Sport NZ announces $25 million short-term relief package for clubs and regional organisations

Sport NZ has created a $25 million package to provide short-term relief for sport and active recreation organisations at all levels.

Made available through savings achieved from the reprioritisation of Sport NZ’s work programme in the wake of the Coronavirus crisis, as well as the drawing down on cash reserves, today’s announcement follows an initial package of support for Sport NZ and High Performance Sport NZ partners announced in early April.

This provided financial certainty for national sport and recreation organisations, regional sport trusts and others, with funding commitments totalling $70 million per annum. Partners were provided with flexibility on how these funds could be used to reflect the challenging circumstances resulting from COVID-19 through until 30th June 2021.

The second tranche of support announced today has a focus on providing relief for struggling local and regional sport and recreation organisations. This relief will be provided via a $15 million Community Resilience Fund.

Announcing the support, Sport NZ Chief Executive, Peter Miskimmin stated “lay, active recreation and sport have a key role in maintaining individual health and wellbeing, bringing our communities together and keeping these communities strong.

“It is vital that organisations at all levels of our sector remain viable and are there when play, active recreation and sport can fully resume, and we believe we have structured this relief package in a way that will maximise its benefit at all levels of the sector for the greatest possible good.”

“Clubs and regional organisations are the heartbeat of our sector but have been among the hardest hit by COVID-19, particularly through the loss of Class 4 gaming revenue and membership fees. They need support now more than ever.”

The Sport NZ Community Resilience Fund opens on Monday 11th May and will be administered through New Zealand’s 14 regional sports trusts due to the strength of their networks deep into their local sport and recreation communities.

Eligible organisations can apply for a maximum of $1,000 for clubs and $40,000 for regional bodies.

Also included in Sport NZ’s $25 million relief package are:

• A partner support fund ($6 million) to help Sport NZ and High Performance Sport NZ investment partners maintain critical roles and business functions which are at risk due to COVID-19
• An exceptional system support fund ($1 million) to protect key national organisations who are not normal recipients of Sport NZ investment
• A physical activity fund ($3 million) to promote play, active recreation and sport opportunities to those who most need it (for people who are less active, disabled or live in high deprivation areas)

Further details on these three funds will be announced over the coming weeks.

Sport NZ also continues to provide expert business capability support to its partners in areas such as finance, human resources and technology, as well as providing free employee wellbeing services and support in accessing the Government’s COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme.

As the Minister for Sport and Recreation Grant Robertson has previously indicated, the New Zealand Government is considering a Sport and Recreation recovery package in addition to today’s announcement.

Recreation Aotearoa has welcomed the relief package, with acting Chief Executive Tracey Prince-Puketapu advising “(this) announcement is a welcome one for the New Zealand recreation industry.

"The recreation industry has a vital role to play in maintaining the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders and this relief package recognises that.

“The lockdown has placed a variety of financial and operational pressures on the industry. But it has also shown how critical informal, active recreation is to the mental wellbeing and community resilience of the country.”