Online search tool – Generosity New Zealand
Generosity New Zealand has online search tools that can connect people to funding opportunities. Their tool, GivUS, offers access to over 1,200 grants and schemes for communities, volunteer organisations, school groups, sports clubs and iwi.
You need to register for this website, but you can access it for free at your local library.
Funding Guides
Ministry for the Environment Manatū Mō Te Taiao (MfE)
MfE has a list of funding opportunities broken down by type and region.
Predator Free NZ Trust
Predator Free NZ have a guide to national and regional funding for predator control projects.
Predator Free NZ funding and grants
Regional funding
Local and regional councils
Many local and regional councils have environmental funds available for landowners and/or community groups. Contact your local council for further information.
Community trusts
New Zealand has an expansive regional network of community trusts. One of the roles of these community trusts is to provide funding support to a range of community organisations and charities.
National funding
Auckland Zoo
Auckland Zoo's Conservation fund supports conservation efforts in the wild, in New Zealand and overseas.
Backcountry Trust
The Backcountry Trust funds maintenance of existing huts and tracks.
Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua - dia.govt.nz (DIA)
The DIA's Community Organisation Grants Scheme provides grants to non-profit organisations delivering community-based social services that contribute to achieving locally determined outcomes.
Community Organisation Grants Scheme
Fish and Game New Zealand
New Zealand Game Bird Habitat Trust funds the development and enhancement of habitats for the benefit of game birds and other wetland inhabitants.
New Zealand Game Bird Habitat Trust
Fonterra
Fonterra's Grassroots Fund supports group projects that will help bring local communities together.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
The National Heritage Preservation Incentive Fund provides financial incentives to encourage the conservation of privately owned heritage places recognised on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero.
National Heritage Preservation Incentive Fund
Predator Free NZ Trust
The Predator Free communities fund supports the purchase of subsidised trapping equipment for communities involved in backyard trapping.
Predator Free communities fund
Lottery Grants Board
The Lottery Environment and Heritage Grants are available for projects that will help protect, conserve or care for our natural, cultural and physical heritage.
Lottery Environment and Heritage Grant
The Lottery Significant Projects Fund provides grants to purchase, create or improve community assets that have regional or national significance. It provides grants for these capital expenditure projects with a total cost of $3 million or more.
Lottery Significant Projects Fund
Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment Hīkina Whakatutuki (MBIE)
Through MBIE, multiple funds support programmes which build high-performing science and innovation systems.
The New Zealand Cycle Trail Enhancement and Extension Fund supports projects that improve and extend Ngā Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trail.
New Zealand Cycle Trail Enhancement and Extension Fund
Ministry for Culture and Heritage Manatū Taonga
Cultural and Heritage Funding provides funds for culture and history, including oral and built heritage.
Ministry for Primary Industries Manatū Ahu Matua
Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures funds innovative projects that will create more value from the food and fibre industries.
Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures
The Hill Country Erosion Fund helps protect erosion-prone hill country, providing support to regional councils and unitary authorities.
Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change Research Programme helps the agriculture and forestry sectors with challenges arising from climate change. Invests in targeted basic, applied and policy research.
Ministry for the Environment Manatū Mō Te Taiao (MfE)
The Community Environment Fund provides funding so New Zealanders are empowered to take environmental action.
The Environmental Legal Assistance Fund offers funding for not-for-profit groups advocating for matters of environmental public interest.
Environmental Legal Assistance Fund
Ministry of Youth Development Te Manatū Whakahiato Taiohi
The Youth Fund supports youth-led projects that help young people contribute positively to their community through leadership, mentoring or volunteering opportunities.
Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa - New Zealand Outdoor Access Commission
The Enhancement Access Fund supports projects aimed at enhancing access to New Zealand's great outdoors.
QEII National Trust
The key aim of the Stephenson Fund for Covenant Enhancement is to support stewardship for QEII covenants by strengthening partnership with covenantors.
Stephenson Fund for Covenant Enhancement
Save the Kiwi
The Save the Kiwi fund is for community-based kiwi conservation groups, universities and recognised research facilities.
Sustainable Business Network
The Million Metres Streams Project support groups committed to improving the water quality and biodiversity through riparian planting and restoration.
Million Metres Streams Project
Trail Fund NZ
The Trail Fund funds building new mountain bike trails or the maintenance or upgrading of existing trails.
TREEmendous Education Programme
The TREEmendous Education Programme teaches children about the importance of caring for the environment through the development of outdoor classrooms.
TREEmendous Education Programme
Trees that Count
Groups registered with Trees That Count can apply for native trees from the Community Marketplace.
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) New Zealand
The WWF-New Zealand Community Conservation and Education Fund supports communities and educational facilities to run projects that conserve and restore Aotearoa New Zealand's natural environments and native species.