Community funding

The funding process and reporting requirements are different for each fund. 

View application process and reporting requirements.

Multi-year funding for Strengthening Communities Fund 2026/27

Multi-year funding will not be offered through the 2026/27 Strengthening Communities Fund. At this time, the fund will provide one-year grants only. This approach allows us to make funding decisions responsibly and ensures that we can honour the commitments we make to community organisations within the fund’s available resources.

Board/committee resolutions are now needed 

All applications for Community Funding need to be supported by a resolution signed by two board members [DOCX, 19 KB].  This means at a meeting prior to applying for funding, you need to formally pass a resolution to apply for funding for the item/project/activity that you want supported.  It must be signed and uploaded when you apply.

New umbrella agreements

To support grassroots community work, informal groups are able to work with a Charitable Trust in an umbrella arrangement. A process has been developed to provide clarity to all parties concerned.

Umbrella process:

1. Must disclose that the project is umbrellaed in the application. 
2. An agreement between the group and the umbrella organisation [PDF, 79 KB] must be completed and attached to the application. 
3. If money is granted, Council and the other two parties sign a three-way agreement outlining the respective roles and responsibilities.

In addition:

• The criteria specific to the fund must be met by the project applicant (the informal group).
• The umbrella organisation must have charitable status.