Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa

Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa provides funding for programmes or projects delivering play, active recreation, and sport experiences for tamariki and rangatahi. These may be new or already operating.

Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa is a partnership between Sport NZ and Regional Sports Trusts. We welcome applications from a wide range of organisations that provide play, active recreation and sport opportunities for tamariki and rangatahi, particularly:   

Children and young people in higher deprivation communities
Girls and young women (5-18)
Disabled children and young people (5-18 and those in schools up to 21 years old)

We are committed to ensuring there is an equitable distribution of funds in the Whanganui, Ruapehu and Rangitīkei region to allow tamariki and rangatahi access to play, active recreation and sport opportunities.

The next Tū Manawa round closes on 31 January 2025, for projects up to $10,000 (Fast Fund).

View latest Tū Manawa recipients

Read about some of the projects we have funded:

Whanganui Surf Lifesaving Club

Whanganui Toy Library

Who can apply?

We welcome applications from a wide range of groups and organisations. If you want to apply but do not have legal status, we recommend partnering with a (qualifying) legal entity.

Examples of who can apply:

Hapū, Iwi, Marae, Māori organisations
Primary/Intermediate/Secondary schools/Kura/Wharekura
Tertiary Education/Whare Wānanga
Charitable trusts and  incorporated societies
Regional or local councils
For-profit businesses/commercial organisations and social enterprises

For activity in a school setting applications must be submitted by the school/kura.

Examples of who can’t apply:

National organisations that receive Partnership Investment from Sport NZ.
Government agencies and their regional branches (e.g. Ministry of Health, Oranga Tamariki)
Early Learning Services
Professional or semi-professional sports teams and organisations
Individuals

How much can I apply for?

Fast Fund applications: up to a maximum of $10,000, for small to medium sized projects. There are four funding rounds each year.

Full Fund applications: for larger scale projects up to $40,000. There are two funding rounds each year for the full fund, and applications are assessed by an external panel.

Please note your application must be for a programme or project for up to a maximum of 12 months (i.e. you can’t apply for costs past a 12 month delivery period).

When can I apply?

Closing dates for each round are listed in table below:

Fast Fund (up to $10K)	Full Fund (up to $40K)
31 January	28 February
30 April	31 August
31 July
31 October

All applicants must contact Sport Whanganui to access an application form.

What can be funded?

This is an activation fund and it is intended to help cover programme or service delivery costs. We would love to see examples of innovative approaches to engaging our priority groups in quality experiences that meet their needs. 

This includes costs of: 

Project or programme delivery (e.g. venue or equipment hire, transport to event)
Equipment (as part of a project or programme)
Officials, where these are required for the delivery of the opportunity (as part of a project or programme)
Support for volunteers or activity delivery staff
Costs associated with developing and promoting your activity

Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa Community Guidelines (PDF – 366KB)

Kaupapa Māori projects

We are interested to learn more about kaupapa Māori projects, and how potential projects will be delivered within a kaupapa Māori context. If you consider your project as being delivered within a kaupapa Māori context we will prompt you for more information in line with Te Whetū Rehua, a framework based on five key values important for Māori cultural and social development.

Download a PDF of Te Whetu Rehua (PDF – 2MB)

The tool has been developed with Māori community sport and recreation providers, and supports Māori being able to participate as Māori, recognising that a strong and secure cultural identity helps facilitate access to wider society, as well as being vital to wellbeing as indigenous New Zealanders.

How do I apply?

All applicants must first have a conversation with our Tū Manawa Lead prior to receiving a link to apply. Please call Sport Whanganui on 06 349 2300 for advice about your application, and to access a link to the online application form.

Check out our tipsheet below for some useful advice about what you need to consider when completing your application.

Applying for Funding – Tū Manawa tipsheet (PDF – 3MB)