Applications are now open for the Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa Fund – and local organisations are encouraged to make the most of the opportunity to support more tamariki and rangatahi to get active.

Administered by Sport Otago on behalf of Sport New Zealand, Tū Manawa provides funding for new or existing initiatives that deliver quality play, active recreation and sport experiences, with a focus on young people who are less active or who face barriers to participation. 

Organisations that support play, active recreation, and sport can apply for up to $30,000.

They may include schools, sports clubs, charitable trusts, councils, iwi, hapū, marae, and community groups.

Sport Otago chief executive James Nation said he is hoping to see a strong uptake in this round of funding.

“We want to see projects that are shaped by the youth voice and reflect what they really want,” he said. 

“It’s about offering experiences that resonate with young people.”

Previous funding rounds have supported organisations including Kahu Youth Trust and Mint Charitable Trust.

The fund can help cover things like venue or equipment hire, transport to events or activities, essential programme equipment, delivery of staff wages, and officials required for delivery.

It won’t cover things like retrospective costs, representative team expenses, capital infrastructure, medals or giveaways, administration costs, or wages not directly related to project delivery.

Applications for this round are open now and will close on September 30, 2025. James encouraged interested organisations to get in touch.

“If you’ve got an idea but you’re not sure where to start, check out the guidelines on our website and get in touch with us early,” he said. 

“The Sport Central team is here to help make the process easier and your application stronger.”

Find more information here.

PHOTO: Wānaka App