Community Funding

The Community Fund 2024-2027 is open for applications from 9 April 2024 to 7 May 2024. 

• QLDC Community Fund Guidelines 2024 (PDF, 268KB)

You will be able to apply for up to three years of operational or project funding through the Community Fund 2024-2027 application round. If applying next year in the 2025-2026 funding round, you'll only be able to apply for one year of funding.

Community Fund Application Presentation Option

You have an option to speak to QLDC elected members about your application in one of two upcoming sessions. If you would like to speak to your application, please register on the form below by the 7 May.

Please note that you can complete this form prior to completing your online application as this will support the Community Fund team in allotting your five minute speaking slot. 

• QLDC Community Fund Application Presentation Booking

Presenting to elected members is optional and is not a requirement of the Community Fund application process. All applications will be considered on their individual merits, based on the information provided in the Community Fund application form.

Next steps

A panel of councillors will review the applications in May and final decisions will be made by a full Council meeting on 27 June. All applicants will be notified of the outcome in July.

To ensure the start of the funding round can go ahead as planned in April, the application process has been separated from the now-deferred Long Term Plan.

The Long Term Plan will be open to submissions later in the year but applications for funding will no longer be considered through that process.

Community Associations

There are 15 formally recognised Community Associations across our district who actively represent and advocate for the needs and interests of their local communities.

These groups each receive an annual community grant of $5,000 for operational support and project seed funding. If they want to apply for additional project funding, they can complete an application for the Community Fund 2024-2027.

Previous Fund Recipients

Ten Year Plan 2021-2031 Consultation Grant Recipients

We're committed to supporting a balanced portfolio of events across the district. This includes providing an annual contestable events fund that is open for both commercial and community events.

The 2024-2025 events funding round opened on 2 April 2024 and closes 30 April 2024. 

Applications will be reviewed in May and successful applicants will be notified in July.

For the 2024-2025 events funding round we are working in partnership with our sustainability and climate action teams to develop and support events' sustainability measures.

We are also excited to have a new application platform this year which will make it easier for event organisers to apply online.

Recipients from last year’s funding round included:

$30,000 and over

• Challenge Wānaka

• LUMA Southern Light Project

• New Zealand Open (golf)

• Queenstown Marathon

• Warbirds over Wānaka

• Winter Games NZ

Under $30,000

• Arrowtown Autumn Festival

• Aspiring Conversations

• Cyclorama E-Bike Festival

• Lake Hayes A&P Show

• Motatapu

• NZ Mountain Film Festival

• Queenstown Bike Festival

• Queenstown Diwali Festival

• Queenstown Multicultural Festival

• Ripe

• Roam

• The Wild

• Wānaka A&P Show

• Wao Summit

• Winter Pride

The WMCF is now open until Friday 17 May 2024.

Do you have a great idea for a project that will help move our community towards zero waste? You might be eligible for funding through our Waste Minimisation Community Fund.  

Projects must be consistent with the Waste Minimisation and Management Plan 2018 (WMMP) and achieve the following objectives: 

• Waste Reduction – Reducing waste at source and/or

• Resource Recovery – Diverting waste from landfill

The aim is to support new initiatives that complement and enhance existing programmes, address gaps or create new opportunities. 

How to apply

Submit your application here.

Get details on the fund and how to apply in the Rubbish and Recycling section of our website.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about the application criteria and process, please contact zerowaste@qldc.govt.nz 

Supporting the diversity, heritage and creativity of our place and people is essential for community wellbeing and helps to build a culturally rich and creative district that is accessible to all. Funding is available to support our distinct local arts, heritage and cultural projects from a range of contestable funds.

