Auckland Muster -12 March 2026 Registrations Open Now!

When: Thursday 12 March 2026, Registration opens 9:15AM.

Event starts 9:30AM (Sharp)– 3:30PM

Where: SO/ Auckland, 67 Customs Street East, Auckland, New Zealand

What's included: Practical grantmaking sessions, hands on activities, and a light lunch

Organiser: Grantmaking Musters are convened by the Institute of Grants Management, an Our Community enterprise (a sibling to SmartyGrants)

Who should attend: This muster is for people involved in administering, managing, awarding, or overseeing grants. It is not designed for grant seekers or grant writers. Registrations that do not meet this criteria may be cancelled.

Cost: THIS IS A FREE EVENT!

This in person Auckland muster is packed with practical insights, real world examples, and conversations that matter.

We will take a deep dive into what is working and what is not in outcomes focused, equitable, and low risk grantmaking. You will leave with practical tools you can use straight away, fresh perspectives, and stronger connections with peers across the sector.

Light lunch provided.

• Welcome and Kick Off
  Opening remarks, acknowledgement of mana whenua and a clear outline of what the day will cover.

• Analytics in Grantmaking
  Why analytics matter, what makes a useful dashboard, and how to set reporting requirements that are practical and meaningful. Real examples and a live case study, with time for discussion.

• SmartyGrants Roadmap
  A look at upcoming product developments and priorities, including practical AI use cases and Communities of Practice.

• Process Mapping: What’s at Stake
  Why process design matters and how to get started. Practical guidance on mapping your grant process end to end and optimising workflows in SmartyGrants using stages, tasks and rules.

• Data in Action: Driving Organisational and Community Impact
  Featuring Guest Speaker Giovanni Stephens, Community Investment Advisor at Queenstown Lakes District Council. Drawing on the Queenstown Lakes case study, this session explores how to build real organisational buy in for tracking impact, align funded projects to clear and measurable outcomes using the Outcomes Engine, and translate SmartyGrants data into reporting that influences councillor and executive decision making.

• Reflection and Wrap Up
  Key themes, next steps, and updates on Communities of Practice and the forum.

• Networking Lunch and Breaks
  Time built in throughout the afternoon to connect, share ideas and strengthen your local network.