Community Trust FAQ

Broadly, we fund projects associated with community health and welfare, sport and recreation, culture and heritage, education, and the environment. Check the list of recipients on this website to get a better idea of what we donate to.

Government and local body organisations are ineligible for funding. For-profit companies and commercial enterprises are also ineligible for funding. Schools, kindergartens, playcentres and teacher-led community early learning centres cannot apply for general grants, although they do receive a formula-driven annual grant for assisting disadvantaged students.

If your event cannot go ahead due to COVID-19 or you have a more pressing need for funds other than the use applied for, please contact the Community Relations Manager to discuss a change of purpose or an extension to your funding period.  We want the money granted to stay in the community and help as best it can in these unusual times.  We are prepared to be flexible, but do speak to us before re-purposing the grant.

Organisations need to gather all their supporting information then fill out the online application form.

The Community Relations Manager is happy to assist groups with the application process and give advice.

The 10 Trustees decide which applicant organisations will receive a grant and how much they will get.

Historically, applicants applied to a round based only on the level of funding sought whereas our new funding model separates capital and operational funding requests. Under the new structure there are two grant rounds annually for capital projects up to a maximum value of $20,000. There are two grant rounds annually for capital projects in excess of $20,000. There are also two grant rounds annually for operational (programme or event) funding up to a maximum value of $15,000. These changes have been made without prejudice to applicants who hold existing multi year funding arrangements with the Community Trust which would not otherwise fall within the parameters of the new grant rounds and funding limits. There is a seventh grant round open by invitation only to “Special Projects” identified by the Trustees (usually foodbanks). Deadlines for applications and decision dates are listed in full here.

The Trustees review each application prior to their monthly grant round, and then discuss the merits of each application as a group. They compare the merits of each application with other grants made previously and with other applications in the round, always keeping in mind the grant budget for that round. As a group they decide whether an application will receive a grant and how much it will get. The role of the Community Relations Manager is to run due diligence on each application and to seek additional information if required to ensure that Trustees have all they need.

Can an organisation make more than one application per year?

Organisations should generally make only one application within the Community Trust’s financial year, which runs from 1^st April to 31^st March on an annual cycle. Second applications, within the Community Trust’s financial year, will only be considered in very exceptional circumstances.