James Gibb Fund

The James Gibb Fund provides Presbyterian parishes with funding to support parish-based social services for local communities.

Established in 1989, the James Gibb Fund provides funding for projects that improve the life and living conditions of those in need, and for projects that deliver educational programmes that support people to live rich and fulfilling lives. The fund is administered by Presbyterian Support Central.

Eligible projects

The fund supports projects which make a contribution to social or community service by:

• improving the life and living conditions of people who have been deprived of opportunity, especially children and older people who face challenges such as poverty or disability
• delivering educational programmes that support people to live rich and full lives.

Applications where parishes link in with Presbyterian Support Central will have an advantage, as will new programmes rather than maintaining existing programmes.

To apply

For guidelines, information on evaluations, and to apply

James Gibb Fund

More about James Gibb

James Gibb was born in Scotland in 1857. He emigrated to Australia in 1881, before arriving in New Zealand a few years later with his wife, Jane Gibb also known as Jean Gibb.

In January 1886 he was inducted as the minister of First Church of Otago, and in July he was elected moderator of the Presbytery of Dunedin. In 1901, James Gibb was elected the first moderator of the newly united Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, and in August 1903 he became the minister of St John’s Church in Wellington.

It was in 1909 Reverend Dr. James Gibb, initiated a project to care for orphaned and destitute children and so began Presbyterian Support Central. This was a time when there was no welfare system in New Zealand.