Community Grants

Community Grant applications are open to any not-for-profit group servicing Upper Hutt residents.

Upper Hutt local and regional not-for-profit groups can apply under either of the following categories:

1. Local Grants - For groups based in the Upper Hutt area and primarily servicing Upper Hutt residents
2. Regional Grants - For groups situated outside of Upper Hutt but provide a service to Upper Hutt residents

Applicants who qualify for other funding or a project which is eligible to receive direct funding from central Government will not normally be considered.

If you’re a local or regional not-for-profit group that provides a service to the Upper Hutt community, you are eligible to apply for indirect project costs or operational costs.

In the past, funding has been approved for things like running costs, fees, venue hire, equipment upgrades, garden improvements, insurance and community workshops. It is recommended that you look at the previous funding outcomes at the bottom of the webpage to get an idea of some of the costs that have been covered.

You cannot apply retrospectively for costs already incurred.

Applicants should be able to show substantial volunteer involvement. The application form asks for numbers of volunteers and paid staff.

There must be a demonstrated need for additional funding – Financial statements that show income and outgoings over the previous 12 months need to be provided with the application.

Applicants need to show a strong need for the service in Upper Hutt. The application form requests applicants explain how they identified a need for their service/programme or event in Upper Hutt, for example statistics of family harm rates for stopping violence programmes or numbers of children/young people wanting to participate in a certain activity in Upper Hutt or increasing participants in other localities indicating a growth in demand.

Applicants must also provide information on how their service, programme or event contributes to community wellbeing or promotes a sense of community. This could be through bringing people together at a concert, for example and the wellbeing contribution that live music provides or the wider family/whanau and community benefits of providing counselling services to a struggling parent. 

You will be able to complete and sign an application form via the Apply button on this page.

All sections of the form need to be completed, and you’ll need to provide the following:

• Your organisation’s current financial statements.
• Evidence of bank account details, so we can pay you if your application is successful. Evidence needs to show the name the account is in and the bank account number e.g. a screenshot from your internet banking or photocopy of the top of a bank statement.
• Copy of a utility bill (if applying for funds to pay utilities such as power, phone, insurance), or a quote specific to funds you are applying for.
• Any other supporting documentation, to support your application.

Former recipients can fill in the Community Grants Accountability Form below which must be submitted to be eligible to re-apply:

The Council Community Grants Committee will consider how your application meets the criteria, and then look at how this compares with all the other applications.

• How many Upper Hutt residents will this funding benefit?
• How does the service/programme or event promote a sense of community and contribute to community wellbeing?
• Is there a strong need for the service, programme or event and wide community benefit?
• Will there be substantial volunteer involvement and self-help?
• Accountability from previous funding has been returned with all relevant receipts attached.
•  It’s important to note that our funding is limited, and we receive a large number of applications every year. Therefore, we’ll only be able to approve applications that meet all the criteria, and may only be able to grant some of the money requested. 

Yes. A Community Grants Committee allocation meeting will be held where you can speak with Councillors directly, and answer any questions they may have.

To give everyone a chance to speak, we ask that you arrive on time and keep your presentation to five minutes.

The fund allocations are decided by the Community Grants Committee; these are required to be ratified by full Council at the next Council meeting. Once that has occurred the allocations will be listed on the Council website and the Community Development Advisor – Funding will inform applicants within 5 working days of the full Council meeting.

Payment of successful grants will be provided within 20 working days of applicants being notified.

For any other questions please email jane.braun@uhcc.govt.nz