ANCAD has taken on stewardship of NZ Navigator and CommunityNet Aotearoa, two established national resources that help community organisations across Aotearoa New Zealand strengthen their capability and put good practice into action.
From 1 October 2026, Auckland North Community and Development (ANCAD) became responsible for the care and ongoing development of both resources, following a transition from the NZ Navigator Trust.
This is a natural extension of ANCAD’s work supporting community organisations for more than 50 years. It brings together practical online resources, organisational self-assessment and our wider capability-building work, helping organisations identify what they need and take meaningful steps forward.
Building on a valued legacy
ANCAD was selected through an Expression of Interest process, with the handover following several months of planning and collaboration with the NZ Navigator Trust.
We acknowledge the dedication, expertise and care of the people behind these resources over the past 14 years, initially through a community partnership and subsequently the NZ Navigator Charitable Trust. We also recognise the funders, contributors and supporters whose involvement has helped make these resources available to the sector.
Our role is to build on that foundation, keeping both resources accessible, useful and relevant for current and future community organisations throughout Aotearoa.
NZ Navigator: Understand your organisation’s strengths and priorities
NZ Navigator is a free online self-assessment tool designed for community organisations. It helps boards, staff and volunteers reflect on how their organisation is operating across nine areas: direction, governance, leadership, people, administration, finances, communication, evaluation and relationships.
Organisations can complete an assessment individually or gather perspectives from multiple participants. The resulting report highlights strengths and areas for improvement, with guidance and links to resources to help turn the findings into an action plan. It provides a practical starting point for conversations about priorities, organisational development and where to focus limited time and resources.
CommunityNet Aotearoa: Practical resources to support your work
CommunityNet Aotearoa is an online hub of resources for people running and supporting community organisations. It brings together how-to guides, templates, tools, information and examples covering areas such as governance, planning, finances, communication, leadership and working with people.
Its collections include the Community Resource Kit and Digital Stuff We Love, helping organisations find practical guidance and explore digital tools that could support their work. Whether you are reviewing a policy, strengthening financial processes or improving your communications, CommunityNet offers a useful place to begin.
Connecting insight with action
Together, these resources complement ANCAD’s LiiFT Aotearoa training and wider support for community organisations. NZ Navigator can help identify where attention is needed, CommunityNet can provide resources to support improvement, and relevant learning opportunities can help people build the confidence and skills to act.
As stewards, we look forward to reviewing, developing and promoting these resources, drawing on the knowledge and experience of the wider community sector.
We invite community organisations, trustees, staff, volunteers and capability builders to explore both websites and share them with others who could benefit.
Explore NZ Navigator and CommunityNet Aotearoa.