Financial support for creative projects
If you’re looking for funding for a project, check out our list of known funding opportunities. Many organisations NZ-wide are looking to support innovative and future-focussed projects. Sources are categorised by provider and project type.
Firstly, Auckland City Council and its local boards offer year-round opportunities for funding of projects which align with Auckland’s planned development into an innovation hub.
Auckland City Council and Regional Board funding
The council offers funding for projects specific to local boards as well as city-wide initiatives. Their funding calendar runs year-round. A particular focus is given to supporting post COVID-19 economic development initiatives and addressing community resilience.
More info: https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/grants-community-support-housing/grants/grants-calendar/Pages/default.aspx
Auckland Council Waste Minimisation and Innovation Fund
Te Pūtea Whakamauru Para - the Waste Minimisation Fund supports projects that increase the reuse, recovery and recycling of materials. This helps reduce waste to landfill, one-off use of materials and litter. The goal is to move from the linear take, make, dispose approach to a circular one focussing on make, use, return principles.
The fund invests in a wide range of projects from multi-million-dollar infrastructure investments to smaller hapū/community-centred projects. The amount funded is up to $3,000,000.
More info: https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/grants-community-support-housing/grants/regional-grants/Pages/about-waste-minimisation-innovation-fund.aspx
Waitematā Local Board Grants
The Waitematā local board spans the central city. The board funds all kinds of projects, as well as accommodation costs for community organisations.
Regional funds are also always on the hunt for community-based equity projects to fund.
Foundation North
North-island based Foundation North provides funding for projects which centre on four outcomes: Increased Equity, Social Inclusion, Regenerative Environment, and Community Support. Year-round funding opportunities include quick-response grants of up to $25,000 and community grants of more than $25,000.
More info: https://www.foundationnorth.org.nz/funding/
Ethnic Communities Development Fund
Funding is for projects and organisations that support ethnic communities to grow their skills, celebrate their culture and take part in society. The fund is also available for initiatives that support ethnic communities as they deal with the challenges of COVID-19. Any group can apply if your project supports ethnic communities in New Zealand. The fund is open year-round.
More info: https://www.ethniccommunities.govt.nz/our-programmes/ethnic-communities-development-fund/
Government funding for the arts sector has increased since the Covid-19 outbreak.
Creative New Zealand
Creative NZ funds a host of projects in disciplines from music to digital art.
From 28th March, individual artists and arts practitioners will be able to apply for the Building Business Capability for Individual Practitioners Fund. The fund offers individual artists and arts practitioners grants of between $5,000 and $10,000 to develop business skills that will have a long-term impact on their creative career and will keep their career more sustainable. This includes but is not limited to financial and business expertise, professional development, training to develop manawaroa/resilience, cultural competence and inclusion, and digital skills.
Individual artists and arts practitioners can apply for activities that help them remain relevant to audiences and communities and become more resilient to changing environments. This round will close if 100 applications have been submitted, or if the closing date (22nd April, 1pm) is reached, whichever occurs first.
More info: https://www.creativenz.govt.nz/news/new-fund-to-help-individual-practitioners-build-business-skills
Ministry for Culture and Heritage: Te Urungi Innovation Fund
Te Urungi is a new approach to arts funding, helping creative New Zealanders turn their innovative ideas into reality.The Innovation Fund supports innovative projects that meet one or more of the Fund’s outcomes:
Sector sustainability and resilience are increased;
Commercial opportunities are increased;
Access and participation are improved.
To be eligible for the fund you must attend a two day immersive, workshop-style Te Urungi event. Events explore the innovation potential of your project proposal in a supportive, collaborative environment, support by kaiāwhina and experts to explore and refine your ideas.
More info: https://mch.govt.nz/innovation-fund/how-to-apply
Ministry for Culture and Heritage: Funding for Self-Employed Individuals in the Arts, Culture and Heritage Sector
If you are a self-employed individual whose main employment activities in the last 12 months are in the arts, culture and heritage sector and have lost work because of the January 2022 change to ‘Red,’ then this grant is for you. The Ministry for Culture and Heritage’s Cultural Sector Emergency Relief Grant will make a one-off grant of $5,000, if your income has been directly affected by a move to ‘Red’ under the COVID-19 Protection Framework.
More info: https://mch.govt.nz/grant-self-employed-individuals
Special interest funds for unique projects can be harder to find, but here are a few which may prove relevant.
NZ on Air: Journalism, Music and Platform Funding
In February 2021, Kris Faafoi announced a $55 million package to support public interest journalism administered by NZ On Air. NZ on Air’s aims are to invest in quality, diverse and discoverable public media.
The NZ on Air Journalism Fund is open to all NZ media entities: from large organisations through to small, local entities, and Māori, Pacific and ethnic media. Organisations must show their projects fill a public interest service and would otherwise be at risk or not produced without this fund’s support. This may include (and is not limited to) investigative journalism, data journalism and photo journalism. Round 4 closes 4pm Thursday, 28th April.
More info: https://www.nzonair.govt.nz/funding/
Mental Health Media Grants
(Currently closed but expected to open again this year).
Media Grants or Pūtea Pāpāho are awarded to people passionate about ending prejudice and discrimination against New Zealanders with mental distress or illness. Previous winning projects have been successful in challenging people’s perceptions of the experience of mental distress and the journey to recovery by producing emotive and thought-provoking current affairs packages, podcasts, articles, documentaries and more.
The fund has two categories: Creative and Journalism.
More info: https://mentalhealth.org.nz/media-grants
Bridgewest Ventures Incubator
Bridgewest Ventures, an approved partner under Callaghan Innovation's 2020 Technology Incubator Programme, is an incubator for biotech, computing and engineering ideas.
Start-ups or potential start-ups can access funding in the form of a repayable grant from Callaghan Innovation and significant equity investment from Bridgewest Ventures. Applications are currently open.
Ethique Foundation non-profit funding
Ethique aims to fund and partner with organisations which have regenerative business practices and scaleable ideas to tackle global probems. They especially support conservation and rewilding, although they also have a strong focus on supporting women-led organisations. Apply for the Ethique foundation if you are a not-for-profit working on social and environmental problems.
Applications open in July and close in August
More info: https://www.ethiquefoundation.org/about
What did we miss?
If you come across a funding opportunity worth sharing with the Manzana community, let us know!
