Are you eligible?
What we won't support
The application process
If your application is successful
You're ready to apply
Eligibility criteria
- Applications to the under $2000 Waste Minimisation Seed Fund are accepted from individuals, community groups and organisations. Applications to the over $2000 fund must be from legally constituted community groups (or community groups under an umbrella agreement) or organisations. This might include businesses, iwi/Māori organisations, early childhood centres, schools, tertiary organisations and other community-based organisations operating in the Wellington City Council area.
- The applicant should provide evidence of sound financial management, good employment practice, clear and detailed planning, clear performance measures, and reporting processes.
- Projects must result in new waste minimisation activity, either by implementing new initiatives, or expansion in the scope or coverage of existing activities.
- Projects must promote or achieve waste minimisation, this covers the reduction of waste, and the reuse and recycling and the recovery of materials or energy for further use or processing.
- The scope of the fund includes educational projects that promote waste minimisation activity only, but not general environmental education programmes.
- Projects will be for a discrete funding timeframe of one year, after which the project objectives should have been achieved and, where appropriate, the initiative has become self-funding.
- Funding can be used for operational or capital expenditure that is required to undertake a project.
- Projects should be Wellington-based and mainly benefits the people of Wellington.
- The project should show evidence of community support, collaboration, and building partnerships with other organisations (eg social media and crowd funding, letters of support from other organisations/leaders). This should also include contribution to the project either in cash or in kind, particularly for larger scale projects requesting grants over $2,000.
- The Council respects mana whenua values and aspirations for the environment, projects should reflect an understanding of Wellington’s history, how to care for the land and resources and an understanding of wāhi tapu.
- Projects requiring more than $10,000 need to refer to Waste Minimisation grants over $10,000.
What we won’t support
- Projects that focus on waste disposal or on the treatment of waste/s for disposal/clean-ups (with the exemption of marine waste clean-ups as an activity when attached to a community education initiative/programme).
- Funding is not for the ongoing financial support of existing activities or for running costs of the existing activities of organisations, individuals or businesses.
- Projects that are inconsistent with Wellington City Council’s Waste Management and Minimisation Plan and funding outcome areas.
- Projects that do not involve waste generated from within the Wellington City Council area.
- Retrospective projects where the funding sought is for work already completed or to service debt.
- Activities which duplicate other demonstration projects or pilot studies.
The application process
The Waste Minimisation team may ask you for more information when they assess fund applications. We aim to complete all assessments within 1 to 2 weeks of the fund closing date.
For grants $2000 and under
For grants $2000 and under a Council Officer panel will consider applications at the end of each month during the opening period and will respond by the third week of the following month.
For grants over $2000
- For grants over $2000 Council Officers will recommend funding to the Grants Subcommittee.
- For larger projects (over $10,000) need to attach extra information to their online application through the funding portal, please check Waste Minimisation grants over $10,000 for more information.
- The Grants Subcommittee meets and reviews the results about 4 to 6 weeks after the fund closing date.
- We advise you of the Committee's decision by email within1 week of the Committee meeting.
If your application is successful
- If you have been allocated funding, you are asked to log back into the funding portal to read the terms and conditions. You accept the funding by agreeing to the terms.
- You need to complete the funding agreement within 14 days of receiving the email, or contact the Funding Team to discuss your situation.
You’re ready to apply
Go to Funding Portal