District-wide Contestable Fund
Purpose:
Tararua District Council is committed to supporting the long-term growth and development of our community. The Contestable Fund, amounting to $100,000 annually, will support requests that contribute to a connected and thriving district.
Round(s):
Fund Name | Opens | Closes | Council meeting date |
2025/26 Round 1 | 1 August 2025 | 31 August 2025 | To be confirmed |
2025/26 Round 2 | 2 February 2026 | 4 March 2026 | To be confirmed |
All applications must be submitted via the online portal.
Priorities for Funding:
To be eligible for funding, groups need to show how their project fits with one or more of the priorities below:
- Thriving district: The request will contribute to the well-being of the community, ensuring people are thriving, happy, safe, and well.
- Local culture and traditions: The request is likely to honour local customs, traditions, and values, reflecting our commitment to cultural respect and collaboration.
- Improving environment: The request will contribute to improving the natural environment while supporting the production of a diverse range of primary industry food and products.
- Improving facilities and infrastructure: The request is likely to improve community facilities and infrastructure, meeting the needs of future generations and supporting long-term prosperity.
- Enhanced community wellbeing: The request will contribute to enhancing community well-being through capacity, innovation, and adaptability, promoting balanced and sustainable growth.
- Collaborative effort: The request is likely to improve collaborative efforts, leveraging collective strength to address challenges and seize opportunities, making great things happen.
Eligibility Criteria:
APPLICANTS
To be eligible for funding, applicants must:
- Operate within the Tararua District;
- Demonstrate a clear benefit to the community or district; and
- Have no outstanding accountability reports for previous funding received from the Council
View the full Assessment Criteria document
EXPENSES
The Contestable Fund will fund a wide range of costs integral to project or service delivery including salaries, training and development, administration, and office expenses, rent and utilities, promotion and materials and small capital items. However, it will not fund:
Urgent Funding Applications
Council recognises that some projects, particularly those involving international representation or time-sensitive opportunities, may require immediate support.
If you have an urgent request outside of the funding rounds, your application can be considered at the next council meeting, please ensure your application is submitted two (2) weeks prior to the council meeting.
You can view upcoming Council meeting dates here, (look for all meetings in red).
To be eligible for urgent consideration, applications must:
- Demonstrate a critical need for funding to ensure the project proceeds within the next four-six weeks.
- Clearly explain why the project/event cannot go ahead without immediate financial assistance.
View the full Assessment Criteria document
Reporting Requirements
Recipients of the contestable grant are required to submit a report 12 months after receiving their grant (or once project is comepleted). A single report must be submitted upon project completion, summarising the outcomes, lessons learned, and providing a detailed account of how the funds were
spent, including receipts and invoices.
Submission Process:
- The report must be completed using the online portal by the specified deadlines. Failure to submit the report may affect eligibility for future funding.
Previous Recipients:
To learn more about previous recipients, see Contestable Fund Recipients.
Contact and Support:
For more information contact grants@tararuadc.govt.nz