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ABOUT THE FUND

For the funding year: 1 July 2024 - 30 June 2025

If your event is held between

We recommend applying to

Opens

Closes

Decision Released By

April - June 2025

Round 5

21 November 2024

20 February 2025

20 March 2025

To be eligible to apply, your event must occur within the allocated funding year and not before the decision date of the round you are applying to. If your event occurs within 3 weeks of the decision date, your event is unlikely to be funded.

The funding rounds 1 - 4 for this funding year have now closed. Round 5 is still open for the 2024 - 2025 funding year.

Please see the table below for information about our next funding year and the relevant dates for your next event. 

For the funding year: 1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026

If your event is held
between

We recommend  
applying to

Opens

Closes

Decision
Released By

June - September 2025

Round 1

21 February 2025 

15 April 2025

27 May 2025

October - December 2025

Round 2

16 April 2025

15 July 2025

20 August 2025

January - March 2026

Round 3

16 July 2025

5 October 2025

20 November 2025

March - June 2026

Round 4

5 October 2025

9 February 2026

20 March 2026

The events we fund must:

  • Be community-driven events that enrich our communities through active participation and inclusion.

  • Align with our event funding values and at least one of our priorities.

We prioritise events that:

  • Are accessible for the community - free or low-cost entry.

  • Are open for all community members to attend.

  • Encourage participation and have widespread appeal within the community.

  • Support a varied community event portfolio. 

  • Are standalone events or a series of standalone events.

  • Highlight events of cultural and historical significance. This includes Matariki events - please click here for guidelines.

  • Engage local volunteers and help develop Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty’s volunteer workforce.

  • Secure a range of income streams through other funding sources.

We don't fund events that:

  • Are run by individuals. We will only grant funding to a legal entity/organisation. Informal groups can apply for up to $2,000 per event umbrellaed by a legal entity.

  • Are commercial ventures seeking significant profit.

  • Take place prior to an event funding decision being made.

  • Are primarily political, protests or for the purpose of religious persuasion.

  • Are primarily for the purpose of fundraising or may transfer funds to another party.

  • Are primarily focused on alcohol or gambling.

  • Are private functions, meetings, conventions, etc. Private is defined as any event where the general public aren't able to attend or purchase tickets.

  • Are markets, stand-alone installations, or exhibitions.

  • Are for research, feasibility, or evaluation of events outside of the event itself.

  • Are regular seasonal club competitions. 

  • Require the funding to support the repayment of debt.

  • Support business as usual operations, general salaries, rents, or other overhead costs, except as a proportion of the total event costs.

  • Support repairs/maintenance and capex projects outside of an event itself.

  • Occur outside of Tauranga City Council or Western Bay of Plenty District Council boundaries.

Our funding expectations:

  • Deliver your event based on the information supplied in your application.

  • Credit the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund, where reasonably practical, on any promotional material.

  • Provide a post-event report within four weeks of the event that includes the following:

    • estimated attendance;

    • audience demographics;

    • general audience feedback or survey results;

    • significant learnings or successes;

    • an evaluation on how the event delivered on the event funding values (safety, inclusivity, and environmental);

    • an evaluation on how the event delivered on the event funding priorities (Arts & Culture, Communities of Need, Kaupapa Māori, Healthy & Accessible Communities, Priority Places & Spaces or Sport & Active Leisure);

    • a marketing and media summary (e.g. links to news articles, website traffic data, etc.);

    • a collection of high-resolution images from the event; and

    • a profit and loss report (with a final income and expenditure budget).

Funding Partners: