for public health services, and cannot afford a GP visit or private assessment or care for an emerging mental health or addiction problem..
As we have limited funding, we prioritise applications for people who have not yet been able to access an assessment or services for a mental health or addiction issue previously.
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We make direct, secure payments for assessments (for healthcare such as a GP or NP visit) and sometimes time-limited treatment plans to qualified or certified health care professionals working in the mental health and addiction sectors.
2. Extending community services
We provide funding assistance that aligns with the Foundation's goals, to established community organisations so they can sustain and strengthen vital day-to-day work in mental health and addiction sectors.
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To apply for funding for an individual, you must be a registered or certified healthcare professional working in the mental health or addiction sector
To apply for extending current services or new grassroots initiatives, it must meet or further the Foundation's mission and values
3. Launching grassroots initiatives
We support innovative, grassroots projects that address emerging mental health and addiction needs across all communities.
We place a deliberate focus on piloting projects designed for individuals and groups who face systemic barriers and find it hard to access help elsewhere.
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To apply for funding for an individual, you must be a registered or certified healthcare professional working in the mental health or addiction sector
To apply for extending current services or new grassroots initiatives, it must meet or further the Foundation's mission and values
Supporting Our Rainbow Communities
Our core service and criteria remain the same for all applicants. The rainbow community (LGBTQIA+, Takatāpui, and MVPFAFF+) face higher rates of mental health and addiction challenges. To help address this, we dedicate approximately half of our total funding directly to supporting these groups.
News
“Looking back, my life was defined by secrecy and isolation, leaving me to hide my true self behind a wall of my own making. I only wish there had been support available to help me navigate those struggles.”
— Spencer Maxwell