Community Grants
This page contains information and application forms for grants and funds available to local not-for-profit and voluntary organisations. Browse the available grants below, or get in touch for more information.
Each community grant has its own application form. It is important that you read and meet the criteria for the grant that you are applying for. Ensure you fill out the application with as much detail as possible and follow the individual guidelines for each grant.
Our Community Grants
About: The Kaikōura Community Initiatives Fund was set up to support & encourage projects that contribute to achieving annual objectives of the Council and Long Term Plans, such as; community events & activities that contribute to the social, economic, cultural and environmental well-being of Kaikōura; non-profit making, voluntary community groups that encourage public education.
Important Application Guidance: All applicants must provide evidence demonstrating that they have researched a local need for the project with its intended audience, users and/or providers in our hapori. You do not need to do an excessive amount of research, but as a minimum we expect applicants to have spoken with our hapori to gain guidance and feedback on how your activity/project/event will benefit, be enjoyed or responded to in our community. Tell us who you spoke to and what feedback you received to support your application. For more information on funding criteria please see the download link below.
We welcome all applicants who can enrich our hapori with educational, entertainment, cultural or creative opportunities that our community would not otherwise have access to.
Amount: $15,000 available per annum, $5,000.00 of these funds to be utilised towards rangatahi/youth projects every year.
Criteria: Workshops ensuring community participation and engagement (personnel costs for one-off, short term projects, administration and operational costs, donation towards the entry fee, donation towards venue hire); or events that create opportunities for locals to participate in their community (promotion of events or programmes, school-based projects that are outside the school’s core curricular activities). For full information on our funding criteria click here
Who can apply? Organisations that are non profit or voluntary, Community groups registered either as a charitable trust or an incorporated society and Schools.
Applications close: Round 2 closed on 10 March 2023.
Contact: arlene@kaikoura.govt.nz or 027 566 3064 or 319 5026 ext 263
Approval process: The Committee meeting is held approximately two weeks after the application close date and the grant administrator will advise the applicant of the result within two weeks of the Committee's decision. It is recommended that you include material supporting your project application including quotes and/or price lists to validate your budget.
About: Each year Creative New Zealand provides funding to support all ethnicity and cultures within our Community. The purpose of the Creative Communities Scheme Fund is to encourage, promote and support the arts in New Zealand. If you are part of a group or an individual planning a performance, exhibition, festival, creative workshop or art project in the Kaikōura Community then this may be for you!
Amount: $17,350 per annum
Important Application Guidance: All applicants must provide evidence demonstrating that they have researched a local need for the project with its intended audience, users and/or providers in our hapori. You do not need to do an excessive amount of research, but as a minimum we expect applicants to have spoken with our hapori to gain guidance and feedback on how your activity/project/event will benefit, be enjoyed or responded to in our community. Tell us who you spoke to and what feedback you received to support your application. For more information on funding criteria please see the download link below.
We welcome all applicants who can enrich our hapori with educational, entertainment, cultural or creative opportunities that our community would not otherwise have access to.
Criteria: Projects applied for must meet one of the following criteria:
- Access and Participation: Create opportunities for local communities to engage with, and participate in local art activities.
- Diversity: Support the diverse artistic cultural traditions of local communities.
- Young People: Enable young people (under 18 years) to engage with, and participate in the arts.
Who can apply? Individuals or organisations. Individuals must be NZ citizens or permanent residents. If you have already received funding from CCS for a project, you must complete a report on that project before making another application, unless the project is still in progress.
Applications close: There will be three rounds of funding in 2022-23
- Round 1 - Closed
- Closing Date for Round 2 is 20 January 2023
- Closing Date for Round 3 is 19 May 2023
Contact: arlene@kaikoura.govt.nz or 027 566 3064 or 319 5026 ext 263
Established: Creative New Zealand is a Crown entity governed by the Arts Council. The council encourages, promotes and supports New Zealand arts to benefit all New Zealanders.
Approval process: It is recommended that you include material supporting your project application including quotes and/or prices lists to validate your budget.
Download a project completion report
2021-22 Successful Applications
- 48 hours 2021 photography exhibition and competition
- Youth recital – end of year celebrations
- Kaikoura Arts Trail – website for local arts affiliated parties to network
- Tsunami with mushrooms – poetry
- Canbead Workshop – cancer affected people to create beads to tell the story about their journey
- Art Catalogue Exhibition – a collective of photographers/artists
- Re(start) Art classes – using different mediums
- Nikau Harp Trio – a concert and interactive opportunity for the audience to get an up-close perspective with the musicians
- Bones of the Past – Takahanga Marae 30-year celebrations, acknowledging and showcasing the artists involved in creating the whakapapa and history of Kaikoura house in the wharenui
- Inspiration Corner 2022 – a display of Lego and Duplo creations, for both young and older
- Hapuku Kura mural depicting the environment, their whakapapa and history of the area
- Digital Art Exhibition – something different targeting teenagers and young adults
- 48 hours 2022 – a photography exhibition and competition
- Takahanga Bowling Club – a mural completed by the Art Society who are now based at the club
- Raranga Collective – weaving with harakeke workshops learning from harvesting harakeke, preparing, and creating masterpieces for an exhibition at the end of 6 months at a completion ceremony for participants
- Strike Percussion show for all Kaikoura Schools
- Kaikoura Historical Society – creating a photographic live exhibition of B Elliote’ collection during her lifetime
- Elgrego the Magician – a performance for the elderly both residing at the hospital and those independently living in the hapori
- Jayden Shingleton Music – producing and creating his own music/album
Sport New Zealand Rural Travel Fund - to help with transport expenses to local sporting competitions
About: The Sport NZ Rural Travel Fund is designed to help subsidise travel for rural junior school and club teams aged between 5-18 years, removing the barrier of travel cost so they can compete in regular sporting competition. The fund is not available for travelling to regional or national events or to one-off events.
