More than a million dollars in grants were distributed to local charitable organisations in Central Lakes Trust’s (CT) latest funding round.

Local recipients include the Lake Hāwea Community Centre which received $22,813 for its tennis court surface upgrade and the Upper Clutha Tracks Trust which received $33,750 to upgrade the Gladstone Track.

Community Networks Wanaka received an operational grant of $90,000 and Challenge Wanaka received $20,336 for its junior triathlon. 

Other grant recipients included Queenstown-based LUMA Southern Light Project, which received a three-year multi grant, a first for the trust in supporting an event.

“Support over multiple years provides security to organisations in a time when that security can be lacking,” CLT CEO Susan Finlay said. 

“They have put together a plan to reduce reliance on our funding, and increase their sustainability, which is ultimately what we want organisations to achieve, a multiyear grant to assist them in this plan makes good sense.”

LUMA received $70K for 2022, $50K for 2023, and $30K for 2024.

Mana Tāhuna, an organisation which supports Māori across Queenstown Lakes, also received support of $23,333.

“The grant will give us some security moving forward while allowing us to further expand our outreach into Tāhuna and specifically surrounding areas to try and help whānau and rangatahi into employment and retraining services affected by Covid as well as into our other services,” chief executive Michael Rewi said.

Central Lakes Trust is the largest philanthropic trust per capita in the Southern Hemisphere. 

The trust’s purpose is to make a positive lasting contribution to the community by supporting charitable projects throughout Central Lakes; to enhance our community and the lives of the people within.

Since its inception in 2000 it has distributed more than $118m into a wide range of community projects and services throughout the Central Lakes area.

PHOTO: Supplied