Funders and Funding Opportunities

Auckland Council has partnered with Strategic Grants to provide community groups with free access to the Grants Expertise Management System – GEM Local. Strategic Grants supply GEM Local and update the grants information it contains.

By enrolling in GEM Local, community groups are provided with information about relevant grant opportunities, and best practice tools, tips, and training for grant preparation. The aim is to build their capacity and to increase their access to funding.

For more information :
Go to www.gemlocal.co.nz or email gemlocal@strategicgrants.co.nz

Ōrākei Local Board has two grants:

– Ōrākei Local Grant

Round Two
Opens: 12 January - 20 February 2026
Decisions Due: 16 April 2026
Activities to Start After: 01 May 2026

– Ōrākei Quick Response and Tree Protection Grant

Round One
Opens: 08 September - 03 October 2025
Decisions Due: 11 December 2025
Activities to Start After: 31 December 2025

Round Two
Opens: 30 March - 24 April 2026
Decisions Due: 18 June 2026
Activities to Start After:
01 July 2026

You can find out more here.

Auckland Council is investing big in community climate action with the launch of Te Ara Urutau – Climate and Emergency Ready Fund, offering more than $1million to help community organisations across Tāmaki Makaurau take bold, practical steps to tackle climate change and be emergency ready.

The fund supports projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, prepare for emergencies, and adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. It brings previous and new climate-related grants together into one streamlined process, making it easier for communities to access funding.

Councillor Richard Hills, Chair of Policy, Planning and Development Committee says community groups told Auckland Council they wanted a single, streamlined funding process to cut duplication and make applying easier.

Te Ara Urutau – Climate and Emergency Ready Fund delivers on that feedback.

“We know when organisations, local communities and volunteers can access grants to support their work, they’re able to turn good ideas into real solutions and, in this case, help make Tāmaki Makaurau more resilient and future focused as we face the ongoing impacts of climate change.

“By working together, we will keep the people and the places we love safe from climate disruption and be more emergency ready.”

Groups can apply for up to two funding streams

Through a single application, groups can apply for up to two of the following funding streams: 

Emergency Readiness Funding – Helping communities work together to get ready for natural disasters and extreme weather events. (Funding requests range from $5000 to $15,000)

Emissions Reduction Funding – Supporting community-led and Māori-led projects that cut carbon emissions and promote sustainable practices. (Funding requests range from $5000 to $15,000)

Climate Adaptation Planning and Implementation – Enabling community-led planning and action for challenges like flooding, sea-level rise, and drought. Community organisations may recognise parts of this as the Auckland Climate Grant. (Funding requests range from $5000 to $40,000, with additional available to implement plans)

Who can apply?

Applications are welcome from a wide range of groups committed to delivering positive outcomes for their communities. This includes community groups such as not-for-profit, charitable and voluntary organisations, mana whenua and Māori organisations, neighbourhood or resident groups, schools leading community projects, and business improvement districts, associations or social enterprises delivering projects with a community or public benefit.

Applications open 2 February 2026

Applications open 2 February 2026 and close 8 March 2026. Funding decisions will be announced before the end of May.

How to apply

For more information on how to apply, fund guidelines and the detailed application assessment criteria, please visit our website here

The Ōrākei Local Board Arts Broker Grants is a small fund designed to respond to local creative arts activities and ventures. We help support community art events, artist workshops, theatrical and musical productions, festivals, public artworks, development opportunities, weekly meet-ups, kapa haka, rangatahi and art projects. Grants generally range from between $500 - $2,500 (sometimes greater for exceptional events). Our aim is to invigorate local arts opportunities for people working and living across the Ōrākei region, enabling access and creating opportunities for anyone engaging with the arts, they may be professional or amateur artists. The arts benefit our communities in many ways; finding ways to think and act collectively, raising awareness of important issues, enabling participation with people from different backgrounds.

You can find out more online.

You can find a list of Auckland Council’s grants on the calendar.