Funding

Sport New Zealand funding for programmes or projects delivering play, active recreation and sport experiences for tamariki and rangatahi. These may be new or already operating.

Why? Research shows some groups are more at risk of low levels of physical activity because they face barriers to being active. The groups include:

• Young people who experience high deprivation
• Young people with disabilities (aged 5-18)
• Young women aged 19-24

Programmes or projects that reach these groups will be prioritised for funding.

Applications for both the Major and Fast Funds will reopen Monday, 28 July 2025.

Learn more: Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa

Funding to help your athletic career. Find scholarship opportunities from the BayTrust and Acorn Foundation.

Christine Tustain Sports Award

This award is to recognise the sporting talent found within the Western Bay of Plenty amongst our junior athletes and is designed to assist high achieving young athletes with further development and/or pathways to achieve their goals in international competitions.

Applications for the Acorn Foundation Christine Tustain Sports Award have now closed.

The Mickell Scholarship

The Mickell Scholarship was established following a bequest from John Mickell to BayTrust. Its purpose is to support athletes and teams in the Bay of Plenty by providing financial assistance for travel to regional, national, and international competitions.

Next round: Opens 11 August – Closes 12 September; Results TBC

Funding Structure & Eligibility

The scholarship is open to young athletes (aged 16-23) and teams competing to represent the Bay of Plenty. Applicants must be endorsed by their Regional or National Sporting Organisation (RSO/NSO) and meet specific residency and geographical criteria.

Scholarship Values

Individual Athletes: Up to $750 per scholarship

Teams: Up to $1,250 per scholarship
Each region (Eastern, Central, Western Bay of Plenty) has a total pool of $3,000 for individuals and $5,000 for teams.

Eligible Costs

• Vehicle hire
• Fuel and transport costs
• Airfares

Note: Uniforms, food, accommodation, and volunteer costs are not eligible for funding.

How to Apply

Check back in June 2025 when the scholarship opens.

Acorn Foundation Athlete Scholarships 2024/2025

Sport Bay of Plenty is proud to partner with the Acorn Foundation to recognise the sporting talent of our junior athletes found in the Western Bay of Plenty. The scholarships are designed to assist high achieving athletes in their development and international competition.

BayTrust Coaching Scholarships 2024/2025

Sport Bay of Plenty is proud to partner with BayTrust to several scholarships to the community in the Bay of Plenty.

Applications for all scholarships are currently closed.

BayTrust Performance Coach Scholarship

Coaches who have worked at international or national levels between January and December 2024 are eligible to apply for a $3000 scholarship donated from BayTrust, which can be used for coaching-related expenses

BayTrust Emerging or Rangatahi Coach Scholarship

New or young coaches, aged 12-20 and/or those with 1-3 years of coaching experience, can apply for a $500 scholarship from BayTrust to support development opportunities and related expenses between January and December 2024.

BayTrust Coach Development Scholarship

A scholarship that recognises the coaching volunteers within the Bay of Plenty community. It is designed to assist coaches to further develop their skills ie: obtain a formal qualification. It’s envisaged that the development opportunity of the coach should have a significant impact on or be passed onto their respective communities past completion.

The Funding and Sponsorship market has become increasingly more difficult and funders and corporate sponsors are looking for a solid return on their investment. There is a huge amount of information available on the best approaches to secure funding. Some places to try:

• Generosity New Zealand is a service that requires a subscription but is available for free from your local library and other public locations. Check the website for further information.
• Sport New Zealand has a range of information available on their website.
• The iSport Foundation SPORTME TOO supports young people that are not engaged in playing sport because of the cost of participation.

Sport Bay of Plenty does not directly sponsor athletes or teams. To help, we have developed a resource to help guide sports and active recreation clubs in the right direction when it comes to choosing funders and preparing to submit your application.

We wish you all the best with your fundraising.