Continuation of council’s grants funding under review

The future direction of council-funded community grants was on the table at this week’s council meeting, with councillors reviewing and considering grants funding. A decision was made to retain the current level of grants funding available in the 2021-31 Long-Term Plan (LTP). 

Group Manager Community Services Krissy Trigg says: “There are five main areas council directs grants funding to: Council Base Grants (which include ‘contestable’ grants, where our community applies for funding, such as the community and revitalisation funds), Swimming Pools (which funds the Karamea and Ngakawau community pools), Tourism Support, Grants – Museum Support, and other (which benefits areas such as youth and sports).  

These categories are all funded through general rates. The contestable funds consist of a pool of available funding, which community groups apply for outside of the LTP submission process. Councillors then evaluate these applications and award the funding.” 

Council allocates $450,000 worth of grants funding across all of these groups and facilities each year, which accounts for approximately 3.5% of total rates per annum.  

These grants have played a vital role in supporting initiatives and services across the Buller District, ensuring the continuation of programs and facilities that might otherwise be unavailable. 

Ms Trigg continues: “Many of the larger groups and organisations rely on this funding for covering their day-to-day operational expenses and may cease to function if this funding is discontinued. Some of this funding goes to support numerous smaller, volunteer-led groups, which administrate valuable community projects and provide services within the district. 

With the coalition government’s back to basics approach and renewed focus on the maintenance of essential infrastructure, in order to trim back budgets, council was required to consider whether the grant pools should be left as is, reduced or removed completely.” 

Council will include an accountability process for all grants, bringing the remaining categories in line with the contestable grants and revitalisation fund, which already require formal reporting.  

Any groups or organisations who have previously applied for a grant, with the exception of Community Grants and the Community-Led Revitalisation Fund will need to apply through the Long-Term Plan submission process. 

This proposal was workshopped earlier this month and yesterday’s decision will be included in the draft 2025-34 LTP. 

-ENDS- 

For further information please contact: 
Community Engagement Team   
Buller District Council 
Media.Enquiries@bdc.govt.nz