Funding guide and checklist
Use this guide to prepare a clear, complete, and competitive application for community funding. It outlines what you need before starting your application, what the fund can support, how applications are assessed, and how to submit a strong project plan and budget.
Application checklist
Before you begin your application, make sure you have:
Charities Services, Incorporated Society registration, or NZBN number (if applicable)
Applicant’s contact details
Information showing your project meets the fund-specific eligibility criteria and aligns with the fund’s priorities
Project description and delivery plan
Project budget, including costs, funding sources, and in-kind contributions. Please refer to the fund-specific resource pack <<<link to doc>>>> for more information on this.
Project-specific health and safety plan
If your project takes place at specific locations, you will also need:
A map or grid reference for each location
Landowner permission, if the land is privately owned or requires access approval
What your grant can be used for
Funds may be used for:
Funds may be used for:
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Tangible goods (plants, building materials, etc)
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Services (project management, technical advice, education, etc)
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Community engagement (coordination, facilitation, etc)
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Capacity and capability (upskilling, salary, etc)
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Sponsorship/donation (events, awards, etc)
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Other on a case-by-case basis
Funds must not support:
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Organisations and/or initiatives that are primarily political in nature
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Any project that will exclusively result in private gain
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Any project that is a legal obligation or condition of a resource consent
Eligibility of work
- Funding is only available for work carried out after a funding agreement has been signed.
- Work that has already been completed, or work started before approval, is not eligible.
Previous recipients
- Groups that have received funding from us before are welcome to apply again, as are first-time applicants.
Documents you require for your application
Application form: All applicants must complete the online application form. You may attach additional PDF or Word documents to your application; however, the assessment panel will base their decisions primarily on the information entered directly into the form. If you require a paper copy of the form, please contact communitygrants@ecan.govt.nz.
Project budget: A detailed project budget is required. Please refer to the information provided below for guidance.
Project location: Applicants must include details of the project’s location. Further information can be found in the relevant fund’s resource pack.
Health and safety plan: Successful applicants will be required to submit a health and safety plan. This can be completed during the application stage, but it is only mandatory if your application is approved.
How to create a budget
The level of detail required depends on the amount of funding you are requesting:
- For projects under $15,000 (WAI Fund and CWMS Action Plan Fund), a simple project description, list of participants, summary of activities, and a basic budget is sufficient.
- For projects above $15,000 (all three contestable funds), provide more detail in line with our budget template.
Need help with your application?
We don’t currently have staff available to write applications, but the process has been designed to be straightforward.
When we receive your application, we’ll check it for completeness and let you know if any additional information is required.
If you're unsure which fund suits your project, email communitygrants@ecan.govt.nz — and if we think your application fits better elsewhere, we'll let you know.
If you have ideas for making the application process easier or have any questions, please email us at communitygrants@ecan.govt.nz. Someone will respond within five working days.
How applications are assessed
The funds are contestable, which means funding is competitive. Community groups, rūnanga, and other organisations apply, and applications are assessed against criteria to decide which projects will receive funding. A panel of our senior staff will assess applications.
Step 1: alignment with Council’s strategic priorities
The first step in assessing an application is to consider alignment with the Council’s strategic priorities.
We're an environmental regulator, responsible for managing the use of natural resources in Waitaha Canterbury, including air, soil, water and land.
We are also responsible for supporting the community to prepare for, and be able to respond to, natural and human-induced hazards and events, and for delivering an effective public transport system. Learn more about our Strategic Direction, outcomes, and plans and strategies, including our Climate Action Plan.
Step 2: assessing against agreed criteria
All eligible funding applications will then be assessed against each fund's specific criteria and the following criteria:
| Criteria | What do we mean by this? |
|---|---|
| The significance of the problem or opportunity | What is the issue the project will address and why does this matter? We’ll consider the urgency and scale of the issue/opportunity and what might happen if no action is taken. |
| Expected impact of the project | What do you think will be achieved, and how much of a difference will it make, including the scale of the impacts and how enduring they will be? We’re interested in short, medium and long-term impacts. |
| Value for money | Are the costs set out in the project budget reasonable? Is there potential for leveraging additional funding from other sources? Can we be confident that you will be able to meet all the project costs you have anticipated in your project budget? |
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Project management, including leadership and financial oversight |
Who will be involved in delivering the project and what experience do they bring? We will expect to see details of what you are planning to do and a budget, including a clear description of what the funding from Environment Canterbury will be spent on if you are successful. You should also demonstrate awareness of any health and safety requirements how they will be addressed. |
| The extent to which the community is likely to be engaged | Community engagement can take a variety of forms – it could be a project that is community-led/delivered that may not involve a lot of people but is very important to the local community, or it may be something that involves a lot of people and will help build awareness of local values. We want to support children and young people in the community by providing opportunities for them to engage with us about issues that matter to them and Canterbury's future, so please tell if young people are involved in your project. |
Step 3: ranking the applications
Applications will be ranked based on the criteria above and the ranking will guide the decision panel in allocating funding.
What happens after your funding is approved
Once your funding is approved, this section explains what happens next. Find out how and when you’ll be notified, how funding will be distributed, and what your responsibilities are, including reporting, health and safety, and acknowledging support. Use this as a quick guide to manage your grant successfully.
How and when you’ll hear from us
- We’ll acknowledge your application when it’s received and request any extra information needed.
- All applicants will be notified of the outcome by May 2026.
- Successful applicants will receive information on next steps, including how and when funding can be accessed.
Funding distribution for approved projects
- Funding is released no later than the end of May of the calendar year following the year applications are processed.
- Example: Projects approved for the 2025 fund will receive funding by May 2026.
Managing other funding sources
- If another funder supports the same work and you no longer need our funding, let us know as soon as possible so we can reallocate it.
- Funding cannot be transferred to a different project or activity without prior approval.
Expectations once you are funded
- You will sign a funding agreement outlining project commitments, milestones, and timeframes.
- You must acknowledge our support in relevant communications and materials.
- Reporting will be required, including how funds were used and what was achieved.
- Accountability requirements will be proportionate to the size of the grant.
- Templates and examples are available to support your reporting.
Public release of information
- We publish a list of successful applicants, their funding amounts, and a brief description of each project on our website and in quarterly and annual reporting.
Health and safety requirements
- Health and safety information is required for funding applications and a detailed plan will be required for successful applications.
- Health and safety workshops will be held during the application period to assist applicants who need more support.
- If there are significant risks, a site-specific safety plan must be approved before funding is released.
- Health and safety templates and support are available upon request.