Local Funding Opportunities

This page contains information regarding grants and funding schemes available for communities and individuals in the Tararua District.

For business grants and schemes, click here


Tararua District Funders Forum

The Tararua District Funders Forum is a free-to-attend event for anyone in the community wanting to connect with funders or learn more about the various funding opportunities available.

What to expect:

  • Expo-style networking event
  • Option to book follow-up appointments to learn more
  • Meeting potential funders face-to-face
  • Connect with funds that align with your focus
  • Panel discussions to answer common funding questions

When and where:

    Wednesday 9 October 2024, 5pm – 7:30pm  

Pahiatua Town Hall, Corner of Main and Kiwi Streets, Pahiatua

Event programme:

5:00pm - 5:30pm: Tararua Grant Finder Live Demo Sessions *

  • 5:00pm - Session One (limited spaces)
  • 5:15pm - Session Two (limited spaces)

Sign up for a Live Demo Session:  https://forms.office.com/r/qjpV1E3bXk 

* See below to learn more about the Tararua Grant Finder.

5:30pm - 7:30pm: 2024 Tararua District Funders Forum

  • 5:45pm – Panel Session (30-40 mins)

Tararua Grant Finder - online search database

Community groups and businesses in the Tararua District can find grants more easily with the new Tararua Grant Finder. Tararua Grant Finder hand-picks grants and funding opportunities specific to local businesses and community groups, encompassing all government and private sector grants available. The portal also features council’s grants and initiatives.

Organisations and individuals can use the search engine to find available grants and filter them by specifying industry and type of project.

Tararua Grant Finder has been made possible through Tararua District Council. Council has joined forces with New Zealand and Australia’s most powerful grant search engine, GrantGuru, to deliver a free one-stop-shop grants portal. It is free for community, business and residents to use to seek funding for their goals, projects, events, and/or services.

Users can register to receive alerts about funding programs relevant to them as they become available, giving businesses and community groups the opportunity to plan and submit well-prepared funding applications.

Visit https://grantguru.com/nz/tararua and start securing funding today!

Got a question? Hopefully we've got it covered in our frequently asked questions.


If you require support with fundraising in the meantime, please contact our Community Development staff:

The Community Development Team

Phone: 06 374 4080 or 06 376 0110
Email: info@tararuadc.govt.nz (Att: Community Development).


The Sport NZ Rural Travel Fund

The Sport NZ Rural Travel Fund helps subsidise travel for teams participating in local sport competitions. The fund is open to rural sports clubs and rural school teams with young people aged between 5-19 years who require assistance with transport expenses to local sporting competitions.

Applications close Friday 10th May 2024.

This is the Sport NZ Rural Travel Fund Application Form


Creative Communities Scheme

The Creative Communities New Zealand funding scheme has been established to provide support to arts and cultural activities taking place within a local area. The scheme supports a wide range of arts projects under the following art forms: craft/object arts, dance, inter-arts, literature, Maori arts, multi-art forms (including film, music, Pacific arts, theatre and visual arts.

This brochure (309KB pdf) tells you if your project can be funded through the Creative Communities Scheme and how to make an application.

This is the Creative Communities Application form.

For more information, contact:

Scheme Administrator, Carole Wilton
Phone: 06 376 0217
info@tararua.com


General Assistance Grants Schemes

The Dannevirke Community Board and Eketāhuna Community Board  General Assistance Grants Schemes are currently closed.

Applications for financial assistance from these schemes will be invited once they reopen.



Horizons’ community grants

Horizons’ community grants provide funding and advice to community groups that are helping make this Region a great place to live, work and play. Horizons Community Grant webpage have a variety of grants that the public can apply for.

For further information, please contact Horizons Regional Council on 0508 800 800 or visit Grants and Sponsorship - Horizons Regional Council



Million Metres Streams Project

The Million Metres Streams Project is helping committed Kiwi's raise the money they need to get large scale tree planting happening along our waterways. More information can be found here:  Million Metres Streams - SBN (sustainable.org.nz)


Te Awa Community Foundation

Te Awa Community Foundation covers the Horizons Region (Manawatū-Whanganui) including the seven cities and districts of Horowhenua, Palmerston North, Rangitikei, Ruapehu, Tararua and Whanganui.

The strength of community foundations is that all donations and bequests are invested and held as permanent endowments. An endowment is a fund with money in it, set up to provide long-term support for a particular non-profit organisation or cause. Each year, the income earned by endowments is available for grants to charities and organisations in the local community.

Te Awa in Tararua 

Tararua District Council has worked with the Te Awa Community Foundation to create local funds that ensure people in our communities can give and invest for the benefit of the place where they live. Council has seed funded seven local Te Awa funds for communities across the district to donate or apply to.

Learn more about how you can donate to an existing fund or establish a new fund at: Te Awa Community Foundation (teawafoundation.org.nz)