What we fund
We fund organisations (legal entities) or individuals (within some specific funds) for projects and programmes that:
- fit with the eligibility and criteria of the specific fund
- primarily benefit Wellingtonians
- contribute to Council outcomes and priorities
- are taking place in the Wellington rate-paying area - this includes Tawa and Linden.
Projects in Petone, Porirua and the Hutt are out of zone for our funding, unless you can specifically show us how and what percentage of Wellington City residents will benefit from your project.
Our funding is funded by rates income. We also administer funds from other sources, this includes bequests and funding administered on behalf of other agencies (the Creative Communities Funding Scheme).
Our funding priorities
The Council's Long Term Plan sets the amount of funding available for community support through grants, as well as key outcomes and priorities that the Council will deliver on. These priorities reflect the Council's strategies, so your funding request should outline how the project would deliver on these.
The Council's Long-Term Plan (LTP) sets the funding available for community support through grants. The LTP sets out key outcomes and priorities that the Council will deliver on which reflect the Council's strategies. The 2021-31 Long Term Plan can be viewed here; Plans, policies and bylaws - Long-Term Plan 2021-31 - Wellington City Council
Specific strategies that are relevant to the Council funds are referenced within each funding page.
Our funding principles
These principles provide ‘high-level’ guidance for use across our Council funding programmes and allow the flexibility for the Pītau Pūmanawa / Grants subcommittee to respond to emerging needs and meet community outcomes alongside investment criteria and specific fund priorities.
These five key principles were developed through extensive consultation and engagement during the development of Aho Tini, the Strategy for Children and Young People and the Social Well-being Framework.
These principles are used to guide Council to achieve community outcomes across Council funding programmes, these are:
- We honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Council’s partnership with mana whenua and Māori in the outcomes we deliver
- We ensure the foundations are in place for everyone to realise their aspirations
- We work creatively and collaboratively with others for our diverse communities
- We invest to deliver measurable results across multiple outcomes (economic, social, environmental, cultural)
- We deliver outcomes to enhance the lives of current and future generations.