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Open Call: Love Food Hate Waste Fund 2026 – New Zealand

Deadline: 15-Mar-2026

The Love Food Hate Waste (LFHW) Fund provides grants of up to $6,000 to support Auckland-based projects that reduce household food waste through behaviour change initiatives. Eligible projects should be creative, educational, and practical, focusing on meal planning, food storage, leftover use, cultural food practices, and raising awareness of the environmental and financial impacts of food waste. Projects must run between 22 April 2026 and 31 May 2027.

Overview

The Love Food Hate Waste Fund is a community-focused initiative supporting projects that encourage Auckland households to reduce food waste. By funding educational and behaviour-change programs, the fund aims to promote practical solutions that change how people plan, prepare, store, and consume food.

Food waste accounts for approximately 34% of the average household rubbish in Auckland, making initiatives like this critical for environmental sustainability and household cost savings.

Objectives of the Fund

The LFHW Fund seeks to:

  • Reduce household food waste through practical behaviour change

  • Promote food literacy and cooking skills

  • Increase awareness of the environmental and financial impacts of food waste

  • Encourage creative solutions, including recipes and meal planning strategies

  • Share cultural and indigenous food knowledge that supports waste reduction

Projects are expected to deliver measurable outcomes that demonstrate clear changes in household habits related to food.

Eligible Project Activities

Projects may include, but are not limited to:

  • Meal planning and portion control to avoid excess purchases

  • Creative cooking and recipes using leftovers or commonly wasted ingredients

  • Food storage demonstrations and best-practice tips

  • Awareness campaigns highlighting the environmental and financial costs of food waste

  • Cultural food practices that reduce waste and promote sustainability

  • Household food literacy programs to improve confidence in cooking and food management

Funding Details

  • Grant amount: Up to $6,000 per project

  • Project duration: Must start after 22 April 2026 and finish by 31 May 2027

  • Eligible initiatives: Community and environmental projects targeting household food waste reduction

The funding is intended for projects that are practical, action-based, and capable of influencing household behaviour.

Who Is Eligible?

Eligible applicants include:

  • Community groups and organisations with projects focused on food waste reduction

  • Projects that engage households across Auckland and deliver tangible outcomes

  • Initiatives that can demonstrate clear educational and behaviour-change impact

How to Apply

Step 1: Define Your Project

Outline your project goals, target audience, and proposed activities. Ensure your project clearly addresses behaviour change in household food practices.

Step 2: Prepare a Budget

Include all project costs up to $6,000, specifying how funding will be used to support education, awareness, or practical activities.

Step 3: Demonstrate Impact

Show how your project will reduce food waste and influence household behaviours through measurable outcomes.

Step 4: Submit Application

Submit your proposal to the Auckland Council LFHW Fund portal before the funding deadline.

Step 5: Implement and Report

If successful, implement your project between 22 April 2026 and 31 May 2027 and provide a report demonstrating impact on household food waste.

Why This Fund Matters

  • Environmental impact: Reduces waste sent to landfills, lowering greenhouse gas emissions

  • Financial benefits: Helps households save money by reducing wasted food

  • Community engagement: Encourages participation and knowledge-sharing across Auckland

  • Cultural inclusion: Promotes diverse food practices that reduce waste and respect traditional knowledge

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting projects without clear behaviour-change strategies

  • Focusing solely on awareness without practical household applications

  • Missing project start or end dates

  • Applying for funding exceeding $6,000

  • Ignoring alignment with LFHW priorities

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the maximum grant amount?

Up to $6,000 per project.

2. When must projects start and finish?

Projects must start after 22 April 2026 and finish by 31 May 2027.

3. Who can apply?

Community groups, organisations, and initiatives targeting household food waste reduction in Auckland.

4. What types of activities are funded?

Meal planning, creative cooking, leftover recipes, food storage education, awareness campaigns, and culturally-informed food practices.

5. Can individuals apply?

The fund targets community or group initiatives; individual applications are not the focus.

6. What outcomes are expected?

Projects must demonstrate practical changes in household food behaviour and reductions in food waste.

Conclusion

The Love Food Hate Waste Fund empowers Auckland communities to reduce household food waste through practical, educational, and culturally relevant initiatives. By supporting behaviour-change projects, the fund addresses environmental sustainability, financial savings, and improved food literacy for households across the region.

For more information, visit Auckland Council.