Funding opens for regional sporting programmes in Whanganui, Rangitīkei, Ruapehu

Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa Fund is open for applications from April 1 to April 30. Photo / Bevan Conley

Sporting programmes and organisations in the Whanganui, Rangitīkei and Ruapehu regions can apply for $366,000 of funding available through Sport New Zealand.

Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa Fund is a partnership between Sport NZ and regional sports trusts, which aims to support programmes or projects that focus on play, active recreation and sport experiences for tamariki and rangatahi.

Funding applications opened on Thursday, with organisations able to apply until April 30.

Sport Whanganui sport and club partnership lead Aidan O'Connor said the funding had effectively replaced the former Kiwi Sport funding, with slightly different parameters.

"The fund is there to support new innovative sporting programmes to get off the ground."

There were also four other priority areas for the funding, O'Connor said.

"Children and young people in higher deprivation communities, girls and women aged 5 to 18, disabled children and young people and, due to Covid-19, an additional priority group of young women aged 19-24 has been added."

Sport Whanganui sport and club partnership lead Aidan O'Connor said the funding provides a great opportunity for innovative sporting projects to get off the ground. Photo / Supplied

O'Connor said while existing sports clubs, organisations and teams could apply for the funding, the basis of it was to support and foster new programmes designed around play, active recreation and sport.

He said they were particularly interested to hear more about kaupapa Māori projects, and how potential projects would be delivered within a kaupapa Māori context.

Using the framework of Te Whetū Rehua, O'Connor said Sport Whanganui was happy to help in any way with applications.

"Get in to contact with us and we can work through the process if there is anything you are unsure about."

For more information on the funding, visit https://sportwhanganui.co.nz/tu-manawa-active-aotearoa/ or contact Aidan O'Connor at aidan@sportwhanganui.co.nz.