The Nursing Education and Research Foundation (NERF) was set up in 1968. It is a registered charitable trust and is registered with the Charities Commission (registration number: CC11458).
The origins of NERF can be traced back to a memorial fund established to commemorate the life and work of Flora J Cameron OBE (former Director, Division of Nursing) who died in 1966.
At that time money was donated by New Zealand nurses as a memorial to Flora and the then New Zealand Nurses Association (NZNA) built on this to establish a larger and more permanent fund to provide New Zealand nurses with travel grants, scholarships and other assistance to enhance opportunities for continuing education and professional development.
Since then there have been a number of bequests/donations to NERF and the fund has grown over the years. NERF now supports nurses and midwives and students of nursing with a range of grants & scholarships.
All activities of NERF are controlled by a Trust Deed. The Deed is managed by a Board of Trustees of 7 people including 4 New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) representatives, 1 member of NERF Associates, 1 lay person and 1 person with business experience. NZNO provides all administrative support.