36 Otago Community Organisations Secure $926,085 Funding for Environmental, Cultural, and Social Projects
11 Jun 2025
Otago Community Trust is pleased to announce that 36 community organisations across the Otago region have been awarded funding totalling $926,085. Delivering projects that will strengthen local communities and protect the natural environment, the range of initiatives spans environmental conservation, cultural celebrations, recreational infrastructure, and vital services.
Environmental Restoration Underway at Mihiwaka-Kāpukataumahaka/Mount Cargill
The Mihiwaka-Kāpukataumahaka/Mount Cargill Habitat Restoration project was awarded $40,000 to help protect and restore 2,300 hectares of forest and shrubland. The ambitious conservation effort will create a vital green corridor connecting Orokonui Ecosanctuary, the Silverpeaks, and inner Ōtepoti/Dunedin City, providing habitat for native fauna.
The restoration team will tackle invasive weed species identified in the Regional Pest Management Plan, control established wilding pine populations, and manage browsing animals including goats, deer, and pigs that damage native understory vegetation. In targeted high-value conservation sites, the project aims to establish native plant communities reflecting the area's pre-European composition and reintroduce threatened endemic plant species naturally found in the region.
Strengthening Māori Culture and Language Across the Region
He Waka Kōtuia Trust will use a $50,000 boost to deliver comprehensive Māori cultural and youth development programs across Otago-Southland. Among many other initiatives, they will host Te Hautoka, the region's premiere secondary school kapa haka competition showcasing excellence in Māori culture, language, composition and Māori performing arts.
Theatre and Festival Groups Bolster Otago’s Vibrant Arts Landscape
Lines of Flight will be back in October with their three day festival of experimental music and film in Ōtepoti/Dunedin, while East Otago Musical Theatre will present Mamma Mia at the East Otago Events Centre in June.
Other arts organisations that received funding include The Indian Ink Trust to bring their acclaimed production Paradise or the Impermanence of Ice Cream to The Regent Theatre, the newly formed Onstage Wānaka Society will stage Willy Russell's musical Blood Brothers in August, and the NZ Mountain Film & Book Festival will bring adventurers to Wānaka, Cromwell and Queenstown for 10 days of speakers, workshops, books and film.
Communities Transform Recreation and Play Spaces
The Kākā Point Playground Working Group, partnering with the Clutha District Council, will redevelop the aging waterfront playground with $120,000 in funding. The comprehensive project will transform the current facility into a vibrant, destination play space designed for tamariki and whānau, creating a safe, engaging, and inclusive environment that celebrates the area's distinctive coastal character and cultural heritage.
“The redevelopment will not only reflect the unique natural and cultural identity of our area but also strengthen community connections, promote physical activity, and provide a safe, stimulating environment for our tamariki” said Bronwyn Maguire, Grants Co-ordinator. “As more families make Kākā Point their home and visitor numbers grow, this new playground will become a true community hub”.
And the Millers Flat community, through Teviot Prospects, received $150,000 to assist with the costs of rejuvenating the existing Central Otago District Council reserve. The project will transform underutilised facilities into a modern, integrated sport, social, and recreation hub serving Millers Flat, Ettrick and the wider Teviot Valley community.
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Otago Community Trust Grants, May 2025 |
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Alexandra |
Central Otago Rural Education Activities Programme (REAP) |
$12,500.00 |
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Balclutha |
Kākā Point Community Group Inc |
$120,000.00 |
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The Samoan Congregational Christian Church Trust Board (Balclutha) |
$3,000.00 |
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Dunedin |
The Landscape Connections Trust |
$40,000.00 |
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East Otago Musical Theatre Inc |
$5,300.00 |
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Macandrew Bay Playcentre |
$15,000.00 |
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Dunedin Group Riding for the Disabled Assn Inc |
$20,000.00 |
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Dunedin Pakistan Society Inc |
$10,000.00 |
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Metonymic Trust |
$2,785.00 |
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Pregnancy Help Inc Dunedin Branch |
$9,000.00 |
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St Clair Golf Club Inc |
$20,000.00 |
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Pukehiki Hall Soc Inc |
$20,000.00 |
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Little Sisters of the Poor Trust board Limited |
$144,000.00 |
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Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival |
$16,600.00 |
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Hearing Association Dunedin Branch Inc |
$5,000.00 |
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He Waka Kōtuia Trust |
$50,000.00 |
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Otago Medical Research Foundation Inc |
$70,000.00 |
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Dunedin Friend-Link Trust |
$5,500.00 |
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Dunedin Secondary Schools Partnership Charitable Trust |
$5,000.00 |
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Waikouaiti Riding for Disabled |
$10,000.00 |
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Samoan Advisory Council |
$4,000.00 |
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St Brigids School |
$2,200.00 |
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Indian Ink Trust |
$5,500.00 |
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Mosgiel |
Taieri Musical Society Inc |
$25,000.00 |
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Ōamaru |
North Otago Recreational Turf Trust |
$20,000.00 |
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Otago |
Dunedin Clay Target Club Inc |
$10,000.00 |
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The Order of St John South Island Region Trust Board |
$50,000.00 |
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Presbyterian Support Northern T/A Lifeline |
$10,000.00 |
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Otago Gang Show - Scout Assn of NZ |
$15,500.00 |
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Southern Ice Hockey League |
$2,000.00 |
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New Zealand Choral Federation Inc |
$4,000.00 |
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NZ Curling Assn Inc |
$4,200.00 |
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Roxburgh |
Teviot Prospects |
$150,000.00 |
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Wānaka |
NZ Mountain Film Festival Charitable Trust |
$5,000.00 |
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Onstage Wānaka Society Incorporated |
$15,000.00 |
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Wānaka Tennis Club Inc |
$20,000.00 |
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