Its chairman, Murray Bolton, said he did not live on Waiheke but would not want to without the rescue helicopter service.
Out of 759 missions in 2011-12, about 45 per cent were to Waiheke and other Hauraki Gulf islands.
He said the trust had not looked to Auckland Council for a capital handout for the pad and instead the community stepped up.
This week, the trust will appeal to the body which allocates council rates money for amenities not to cut its annual grant for operating costs by $300,000 to $900,000 for 2013-14.
Mr Bolton said the cut meant having to raise the shortfall from public donations at a time when there was talk of "funding fatigue".
Waiheke Local Board chairman Faye Storer said the present landing site was at a privately owned airfield which could get fogbound and was further away for an ambulance to reach.
"The trust has taken the initiative on this. They have worked with the movers and the shakers in the community to raise money and have made the site licence application to the council."
Ms Storer said she and other local board members, Jo Holmes and Don McKenzie, would make their personal feelings on the funding cuts known to the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Board.
"I know a number of people who have been taken to hospital in the Westpac helicopter ... accidents, heart attacks, going into labour early ... the rescue work is important to the islands and it's increasing."
Local board member Mr McKenzie said the allocation was neither adequate nor sustainable and offered no surety of service to residents.
He said Waiheke's 8500 permanent residents and Rakino Island's 90 property owners relied on the helicopter for emergency transfer services to Auckland.
Rescue flights
Helicopter flights to islands 2011-2012
* Waiheke Island 265 (256 previous year)
* Great Barrier Island 46 (44).
* Other Gulf islands 23 (21)
* Total Auckland missions 759 (701).