Creative Communities Scheme (CCS)

The Creative Communities Scheme works to strengthen the local art community. Projects that get funded do at least one of the following:

• encourage participation — creating opportunities for local communities to engage with, and participate in local arts activities

• support diversity — supporting the diverse artistic cultural traditions of local communities

• enable young people — they provide opportunities for young people (under 18 years) to engage with, and participate in the arts

How to apply:

Anyone who would like to deliver an arts based project in the Queenstown Lakes District can apply for a grant from the Creative Communities Scheme. Read the applicant guide and complete the application form:

Applicant Guide
Creative Communities Scheme Application Form

This scheme has two funding rounds each year:

• Round 1: opens 1 February and closes the last Friday in February

• Round 2: opens 1 August and closes the last Friday in August

Central Lakes Arts Support Scheme (CLASS)

The Central Lakes Arts Support Scheme works to strengthen and enhance the local art sector. Funding available is a maximum of $2,000 annually per applicant and per project. Funding applications can be made to CLASS at any time. Decisions are made on a monthly basis.

How to apply:

Complete the application form and send it to the appropriate organisation for consideration, Queenstown applications close on the 15th of each month with funding outcomes by the end of each month for projects happening in the following month:

Central Lakes Arts Support Scheme Guidelines and Application Form 

Projects in the Queenstown, Arrowtown and Glenorchy areas, please complete and return this application form to:
Creative Queenstown
Private Bag 50072
Queenstown 9348

Projects in the Wanaka and Upper Clutha areas, please complete and return this application form to:
Upper Clutha Arts Council
PO Box 216
Wanaka 9343

The Upper Clutha Arts Council meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month. Applications must be received by the 20th of the month prior.

Heritage Incentive Grant

Applications for the heritage incentive grant can be made by the owners of listed heritage items (natural and built) in the Queenstown Lakes District. Financial assistance will only be granted to Category 1, 2, and 3 historic buildings, sites and objects (including trees) as listed in the Inventory of Protected Features (Appendix 3) in the District Plan.

Applications can be made for the following financial assistance:

• Professional Advice - to assist with advice on earthquake strengthening, building conservation plans, adaptive re-use feasibility studies and other studies to do with the conservation of the place, object or tree which will encourage their protection, preservation, maintenance and enhancement.

• Consent - to assist with reimbursing the landowner for land use consent and building consent fees incurred in preservation or adaptive re-use. These are fees incurred because of the historic designation.

• Maintenance - to assist with funding routine maintenance work undertaken by heritage professionals

How to apply:

Complete the application form below: 

Heritage Grant Application Form

And send it to:

Jan Maxwell, Private Bag 50072, Queenstown 9348 or email  services@qldc.govt.nz

If you have any enquiries regarding this application please call (03) 441 0499.

A travel subsidy is available to assist the development of junior sport in rural communities.

This is available to organisations and schools with participants aged between five and 19 years playing sport for a club or school club who meet the rural travel fund criteria (the fund is not available for travelling to regional or national events.)

The following criteria are applied when considering applications for funding:

• School club teams – a school club team participating in regular local sport competition out of school time, which excludes inter-school and intra-school competitions played during school time.

• Sports club teams – a sports club team participating in organised, regular sport competition through club membership outside of school time.

For more, check out the  Rural Travel Fund Guidelines. 

How to apply

The closing date for applications is the last Friday of October every year.

You can download the Sport New Zealand Rural Travel Fund Application Form  or pick up a hard copy from Council offices on Gorge Road, Queenstown and Ardmore Street, Wānaka.

Any questions?

Jan Maxwell - Arts and Events Facilitator
03 441 0469 or 027 233 7934
jan.maxwell@qldc.govt.nz

QLDC Sport & Recreation’s mission is to encourage more people, to be more active, more often. This connects with our communities’ Vision Beyond 2050 outcome for Thriving people | Whakapuāwai Hapori – “Our environments and services promote and support health, activity and wellbeing for all”.

This annual Get Active Community Grant will support not-for-profit organisations and charities that benefit the health and wellbeing of the Queenstown Lakes District Council community members. 

Applications for the next round of funding for the Get Active Community Grant is expected to open in winter 2024.

