Our sports scholarships celebrate achievement, recognise talent and encourage future participation through positive role models. Supporting emerging and elite athletes, administrators and officials to reach their potential inspires others to participate and to be physically active.
Our Sport Scholarship fund encourages:
- Individuals to have increased knowledge and skills leading to improved performance
- Community to have improved engagement and participation in physical activity leading to broader wellbeing benefits and social interaction
The value of these scholarships varies depending on the location and level of competition/event and range from $500 within New Zealand up to $3,000 for Olympic Games and Paralympics.
Total fund: $65,000 per annum
Apply: Anytime - but you do need to apply before your event has started
We also support the sport and recreation sector through our various granting programmes.
Read What We Fund to find out more.
Can You Apply?
Applications are accepted from people who are:
- Selected or recognised nationally in a squad or team at NZ Representative level
- At least 15 years of age
- An amateur athlete or official (e.g. coach, manager, referee, timekeeper, judge or umpire)
- Affiliated to and endorsed by a Regional Sporting Organisation (RSO) in our area
- New Zealand citizens or a permanent resident
- Currently living in our area (the Southland, Queenstown, Glenorchy, Arrowtown, Tapanui and Heriot) and have done so for the past 3 years or more.
Consideration will be given to those who have lived in the Trust's area for the past 3 years or more and whose immediate family still reside in the area, but you have left the province to:
- access specialist training or coaching related to your sport
- attend boarding school or
- undertake tertiary study
- and can show evidence of ongoing connection/involvement/giving back to your sport in the Trust region.
Restrictions:
You can only receive 1 sports scholarship per sporting code in a 12 month period (with the exception of the Commonwealth Games and Olympic/Paralympics)
- You can receive a lifetime maximum of 5 sport scholarships (excluding Commonwealth Games and Olympic/Paralympics)
- Athletes and officials will only be eligible for Commonwealth Games/Olympics/Paralympics funding if they have lived in our area for 3 years or more
- The event/activity must be started within 6 months of funding being awarded
What We Fund
Our funding is intended to be a contribution in recognition of the costs involved in competing at a New Zealand representative level.
Indicative Scholarship Values
- NZ & Trans-Tasman: Up to $500* to $750*
- Oceania & Southeast Asia: Up to $750* to $1,000*
- Elite International: Up to $1,000* to $1,250*
- World Cup & World Championships: Up to $1,000* to $1,500*
- Youth Commonwealth Games: Up to $1,500*
- Youth Olympics: Up to $2,000*
- Commonwealth Games: Up to $2,500*
- Olympic Games/Paralympics: Up to $3,000*
*The amount awarded is at the discretion of the Board with the above amounts being indicative only.
What We Don't Fund
We don't provide funding for:
- Teams
- Professional athletes
- People under 15 years
- Officials (e.g. coach, manager, referee, timekeeper, judge or umpire) from outside our area
- Retrospective activities i.e. an activity that has already started or been completed.
- Athletes from outside our area - consideration may be given to athletes who have:
- previously lived in our area for at least 3 years and whose immediate family still reside in our area; and
- have left to access specialist training and coaching; and
- can show evidence of ongoing connection/involvement/giving back to their sport in the Trust region.
How To Apply
If you are under 18 years of age you will need to include a completed Parent/Guardian Consent form as part of their application.
You will need a letter stating you have been selected for a New Zealand team from your National Sporting Organisation and a letter from your local Regional Sporting Organisation advising that you are affiliated to them.
Applications are made online, and if you haven’t applied before you need to register by providing your name and email address as well as creating a password – it only takes a moment.
Once registered you can log in at any time to start an application or to access it again later, so you can work on it over time. To help you prepare you can also download the application form so you can see the questions we ask.
How We Assess Applications
We carry out an initial review of your application to make sure you can apply and then staff review your application to help trustees to make an informed decision on your application.
We may also contact you to ask further questions about your application.
When Will You Hear Back?
It takes up to 8 weeks for a decision and you’ll be sent an email letting you know the outcome of your application.
If your application is successful, the email will outline the amount approved and any funding conditions. Read our Managing Your Funding for more information.
If your application is unsuccessful the email will outline the reasons for your application being declined.
Successful applicants will need to provide an accountability report within 2 months of completing the activity for which funding was awarded. The report will be available online.
If you have any further questions about funding for individuals ring 0800 500 185 or email info@communitytrustsouth.nz