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.

Current Round(s)

All applications must be submitted via the online portal.

APPLY HERE

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.

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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.

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:

• Activities promoting religious, ministry, or political purposes
• Debt repayment
• Legal and medical expenses
• Public services under central government responsibility (e.g., education, primary health care)
• Alcohol purchases
• Retrospective costs (unless required as a grant condition)
• Large physical works needing consents or permits (funds released after conditions are met)
• Services outside the district

URGENT APPLICATIONS

The Council recognises that some projects, particularly those involving international representation or time-sensitive opportunities, may require urgent funding. Applications that demonstrate a critical need for funding to ensure the project proceeds within the next four weeks may be considered outside of the standard funding rounds.

To qualify, applicants must clearly outline why the project cannot proceed without immediate financial support. Any applications determined not to meet the criteria for urgency will be deferred to the next available funding round.

View the full Assessment Criteria document

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Reporting Requirements

Recipients of the contestable grant are required to submit a report detailing the use of funds and the outcomes achieved. The reporting process ensures accountability and helps the Council understand the impact of its funding.

Reporting Process:

• 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.

LOG IN AND SUBMIT YOUR REPORT

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Previous Recipients:

To learn more about previous recipients, see Contestable Fund Recipients.

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Contact and Support:

For more information contact grants@tararuadc.govt.nz