Dates
No fixed rounds: apply any time.
What it funds
- Operating costs including salaries and overheads
- Community projects, events, assets or programmes
- Participation in creative activities, heritage, culture and traditions for people facing barriers
- Tikanga Māori in arts, heritage and traditional tākaro
- Building projects over $100,000
What it will not fund
- Individuals
- Retrospective applications
- Commercial organisations or activities
- Benefit outside the funding regions
- Core curriculum delivery in schools
- Competitive, high performance or elite sports or arts activities (Kapa Haka events exempt)
- Land purchase
- Overseas travel
- Endowments
- Underwriting fund-raising
- Political parties
- Spiritual activity of religious organisations
- Debt retirement
- High-emission vehicles or machinery
Good to know
One grant per April to March year. Small unincorporated groups apply through an umbrella group. Elite sport and arts are not funded.
No closing dates; apply any time. Small Grants ($20,000 or less) decided in about ten weeks, Large Grants (over $20,000) in up to four months. One grant per April to March financial year.
Checklist
What Rātā Foundation says you need:
Common things funders ask for, worth having ready:
Ticks are saved on this device only.
Sources
What we relied on, in the funder's own words.
We don't have closing dates – you choose when to apply.
ratafoundation.org.nz/en/funding/how-we-fund/small-grants/ · read 15 October 2026There are no closing dates - you choose when to apply.
ratafoundation.org.nz/en/funding/how-we-fund/large-grants/ · read 15 October 2026Our Canterbury region includes Hurunui, Waimakariri, Selwyn and Christchurch City local authority areas.
ratafoundation.org.nz/en/funding/apply-for-funding/before-you-apply/frequently-asked-questions/ · read 15 October 2026Our Nelson region includes Nelson and Tasman local authority areas.
ratafoundation.org.nz/en/funding/apply-for-funding/before-you-apply/frequently-asked-questions/ · read 15 October 2026Our Marlborough region includes Marlborough and Kaikōura local authority areas.
ratafoundation.org.nz/en/funding/apply-for-funding/before-you-apply/frequently-asked-questions/ · read 15 October 2026Chatham Islands.
ratafoundation.org.nz/en/funding/apply-for-funding/before-you-apply/frequently-asked-questions/ · read 15 October 2026an incorporated society, association or organisation, which is not carried out for the purpose of providing profits or gains to any member or shareholder, and whose governing rules or constitution restrict any distribution of funds to any member or shareholder.
ratafoundation.org.nz/en/funding/apply-for-funding/before-you-apply/frequently-asked-questions/ · read 15 October 2026any entity registered under the Charities Act 2005.
ratafoundation.org.nz/en/funding/apply-for-funding/before-you-apply/frequently-asked-questions/ · read 15 October 2026improving wellbeing by ensuring people who face barriers to participation in creative activities, heritage, culture and traditions can engage and benefit
ratafoundation.org.nz/en/funding/what-we-fund/participate/ · read 15 October 2026Competitive, high performance or elite sports or arts activities. Kapa Haka events are not subject to this exclusion.
ratafoundation.org.nz/en/funding/apply-for-funding/before-you-apply/frequently-asked-questions/ · read 15 October 2026Our application process is online. If you want to make an application you will first need to be registered in our Fluxx Portal.
ratafoundation.org.nz/en/funding/apply-for-funding/before-you-apply/frequently-asked-questions/ · read 15 October 2026Two letters of support Your letters of support might be from a national or regional organisation, a governing body, an organisation that you are affiliated to or a community organisation or network.
ratafoundation.org.nz/en/funding/apply-for-funding/before-you-apply/frequently-asked-questions/ · read 15 October 2026
Report a mistake
Spot something wrong? Reporting opens when the site launches. Until then, check the funder's own page linked above.