Community groups and businesses in the Manawatū District will be able to find and apply for grants easier with GrantGuru, Manawatū’s new Funding Finder.

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. The new Funding Finder has officially launched on the Manawatū District Council’s website.

Through keyword searches, the Funding 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.

Manawatū District Council’s community wellbeing manager Janine Hawthorn says council wanted to further assist local businesses and groups to find and apply for grants.  "There are a lot of great funding opportunities out there, but the process of finding and applying for grants can be daunting and time-consuming and many people don’t know where to start looking."

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

The Funding Finder also assists with advice and top tips for applying for grants to maximise the chances of receiving funding.

Mrs Hawthorn says:,"Manawatū’s Funding Finder will take the guesswork out of searching for grants and help groups and businesses navigate the process.”

The Manawatū Funding Finder has been made possible through Manawatū District Council.  and will be available to the community free for the next three years.  It replaces the givME platform previously funded by Manawatū District Libraries.

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.

Mrs Hawthorn says: “This is an efficient and innovative solution, empowering our community to access external funding sources. It is especially important because council cannot finance every project through rates so it enables council and the community to increase efficiency and find innovative solutions through partnering on projects.”

You can start your grants journey by registering with the Manawatū Funding Finder here: Community Funding | Manawatū District Council (mdc.govt.nz)