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    Community Funding & Grants

    Manawatū District Council operates a variety of funding schemes to assist not-for-profit groups, organisation's and individuals to run, promote or participate in programmes or events that contribute to achieving Council’s strategic outcomes. There is also funding for sporting, cultural and artistic pursuits.

    Our Grants Policy (PDF file, 632.6 KB) outlines the full funding criteria and details what types of initiatives are eligible for support.

    Funding awarded by Manawatū District Council is for projects and initiatives that take place within the boundaries of our district, unless it is accessible and has demonstrated benefit to Manawatū residents. Please click here to access a map defining these boundaries for funding purposes.

    Click on this form to help direct you to the right Council grant.

    Manawatū District Council has joined forces with one of New Zealand and Australia’s most powerful grant search engines, GrantGuru, to deliver a free one-stop-shop grants portal. Click on this link to access the Manawatū Grant Finder.

    The annual Manawatū Funders Forum is an opportunity to talk one-to-one with funders in our region and learn more about what your project/organisation can apply for.

    This will take place on Friday 18th of September.

    Contact us on community.development@mdc.govt.nz or call 06 323 0000.

    Funding calendar

    Open window Open year-round / until allocated Not yet open
    Priority Services Grants - closed now, next opens October 2027 (not shown on this year's timeline).

    • Community Development One-Off Fund
      Supports locally led initiatives, activities, services, and projects that strengthen community wellbeing, participation, resilience, identity, and connection.

    • Creative Communities Scheme
      Aims to increase participation in the arts, support diverse creative expression, and enable locally delivered arts projects and events.

    • Event Fund
      Supports events that bring people together, celebrate local identity, culture, creativity, and heritage, strengthen community pride and belonging, encourage participation and inclusion, and contribute positively to social, cultural, and economic wellbeing.

    • Priority Services Grants
      Provides three-year funding to organisations that deliver services, programmes or activities considered essential to strengthening community resilience, connection, local identity, and participation

    • Representative Fund
      Supports young people aged 19 years (both individuals and teams) and under who have been selected to represent their community, region, or country at recognised events, competitions, conferences, forums, or activities.

    • Robert Dickson Education Trust Fund
      Provides financial assistance to single parents where the support and guidance of their children’s mother and father is no longer available.

    • School Pools Fund
      Provides small grants to schools that make their swimming pool available for community use. This fund contributes to the purchase of pool chemicals.

    • Urupā and Private Cemetery Fund
      Provides financial assistance for the maintenance of urupā and private cemeteries.

    • Waste Not Want Not Fund
      Aimed at projects and groups that work to reduce waste and keep materials in use for longer. This program supports ideas that encourage reusing, recycling, and recovering materials to create less waste and protect the planet.