Amount: $9,500 available per annum.
Who can apply? Rural sports clubs, rural school teams with people aged 5-18 years.
Criteria: Schools sports teams or sports clubs teams are defined as:
- School club team participating in regular local sport competition out of school time, that excludes inter school and intra school competitions played during school time, and/or
- A sports club team participating in organised, regular sport competition through club membership outside of school time.
Applications close: Closing date 11 April 2023
Established: The Sport NZ Rural Travel Fund (RTF) was established in 2003 by Sport New Zealand to provide assistance with travel costs for junior and youth sport teams in rural areas of New Zealand.
Contact: arlene@kaikoura.govt.nz or 027 566 3064 or 319 5026 ext 263
Amount: $4,500 available for distribution.
Criteria: Funds must be used for the provision of recreational sporting equipment for the youth of Kaikōura.
Applications close: Closing date is 11 April 2023
Contact: arlene@kaikoura.govt.nz or 027 566 3064 or 319 5026 ext 263
Download the application form
Download the accountability form
The Annual Discretionary Grants Fund was launched by Council on 1 July 2022. It is intended that the fund will provide a more structured opportunity for not-for-profit community groups to seek Council funding, rather than requests as part of the Annual Plan & Long Term Plan processes. It is open to any not-for-profit organisation that can demonstrate a benefit to the Kaikōura District.
2023-24 Applications
OPEN NOW: The 2023-24 funding year is open now for applications and will be distributing funds of $100,000.
CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 31st March 2023
Outlined below is a guide for applicants and an application form. Please ensure you meet all the criteria before applying.
- A guide for applicants click here
- For an application form please click this link
- Decisions will be made by Friday 28th April 2023
The Discretionary Fund is managed independently by the Mayor & Councillors. Please email ceo@kaikoura.govt.nz if you have questions about this fund.
2022-23 $47k Awarded to ten local charities
On 28 September Council considered 16 applications requesting over $180,000 in funding for the first round of the Council Discretionary Fund. There were many excellent projects and unfortunately not all could be funded. In the end ten local charities where successful and will share just over $47,000 to benefit the community of Kaikōura. The funded projects will support work across a number of important community needs including youth, education, health, sports & recreation, Arts & Culture, environment and tourism.
After you apply
Committee meetings are held after each funding round closes and all applications that meet the funding criteria are reviewed at these meetings. The grants administrator at Council will notify applicants of the outcome and next steps, including accountability and reporting requirements for successful applications.
Looking for funding?
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Kaikōura District Council has subscribed to Givus which enables FREE public access for our residents through the District Library.
Sign up to the Library online here and then verify your membership by visiting the team at the Library (Level 1, Civic Centre, 96 West End, Kaikōura).
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Accountability guidance
It is a requirement for all grant recipients to complete accountability reporting for how, when and why the grant was used. This information needs to align with the initial application, as the application states what the grant was approved for.
All applications and accountability forms have relatively similar guidelines and needs to be completed correctly. If it is not completed fully, future applications will not proceed.
See some guidance below about making sure you complete your accountability reporting in the right way:
Use of funds
- You are required to spend the grant funds as it is stated on your budget and application.
- Any variation to this not previously agreed to by the grant committee, will mean you have to return the money to Council and it will be reallocated within that grant.
- Funds need to be used within 12 months of the funding being approved.
Due dates for reporting
- Generally, accountability reporting needs to be completed within two months of the project ending.
- If accountability reporting is not completed on time or funds not used within 12 months, the money is required to be returned to Council and reallocated within that grant.
- If there is any reason the project cannot be completed within 12 months of the funds being allocated, you need to contact the grants administrator to seek an extension on your application, otherwise funds need to be returned.
- The grants administrator will seek approval from the committee and will notify the applicant via email or post as soon as possible.
Invoicing and receipts:
- The receipts and invoices provided as part of your accountability reporting must match the amount and purpose stated on your budget and application form. This means that if your budget states a basketball is being purchased for $90, you need to ensure your invoice/receipt reflects this amount.
- All invoices, receipts and related documentation must be related to the original application.
- Applicants must use the funds for what was approved by the committee. Any variation must be approved by the committee or funds need to be returned.
What if my project changes or I can’t complete it in the specified time?
- If your project alters in any way than stated on the application, applicants must communicate via email or letter with the grants administrator so that the committee can be advised.
- The committee will review the application and the applicant will be advised via email or post of whether the project remains eligible for the funding.
- If a revised application is declined by the committee, all remaining funding must be returned.
COMMENTS OR QUERIES
We welcome your feedback. If you have any comments or queries about grants (excluding the Council Discretionary Grant Fund - see the funding information for contact info) or unsuccessful applications call Arlene on 027 566 3064 or 319 5026 ext 263; or by email arlene.brown@kaikoura.govt.nz; or post by mail to PO Box 6, Kaikōura, 7340.
