The information below provides detailed information on specific donation policies adopted by the Otago Community Trust. If you have any questions regarding the below policies, please feel free to contact the Trust on 0800 10 12 40 or email: info@oct.org.nz
Assistance may be provided for the upgrades, extensions or refurbishment of community facilities, including community halls. Where new community facilities are anticipated the Trust will not consider an application until resource consent for the building has been applied for and received. Where a building is an Historic Places Trust, Category I or II listed building then the Trust will require a copy of the approved conservation plan.
The Trust will expect the applicant to be able to demonstrate that the facility will have significant community use and that alternative facilities are unsuitable or are not available or building is of significant historical significance.
Where upgrades, extensions or refurbishments are planned for buildings which are leased and/or are on leased land then the Trust will require that the lease has at least a 20-year term to run.
Where buildings have been constructed prior to 2004, the Trust will require a copy of the building’s structural performance assessment undertaken by a qualified structural engineer.
If the building has been assessed by a qualified structural engineer and is below the 34%, of New Building Standard (NBS) then the Trust will require details of what provision is being made to bring it up to minimum requirements. (If no plans are in place the application will not be considered).
The Trust does not accept applications solely for earthquake strengthening.
If you are applying to the Otago Community Trust for a capital project grant. We strongly advise you read our advice around Capital Projects
COMMUNITY HALLS
Assistance is offered for community halls principally on the basis that they are an important centre of community activity. The Trust recognises the need for care in ensuring assistance is not incompatible with local authority policy as it relates to the future usefulness of particular halls.
In considering assistance to halls, trustees will take account of:
Assistance may be provided to assist community organisations build skills, knowledge and confidence of staff and volunteers by supporting national and international conferences that are hosted locally.
The Trust recognises the benefits and opportunities of conferences held in Otago including:
The Trust’s contribution will be towards the direct costs of hosting a conference, for example venue hire, speakers, expenses etc. The conference should have relevance for the not for profit sector.
Assistance will not generally be provided for:
From time to time community organisations will be invited to apply to a contestable fund which the Trust may establish to contribute towards the cost of sending staff and volunteers to conferences that the Trust has identified are of benefit to the wider community.
Applicants must either be a registered Charity or an Incorporated Society and be licensed or certificated by the Ministry of Education.
Assistance may be provided for the following purposes:
All Schools must be registered as a state or integrated school.
Assistance may be provided for the following purposes:
The following purposes will not generally be considered:
Assistance may be offered to support:
In recognition of their size and diversity the Trust’s general rule of only one donation each year may be relaxed at the discretion of the Trustees. Each application will require the support of the Trust’s Tertiary liaison at the Institution concerned.
Assistance may be offered to:
The Event should offer some of the following:
Please Note: Applications for Events should reach the Trust at least three months prior to commencement or opening. Applications received later than three months may not be considered. Consideration also needs to be made of the Trusts close down period over December and January each year.
Assistance may be offered towards general maintenance and care of Cemeteries and Urupâ where control is vested in a properly constituted Trust established in terms of the Burial and Cremation Act 1964, or Te Ture Whenua Act 1993.
Assistance may only be offered to Cemeteries and Urupâ under the control a local authority towards the restoration or maintenance of graves, headstones, vaults etcwhich have historical or community significance.
Assistance may be offered to cover travel costs where travel forms an integral part of providing a service or activity, especially related to volunteers.
Assistance may be offered to organisations for the purchase of a passenger vehicle or a specially modified vehicle where a community need for such a purchase can be demonstrated.
The application would need to show that:
Ownership of the vehicle should be registered in the name of the applicant organisation.
Assistance may be provided to projects where there is a significant community of interest and the focus of the history relates to a locality or organisation within the Trust’s specified area.
Trustees will consider:
As a general policy, Trustees will not consider applications from organisations for rest home facilities, as these services, including meals on wheels, operate in a competitive environment;
Assistance may however be provided towards the cost of fitting out spaces that would be available for community use and may be provided towards the cost of capital items for rural rest home facilities.
Assistance may be provided to projects undertaken by service clubs where the project:
Where the project benefits an organisation able to apply to the Trust, then the Trust would expect that organisation to apply directly for funding.
Assistance may be offered to support the purchase of:
Note – These items should belong to the club or band, not to individuals.
The Trust will not generally support:
In recognition of their size and diversity the Trust’s general rule of only one donation each year may be relaxed at the discretion of the Trustees.
Assistance may be provided towards regionally significant tracks/trails projects. All applications must include:
1. Written acknowledgement/information from the Department of Conservation (DOC) or the relevant Territorial Local Authority (TLA) that:
2. Confirmation that all legal easements have been obtained.
3. Confirmation that the appropriate local authorities have provided all necessary consents and approvals.
4. Written confirmation of who would be responsible for ongoing maintenance and repair and that there will be a written agreement in place.
5. Details of accessibility of the track/trail to the public
6. Details that show the track will meet or exceed the standards as specified in SNZ HP 8630:2004 Tracks and Outdoor Visitor Structures.
7. A scoping report on the project should be provided and include:
The following types of travel may qualify for a donation:
The following examples of travel would not generally qualify:
Assistance may be offered for projects which provide:
The Trust may over ride exclusions to its Grants policies and may assist organisations working with and supporting members of our community who are considered vulnerable through geographic location, disadvantage, crisis or disability.
Each situation will be assessed on its own merits and the Trust would encourage organisations working with vulnerable communities to contact the Trust to discuss their proposed project.
Waste disposal activities are considered the responsibility of local authorities.
Local authorities often promote community based organisations to develop programmes aimed at zero waste generation which extend the life of landfills and generally promote our ideal for a “clean and green” image and such programmes could become self-sustaining from revenues generated.
Assistance may be offered for the following purposes: