Auckland Council is reviewing how it distributes millions of dollars in community grants, with iwi, local boards and community organisations being asked to help shape what comes next.
The council’s Community Grants Policy has been in place since 2014 and currently guides 11 regionally distributed grant programmes and 21 programmes administered through local boards. Around $25 million was distributed through the programmes in 2023/24.
Policy, Planning and Development Committee chair Councillor Richard Hills says the decade-old policy needs to be tested against Auckland’s changing communities and future needs, while ensuring funding remains fair and delivers value for ratepayers.
Council grants currently support a wide range of kaupapa, including community gardens, environmental restoration, arts and cultural programmes, community events, sports facilities, initiatives supporting migrant communities and projects aimed at strengthening wellbeing and social resilience.
For Māori organisations, marae and kaupapa Māori providers across Tāmaki Makaurau, the review will be worth watching closely. Iwi are specifically included among those whose feedback will inform the review, alongside local boards and the wider community.
Community Committee chair Councillor Julie Fairey says feedback is being sought not only from organisations that have successfully received council grants, but also from those that have previously applied and missed out.
Community groups will be able to have their say through a survey during September and regional workshops in October 2026. The feedback will then help develop options for a revised grants policy, which will return to the council’s Policy, Planning and Development Committee for consideration.
With $25 million in community funding in the frame, the review could have significant implications for how Auckland supports grassroots organisations and local kaupapa in the years ahead.
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