Tauranga Women's Refuge has been gifted $45,000 to help staff take regular breaks and pay for the ''nuts and bolts'' of running a safe house for those fleeing domestic violence.
The grant has been given by BayTrust and was welcomed with open arms by refuge staff.
Manager Angie Warren-Clark said the "significant" new grant would help pay for operational costs and relieve some of the pressure of having to fundraise $120,000 a year to keep the organisation running.
"This funding certainly gives us some breathing space. It helps pay for the nuts and bolts - the power, the phone lines, the wages for my staff,'' she said.
''We can have up to 10 women and children in our safe house at any one time so you can imagine the amount of food and toilet paper we go through. It's not sexy but funding for operational costs is crucial and it's often difficult to find."
The money will also help pay for a new team of trained casual employees who now answer the refuge's 0800 crisis line at night to give refuge staff a much-needed break.
"We used to take it in turns to answer the crisis line in the evenings and weekends but now my staff can go home at night and actually have some rest."
Ms Warren-Clark said the refuge's seven staff members were all professionally trained and well supported to deal with the traumatising stories of abuse victims.