Event Support Fund

The maximum grant is $15,000 +GST however the majority of grants are $5,000 +GST per event.

$130,000 +GST

For events occurring between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024. When the fund allocation is exhausted we will update this webpage.

Please note that portions of these funds may be redistributed between the five funds from time to time, to manage current and/or future event investment demand

Applications will be considered on a quarterly basis (i.e. every three months) until the funds are exhausted. Please follow the funding timeline below:

Due to updates to our events strategy we are currently not considering multi-year funding applications but a sinking lid policy does apply to applications to our Event Support Fund.

Sinking Lid Policy

• Year 1 – maximum support as per funding decision (e.g. Annual event year 1: $10,000 +GST )
• Year 2 – eligible for maximum of 75% of year one funding (e.g. Annual event year 2: $7,500 +GST)
• Year 3 – eligible for maximum of 50% of year one funding (e.g. Annual event year 3:  $5,000 +GST)

At the end of the maximum three year funding period an equivalent stand-down period will apply before you can submit another funding application. For example, a three-year period of funding, followed by three years not eligible to apply.

Check out our values and priorities and also make sure that your event isn’t in the list of events we don’t fund.

No, you don’t need to provide quotes with your application, however you will need to provide a high-level budget which you’ll upload within your application form. You can either use your existing budget or our event budget template.

Budget template to download (14kb xlsx)

A decision-making panel of a minimum of three officers from Tauranga City Council.

If your application is successful, we will email you to confirm your grant. Applicants will need to sign their application to formalise our funding support and agree additional deliverables and benefits for council if required (e.g. operational planning deadlines, event tickets etc). 

If your event is held on public open space, you will also likely be required to work with our event facilitation team for an event approval. Read our resources to assist you with running an event on public open spaces. 

If your application is unsuccessful you will be advised of the outcome, along with reasoning why this decision was made.

In the financial year that the event occurs, our year runs from 1 July through to 30 June the following year. 50% of the funding granted will be released prior to the event and 50% after submitting a post-event evaluation report (to the satisfaction of Event Development staff).

If you have already received funding from us for an event, you must submit a post-event evaluation report (to the satisfaction of Event Development staff) before another application will be considered. The report will include attendance and audience demographics, audience feedback, key learnings, how the event delivered against the relevant values and priorities, benefits to Tauranga, media coverage and the final profit and loss summary.

The Event Development team at Tauranga City Council – eventfunding@tauranga.govt.nz or (07) 577 7000.

Where your event is cancelled and the financial position of your event has been negatively affected by that cancellation, you may submit a written request to us to retain all or part of your event grant. You will need to address the following matters in your request to us.

1. The reason for the event cancellation (with supporting evidence).
2. The date the decision was made to cancel the event and who made that decision.
3. Whether you have event insurance and how this impacts your financial situation.
4. Whether you have investigated alternative ways for proceeding with the event (e.g. postponement, operational changes, online format etc).
5. How the event has been financially impacted by the cancellation. Please submit a profit and loss statement and detail what steps have been taken to mitigate costs.
6. What assistance (if any) other funding partners and sponsors are providing to support the cancellation of your event.
7. Whether you are seeking to retain all or part of your event grant. Please specify the amount you would like to retain.

Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis and all decisions will be at our sole discretion. Please allow a minimum 10 business day turn around for decisions.

For more information, or to submit your request, please email the Event Development team on: eventfunding@tauranga.govt.nz.