Sport NZ opens applications for new $68 million community fund

Sport New Zealand has announced that it is now inviting applications for its new fund - Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa - for community-based programmes and projects targeting young people aged five to 18 (tamariki and rangatahi) at most risk of missing out or being less active.

Tū Manawa replaces and improves on Sport NZ’s existing Kiwisport Regional Partnership Fund and now has double the funding available - $68 million over four years, of which half is from the $265 million Sport Recovery Package.

Where Kiwisport only focused on organised sport, Tū Manawa will also fund play and active recreation. It also has a distinct assessment process for Kaupapa Māori organisations.

Announcing that the fund is now open, Sport New Zealand Chief Executive, Peter Miskimmin advised “we really want Tū Manawa to make difference for those missing out, and that means ensuring this funding is supporting programmes and projects operating in local communities, based on the needs of those communities.

“In the first year we have placed special emphasis on those whose physical activity levels have been impacted most by COVID-19, which we know from our research are girls and young women, disabled people, those in higher deprivation communities and a slightly higher age bracket of young women aged 19 to 24.”

To ensure it reaches these groups, Sport NZ is partnering with the county’s network of 14 Regional Sports Trusts to manage and distribute Tū Manawa, and has allocated funding to them based on both population and deprivation modelling.

The priority groups and funding modelling will be reviewed before 30th June 2021 to help inform the second year of investment.

Tū Manawa is available for both new and existing programmes and projects, and funding will be provided for up to 12 months.

Applications can be made through the Regional Sports Trusts.

A list of these, together with funding criteria and application details, is available at sportnz.org.nz/tū_manawa.