Community-Led Adaptation Funding initiative

We want to help communities ready to start planning for a changing climate.

Our community-led adaptation initiative aligns with Goals 3 and 4 of our Climate Change Action Plan:

  As a region we understand, are preparing for and are adapting to a changing climate. 

  Our Bay of Plenty community is aware, engaged and resilient.

This initiative is designed to support communities who are ready to start planning for a changing climate and tailored to their needs and scale.

Why is this needed?

Adaptation planning needs to be considered at various scales, from regional to district, and most importantly, at the community level. This funding enables grassroots planning, directly enabling communities to take charge and plan for climate change adaptation at their scale. Whether it’s a catchment group or a hapū, we recognise that communities are deeply connected to their place and the changes that occur with it.

By facilitating community-led adaptation planning, we aim to complement the efforts of local Councils. This approach not only acknowledges but also leverages the unique insights and perspectives that communities bring to the table.

What can be funded?

The available funding is designed to support existing place-based community organisations, iwi, hapū, or marae in the Bay of Plenty region that want to start planning for a changing climate.

Funding is available for individual projects up to a maximum of $20,000 per financial year.

Projects within Tauranga City will receive financial and advisory support from Tauranga City Council.

Projects within Western Bay of Plenty will receive financial support from Western Bay of Plenty District Council.

For more detailed information about the funding process, eligibility criteria and application guidelines, we encourage you to refer to our Climate Change Adaptation Funding Guidelines document.

How to apply

Applications for funding can be submitted anytime. To get started, please contact us to request the necessary application forms. Depending on the nature of your project and our staff availability, technical assistance may be available to guide you through the process.

Get in touch

If you have an idea in mind or a project underway that could benefit from our support, we would like to hear from you. For application forms or to discuss your project, please contact us at ClimateChange@boprc.govt.nz  

Find out more about other types of support we offer through funding and scholarships.

Environmental Enhancement Fund

Following a review of several Council Community Funding schemes in late 2024, Councillors endorsed updated Funding Policies at the Strategy and Policy Committee on 18 February. The updated polices come into effect on 1 July 2025.

Through this process, the Environmental Enhancement Fund Policy has been updated to place a greater focus on supporting projects that: Build resilience to the impacts of climate change through environmental enhancement.

This increased focus on Climate Change provides a path for community groups and organisations to apply for funding of up to $25,000 per project to implement practical on the ground projects that build resilience to the impacts of climate change.

For example, where an organisation has developed a Climate Change Adaption Plan (possibly funded under the Community-Led Adaptation Funding initiative), and this plan has identified projects to manage Climate Change impacts, they may be able to apply under the Environmental Enhancement Fund to implement aspects of that plan. 

Learn about the Environmental Enhancement Fund.