Major Event Fund

The maximum grant is $100,000 +GST per event.

$400,000 +GST for events occurring each financial year (1 July to 30 June). When the fund allocation is exhausted we will update this webpage.

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

Applications are evaluated three times a year, and the best approach is to apply early to ensure a decision is reached well in advance of your event date.

Yes, we will consider multi-year support for events that can demonstrate the benefits of long-term support.

Check that you meet the criteria above then contact the Event Development team at eventfunding@tauranga.govt.nz or (07) 577 7000. We will discuss your event and suitability to apply to the Major Event Fund.

You don’t need to provide quotes with your application, however you will need to provide a detailed budget and a draft marketing plan if available, which you’ll upload with your application in SmartyGrants.

An Event Funding Panel comprised of the General Manager: Community Services, General Manager: City Development & Partnerships, Manager: Venues & Events, Council subject matter expert(s) and General Manager, Tourism Bay of Plenty will consider your application. A copy of the Terms of Reference for this panel can be provided on request.

We use cost benefit analysis (CBA) to evaluate every application submitted. The main benefit of CBA is that it treats market and non-market costs and benefits equally, which means that social outcomes are given the same status as economic outcomes in the evaluation process (i.e. allowing a community festival to be evaluated in the same way as a major sports event). This is highly attractive for government agencies like our own, wanting to make investment decisions that are consistent, accurate and transparent.

If your application is successful, you will enter into a sponsorship agreement with us to formalise our funding support, associated event deliverables and benefits for council (e.g. operational planning deadlines, visitation targets etc.). Receipt of funding will be dependent on meeting the key performance indicators stated within the funding agreement.

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

Typically in the financial year that the event occurs, our year runs from 1 July through to 30 June of the following year.

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

Where your event is cancelled due to circumstance out of your control 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.