Measuring impact on Māori terms
The Kaupapa Māori Impact Framework is a co-designed measurement initiative led by Te Matarau a Māui in partnership with iwi, Māori businesses, and community stakeholders across Te Ūpoko o Te Ika.
Standard impact measurement tools were not built with Māori communities in mind. They tend to count outputs rather than capture transformation, and they rarely reflect the interconnected nature of Māori wellbeing — where economic success, cultural vitality, environmental health, and whānau flourishing are inseparable.
The Kaupapa Māori Impact Framework seeks to change that, by building an evidence base that is both rigorous and rooted in kaupapa tuku iho.
The framework is structured around two core purposes. The first is to give Te Matarau and its partners a clear, shared picture of the difference their mahi is making — across economic, cultural, social, political and environmental dimensions. The second is to provide funders, councils, and decision-makers with the credible evidence they require that Māori-led economic development is good practice for everyone.
Demonstrating the value of Māori-led development
The framework is designed to serve iwi, Māori businesses, and collectives who want to understand and communicate their impact, Māori organisations and networks seeking to demonstrate value to funders and government partners, and regional stakeholders — including Greater Wellington Regional Council — who need robust evidence to support investment in Māori economic development.
A co-design process will bring together key stakeholders to shape the framework's indicators and methodology, ensuring it reflects the priorities of those it is built to serve. A Theory of Change will sit at the heart of the framework, mapping the pathway from Te Matarau's activities through to long-term outcomes for Māori communities.
This will be complemented by a set of kaupapa Māori indicators — developed with communities, not imposed on them — that capture progress across multiple dimensions of wellbeing.
The first impact report, to be published in mid-2026, will draw on data from Te Kotahitanga, community surveys, and direct engagement with Māori businesses and networks.
The framework will also feed into Te Matarau's broader storytelling mahi — turning data into narratives that make the case for continued and growing investment in Māori economic development across the region.
Get involved!
Interested in the kaupapa? Contact us to find out how to get involved.
