Waitākere Ranges Community Grants Programme in New Zealand

Deadline: 30-Sep-22

The Auckland Council has launched Waitākere Ranges Local Grant to provide contestable community grants to local communities in Waitakere.

Priorities

In addition to the priority outcomes above, a higher priority will be given to projects/activities:

• That are smokefree (incl. vaping) and provide healthy food for events and projects
• That encourage waste minimisation and endorse zero waste practices
• That foster increased resilience, connectedness, and wellbeing in the communities and environment.

Note: Waitakere Ranges Local Board will also support applications for community projects in areas which are affected by filming activity.

Funding Information

• The Waitakere Ranges Local Board has allocated budgets to support the grants programme as follows:
  • Local Grants:  $1,500+

Funding priorities

• We welcome grant applications for projects that align with one or more of the following priorities:
• Heritage, enivronment and our people
  • Protect and enhance the area’s heritage features.
  • Work closely with mataawaka and mana whenua partners.
  • Support local projects and activities that contribute towards Māori educational, cultural, leadership, and employment outcomes.
  • Fund community co-ordination for environmental activities.
  • Make small grants to local groups for projects and actions which have a positive effect on the local environment.
  • Support and deliver projects, programmes and activities that address stream and coastal erosion, water quality, weed and animal pest management, environmental programmes, education, and biodiversity (rural or urban).
  • Support community-led food initiatives such as community gardens, learning to grow or prepare food, reducing packaging and food waste and sharing produce.
• Resilient community
  • Make small grants to local groups for projects or actions which will have a positive impact on community resilience.
  • Support community-led household budgeting and financial literacy actions.
  • Assist local communities to grow their organisational skills and capacity with neighbourhood development expertise, community-based training programmes, and placemaking resources.
  • Support a breadth of projects and activities to ensure funding allocations reflect our wide range of communities, including Māori, Pasifika, and other social and ethnic groups.
  • Explore new ways for people to connect with us and each other, such as neighbourhood forums or promoting use of social media.
• Opportunities to experience arts, culture, and heritage
  • Support arts and cultural activities that create a sense of place, interest, and local identity.
  • Promote arts programmes that include emerging talent and creatives.
  • Value and support our talented local artists and showcase their work.
  • Increase opportunities for Māori arts and cultural expression.
  • Protect key local sites of cultural and historic importance and tell their stories.
  • Hold heritage events which celebrate the past, present and future.
  • These priorities are outlined in the Waitākere Ranges Local Board Plan 2020.
• Higher priority for eligibility
  • We will prioritise activities that:
    • commit to the smokefree policy and healthy food provision for events and projects
    • support applications that encourage and foster increased resilience, connectedness, and wellbeing in our communities and environment
    • encourage waste minimisation and endorse zero waste practices.
    • support community projects in areas which are affected by filming activity.

Outcomes

• The Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area is protected and enhanced, and connections with surrounding communities are strengthened
  • Deliver a range of local activities across all local board plan outcomes that help deliver on the objectives of the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Act 2008
  • Protect and enhance the area’s heritage features.
• The Waitakere Ranges works closely with mataawaka and mana whenua partners
  • Access to a range of projects and opportunities for collaboration with Maori.
• The Waitakere Ranges works to respect, protect, and restore the environment
  • The natural environments are protected.
• Their communities are resilient and strong
  • Communities take action to improve their resilience.
• Their communities experience wellbeing, belonging and participation
  • Support for projects and activities that realise the aspirations of local people for the benefit of their communities.
• People have a range of opportunities to experience arts, culture, and heritage
  • Access to a range of arts experiences
  • Access to a range of community activities and events
  • Recognition of local historic and cultural heritage.
• The Waitakere Ranges has infrastructure and facilities that support and enhance their neighbourhoods and town centres
  • Well maintained, accessible parks, facilities and public spaces.

Eligible projects

• Types of projects funded by the grant:
  • Arts
  • Community
  • Environment
  • Events
  • Heritage
  • Sports and recreation

Eligibility Criteria

• Community organisations
  • The primary beneficiaries of community grants will be not-for-profit, charitable and voluntary organisations. These groups are often referred to collectively as ‘community organisations’ because they are established with the primary purpose of providing a benefit to the wider community.
  • Community organisations generally display the following characteristics:
    • A not-for-profit organisation, or an association of individuals whose primary aim is providing services and benefits to the community at large
    • Membership or participation is available to anyone who wishes to join
    • May be a special interest or advocacy group for a particular section of the community, but the group or organisation should not impose restrictions upon membership (such as setting fees at a level that exclude most people who might want to participate).
• Individuals and groups with no formal legal structure
  • Individuals and groups with no formal legal structure may apply for grants of up to $1,000 through the local grants programmes, except where individual local boards have specifically stated otherwise.
  • Applicants in this category seeking grants over $1,000 would need to either:
    • Nominate an ‘umbrella’ organisation which has agreed to receive and administer the grant on their behalf – the umbrella organisation would be legally accountable to Auckland Council for the expenditure of the grant; OR
    • Apply to have the funding released retrospectively, i.e. as reimbursement for pre-approved expenses after the project or activity has been satisfactorily completed.
• Commercial entities
  • Commercial entities – e.g. Limited Liability Companies – may apply for grants in certain circumstances, except where individual local boards or governing body committees have specifically stated they will not consider applications from such entities.

For more information, visit Auckland Council.

For more information, visit https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/grants-community-support-housing/grants/grants-calendar/Pages/grant-details.aspx?itemID=38