Once you’ve confirmed your eligibility:
- Use the funding guide and checklist to work through each step of the application process.
Waitaha Action to Impact Fund
What funding is available and who can apply
The Waitaha Action to Impact Fund (WAI Fund) supports community-led projects across Waitaha Canterbury that empower people to take action, build capacity, and deliver tangible outcomes.
The following information outlines the types of projects the Waitaha Action to Impact Fund supports.
Available funding for projects
For 2026/27 $400,000 is available.
Council allocated an extra $100,000 for 2026/27 (increasing the total amount from $300,000 to $400,000) specifically for on-the-ground biodiversity projects from across the region.
You can apply for a minimum of $5,000, with a maximum of $30,000 per application. Funding is restricted to the 2026/27 financial year and cannot be used to support multi-year projects. We may not be able to fund the full amount that you have applied for.
Who can apply
- This fund is open to community groups, rūnanga, trusts, and non-profit organisations that want to make a positive difference in their local environment.
- Applicants must be a not-for-profit legal entity. If your group is not a legal entity, you may be able to partner with a community organisation that has legal status. Email communitygrants@ecan.govt.nz for more information.
- Joint projects are welcome. The lead organisation must be a legal entity and will be responsible for managing the funding, tracking spending, handling health and safety, and completing accountability reporting.
Note: This fund is not open to individuals, for profit businesses, educational institutions, or government agencies.
What we fund
Projects that:
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Align with our work as a regional council, which is organised into three core services:
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Environmental Regulation and Protection. Our focus is on air, soil, water, land and habitat protection, in particular freshwater and coastal habitats. This includes actions to protect and improve water quality, biodiversity and mahinga kai.
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Community Preparedness and Response to Hazards. We support the community to be prepared for, and able to respond to, hazards and changes in the natural environment.
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Public Transport. We provide bus and ferry services and support community vehicle trusts.
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Encourage community participation and build capacity and capability for community-led action to address local issues.
More information can be found in our plans and strategies, including our Climate Action Plan, and the outcomes identified in the Annual Plan).
Examples
- A community group restoring a local wetland
- A marae-led initiative improving local waterways
- An environmental non-profit organisation seeking funding to employ staff members
- A place-based group wanting to understand the impacts of a changing climate and plan for their future
See our funded projects page to view the projects that have been funded in previous years.
What we cannot fund
This fund is not open to:
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Individuals, for profit businesses, educational institutions, or government agencies
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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.
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Any project where the work does not align with at least one of our core services
Eligibility criteria
There are some key criteria you need to meet to be eligible for funding:
- Your community organisation must be a not-for-profit legal entity, such as an incorporated society or charitable trust.
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Your project must align with at least one of our core services as a regional council. See above under ‘What we fund’.
- Your project is seeking funding between $5,000 and $30,000.
- You must supply a minimum of 30 per cent of the total project costs; this may come from other funding sources or equivalent in-kind contributions, such as volunteer hours.
- You must submit your project budget using the template (Excel file, 64.7KB) we supply and ensure you clearly state what you will spend the fund contribution on if your application is successful. If you don't have access to Microsoft Excel, please see the Budget advice on our funding guide page for an alternative option.
Assessing your application
The decision panel will assess applications using the following criteria:
| Criteria | What do we mean by this? |
|---|---|
| The significance of the problem or opportunity | What is the problem or opportunity the project will address, and why does it matter? We’ll consider its importance and urgency, including the scale of the issue, who or what is affected, any relevant cultural significance, how strongly it aligns with the relevant fund, and the consequences of taking no action. |
| Expected impact of the project | What will the project achieve, and how much difference will it make? We’ll consider the scale and significance of the expected environmental and other benefits, how long they are likely to last and, where relevant, whether they will create lasting changes in behaviour, practices or participation. |
| Value for money | Why does the project represent good value for the funding requested? We’ll consider whether the budget is clear and realistic, what the project will achieve for the money invested, and any other funding or in-kind contributions supporting the project. |
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Project management, including leadership and financial oversight |
How will the project be planned, managed and delivered successfully? We’ll consider whether there is a clear and realistic plan, including activities, timeframes, responsibilities and budget, as well as whether the project has the leadership, skills and experience needed to deliver it and manage any risks or challenges. |
| The extent to which the community is likely to be engaged | Community engagement can take different forms. A project may involve a small number of people but be highly important locally, or engage many people and build wider awareness. We’ll consider how the project responds to community needs, who will be involved, and the partnerships supporting it, including rūnanga or mana whenua where relevant. Please also tell us how the project will build participation, awareness, capability or ongoing involvement, and whether children or young people will be involved or benefit. |
Next steps - getting started and applying for funding
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