Your organisation can apply for entry passes for your customers, to a service at our Sport and Recreation facilities (Queenstown Event Centre, Arrowtown Memorial Pool and Wānaka Recreation Centre). Voucher options available are:

• Annual bundle of entry vouchers that can be provided to individuals for one-off use; total 100 vouchers maximum

• Free 10-visit passes to the pool or gym (Queenstown only), under your organisation’s name. Where your customer is accompanied by a carer, access for the carer is also free. Total 30 x 10-visit passes maximum (300 visits)

e.g. Organisation Z estimates they will need 200 swim visits per year, 100 gym visits per year and 100 on-off swim/slide vouchers

Application would be for 20 x 10-visit pool passes (with carer access free), 10 x 10-visit gym passes (with carer access free), and 100 one-off swim/slide vouchers

FUNDING CRITERIA

• Applicants must be registered charities or local not-for-profit groups based in the Queenstown Lakes District.

• Sports groups and businesses are not eligible.

• QLDC will support a maximum of 6 grant applicants annually.

• Other support may be provided at the Sport and Recreation Managers discretion.

How to apply:

1. Current prices for services at each of our facilities are listed on our website here.

2. Once you know what services you’d like to apply for, include this information on your Get Active Community Grant Application Form

3. Applications are expected to open 1 April 2024 for the next round of grants.

Local events and community projects allow us to connect with and support each other, and they are an awesome way to celebrate the amazing communities we live in.

Funding is available to support local events, fundraising and community projects that sustain community health and wellbeing in our district.  All supported events, projects or fundraising activities must be held in the Queenstown Lakes District. 

This support is provided in the form of “in kind” contributions of QLDC services or resources. In most cases, cash funding will not be paid to the successful applicant. Instead all approved costs will be paid directly by QLDC. Costs covered may also include support for local suppliers of event services e.g. waste management and portaloo hire.

Costs that can be considered for Local Community Support are:

• EVENTS: QLDC venue, reserves or equipment hire, QLDC regulatory and permitting fees.

• FUNDRAISING: Vouchers for Sport and Recreation services (gym, pool or climbing wall) at our local facilities, to be used for local fundraising activities. E.g. as a prize in a local raffle or silent auction. Maximum total value of vouchers for each fundraising event is $100.

• COMMUNITY PROJECTS: QLDC regulatory, resource consent or permitting fees for community building or planting projects.

Local Community Support does not cover bond payments, special licence fees for sale and supply of alcohol at events, associated costs* (i.e. waste, labour and cleaning). Local Community Support cannot be used to fully fund any event.

If your application for support is successful, please acknowledge QLDC’s contribution to your event, fundraising effort or project. If you would like to include QLDC branding on any of your promotional material please email this request to:
communications@qldc.govt.nz

How to apply:

1. EVENTS: Book QLDC venue, reserve or equipment hire - confirm the booking date and obtain a quote by emailing your enquiry to:

   bookings@qldc.govt.nz
   FUNDRAISING: Choose the Sport and Recreation services you would like request vouchers for, listed on our website here.
   
   COMMUNITY PROJECTS: Confirm the cost of the permit or consent service you require.

    

2. Once you have confirmed and booked your venues/equipment/services, or identified any fundraising voucher requirements, include these details on your Local Community Support Application Form

3. EVENT/PROJECT: If your request is for an amount of $1,000 or more, your event/project budget must also be provided with your application. This can be linked as an attachment on the Local Community Support Application Form.

4. Submit the application at least 20 working days prior to your event or project start date, to ensure we have enough time consider your application and respond.

This new platform helps simplify the application process and you’ll be able to use this site to apply for community funding, see the status of your application, submit any required reporting and more.

You can expect some additional and different questions as we aim to consider how the funding available contributes to wellbeing outcomes for our people and our district.

As the application process has been separated from the now-deferred Long-Term Plan there will not be a hearing option to present to elected members about community funding applications.

Each application will be considered by the panel on its merits.

A panel of Councillors will review the Event Fund and Community Fund applications in May and final decisions will be approved by full Council on the 27 June meeting. All applicants will be notified of the outcome in July which is the same process as previous years.

To ensure community funding can be allocated in the usual timeframe, with approved grants paid out from 1 July onward, the application process has been separated from the now-deferred Long Term Plan.

Feedback from our community to make this process more accessible, along with looking at the way other councils manage community funding also played a part in this decision.