Love Wānaka Funding Information

Love Wānaka provides an opportunity for locals, visitors and businesses to come together and support our communities’ efforts to protect and preserve our natural environment (te taiao), the treasures (taonga) it holds, and the people who call it home (our whanau).

Love Wānaka raises funds to support local environmental action.

Each year, funds are available on an annual, contestable basis to local charitable organisations who work in the climate, conservation, and biodiversity spaces and who deliver tangible benefits for the environment – now and into the future. 

This year, organisations can apply for funding between $5,000 – $10,000.

An independent distribution committee oversees the allocation of charitable funds, assessing all applications and making recommendations to the 45South Community Foundation (our charitable partner) to allocate funding on behalf of Love Wānaka.

The Community Foundation provides oversight and input into all funding decisions to ensure charitable intent is upheld across the grants process.

Organisations can apply for funding to support one of the following:

• Programme costs
  A component of the broader work provided by an organisation, generally with a specific, targeted impact.
• Project costs
  Time-bound, one-off activities that have a clear budget and deliverables.
• Operational costs
  The core costs associated with the ongoing operations of an organisation, programme, or initiative.
• Social enterprise models
  A commercial venture, established by a charitable organisation, to support its mission and move the organisation toward financial sustainability. Funds can be used for the associated operational costs but are not to be taken for private benefit.

To be eligible for funding, organisations must meet the below criteria:

• Local benefit
  Love Wānaka exclusively serves the Lake Wānaka region, bound by the Haast Pass in the North and the Cardrona Saddle in the South, including Hāwea, Luggate, Albert Town, Cardrona and Makarora. Funded projects or organisations must create benefit within this geographical area.
• Charitable registration
  To be eligible for funding, you must apply on behalf of a registered charitable entity and demonstrate both charitable intent and public benefit. Funding cannot be used to further the private financial interest of individuals or other non-charitable organisations.
• Environmental impact
  To be eligible for funding, your organisation or initiative must demonstrate how it will benefit the environment. This includes, but is not limited to: native revegetation efforts, biodiversity enhancement projects, pest and wilding control, waterway protection, waste minimisation efforts, and more.

To be successful you must also demonstrate long-term impact; opportunities for collaboration or complimentary benefit; and alignment with Love Wānaka’s strategic objectives, inclusive of visitor behaviour change, regenerative travel practice, and opportunities for hands-on participation.

Since 2023, we’ve allocated over $70,000 to high-impact initiatives throughout our region. 

2025 Impact Grant Recipients

• Te Kākano Aotearoa | Native Planting Efforts – $10,515
• Plastic Free Wānaka | SUCFree Campaign – $10,000
• Planetary Accounting Network | Planetary Facts for Non-Profits – $9,890
• WAI Wānaka | Summer on the Lake, Freshwater Action Campaign – $4,959
• Upper Clutha Tracks Trust | Native Planting Programme – $2,500
• Friends of Bullock Creek | Wetland Restoration – $800
• Learn more about our 2025 recipients here +

2024 Impact Grant Recipients

• Upper Clutha Wilding Tree Group | Wilding Control Efforts – $10,000
• Te Kākano Aotearoa | Native Planting Programme – $10,000
• Wai Wānaka | Our Drains are Streams Project – $7,920
• Wānaka Backyard Trapping | Predator Control – $7,500
• Learn more about our 2024 recipients here +

Our next grants round opens for applications from July 14 – August 6, 2026.

Applications will be assessed by our independent distribution committee, with support from our partners at the 45South Community Foundation.

Applicants will be notified in September.

Sign up for our newsletter below to be the first to know when applications are live, or contact our team to discuss an application in advance.