Grants Update – March 2021

Tēnā koutou katoa. 
Ko Tonya Bristow tōku ingoa. 
Nō Rangiora au, engari ka rere tōku whakapapa ki Woking; ko Ingarangi te iwi. 
No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

I am pleased to introduce myself as your new Purchasing and Grants Administrator! I will be part of the finance team working in a home-based role.  I was a Centre Admin in the USI region and have a wealth of experience and success in the grants arena, a great general knowledge of how Centres operate as well as a good overview of Playcentre in general. If you need to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

I am already working with the Property Team and Regional Managers to identify some of the Centres that most need my help right now and have already started seeking funding for them. I will be approaching Centres with funding specifically for their area to ensure they are aware of these opportunities and see if I can support them with their applications.

I am also keen to compile a list of both national and local funders and have this available to Centre members. If you are a grants guru in your area and are willing to share your go to funding options, I would love to hear from you on [email protected]

Each month, I hope to share with you some of the funding opportunities out there and keep you up to date with any funding news as I hear it.

 

Countdown Growing for Good Grants – read more here

The Growing for Good grants programme is running again in 2021, and this year they’ve increased the funding pool to $50,000 to help even more schools and ECEs. 

Examples of projects they’ve funded before are installing beehives and chicken coops in schools, building and improving fruit and vege gardens to help feed a school community, investigating maramataka, growing Māori medicinal plants, and reducing food waste. 

All New Zealand primary and intermediate schools and early childhood centres are eligible to apply. You can apply for up to $2000 per school or ECE. 

Applications are now open!
Applications close: Sunday, 21 March 2021
Funding available: start of Term 2 2021 

Guidelines for the grants can be found here.  

Apply now – here. 

Any questions, please email [email protected] 

Local Council Funding – read more here

 

Please be aware that that due to the huge council deficit, funding for grants has already been cut by 15% so money will be more difficult to come by this year.

 

Applications open 8 March.

Applications close 12 April.

 

Guidelines for the grants can be found here: https://ccc.govt.nz/culture-and-community/community-funding/scfund

 

For assistance email [email protected]

 

If you aren’t successful with Countdown’s Growing for Good grant, try your local Council. Many of them have Waste Minimisation funding that may cover your project.

 

As we come to the end of what has been a unique financial year, we can reflect on the difficulties 20/21 brought to Auckland. There has been a drought not only in terms of a water shortage, but by way of a funding shortage.

Here at the Lion Foundation, we acknowledge that there are many great organisations based in or delivering services in Auckland, from health and sport through to education. It is with regret that we are unable to fund all worthy causes that apply.

 

The last year has seen Auckland subject to lockdown on 3 separate occasions, causing all gaming venues in Auckland to close. During which time us and other class 4 gaming funders were unable to generate any funds to return to the community. 

 

It is the nature of the hospitality industry that venues are bought and sold. In some cases changing hands equals a change in operator and therefore a change in gaming society. During the last year, 3 of our venues across Auckland have made the decision to operate under another gaming society. This means that funds generated from these venues are no longer available from the Lion Foundation.

At the Lion Foundation we pride ourselves on returning 90% of the funds generated back to its point of origin, to directly and positively impact the community that it came from. This means in Auckland we are limited to the funds we have generated from the venues that we run.

Auckland Council operate a sinking lid policy, meaning we are not only unable to open more gaming sites, but we are unable to move or re-open venues if they are closed. We are not aiming to paint a bleak picture of your access to funds but do need to make a realistic point of what you can expect from the Lion Foundation and other gaming funders in Auckland.

Many great organisations have received funding from us in the past and, where we can, we will continue to fund many of these in the future. Bearing in mind the many factors we have mentioned, the demand for funds far outweighs the funds we have available. Please do carefully consider your funding options, if we cannot fund you another class 4 gaming organisation could.