This fund supports regional sports organisations to provide programmes and services that encourage active participation and healthy lifestyles.
Total Fund: $580,000 per annum
Apply: Opens 1 December 2023 and closes 15 March 2024
If you have any questions about regional sports organisation funding ring 0800 500 185 or email dianne@communitytrustsouth.nz
Can you apply?
Applying for Regional Sports Organisation Funding For The First Time
Applications are accepted from organisations recognised as the Regional Sports Organisations for our area - Southland, Queenstown, Glenorchy, Arrowtown, Tapanui and Heriot areas.
These Regional Sports Organisations need to be:
- An incorporated society or an incorporated charitable trust. You can check if you are incorporated at Societies & Trusts
- A company with charitable purposes that is registered with Charities Services
To apply your RSO also needs to be:
- Undertaking their activities in our area
- Affiliated to the appropriate National Sports Organisation
- Able to provide:
- documentation of RSO participation activities, detailing all competitions, programmes and development initiatives to show regular participation levels and activities
- documentation that clearly shows individual participant numbers, including names, addresses and competition/level of participation
- a strategic plan, a current annual plan and budget
- annual financial statements
- demonstrated need for financial assistance
Regional Sports Organisations Already Receiving RSO Funding
Please refer to How to Apply below
Annual Financial Statements and Audit Requirements
If your annual operating expenditure for your last financial year is:
Greater than $1 million
Then we need your audited annual financial statements*
Greater than $500,000 and up to $1 million
Then we need your audited or reviewed annual financial statements*
$500,000 or below
Then we need your annual financial statements - these don't need to be audited or reviewed unless your organisation's Constitution or Trust Deed requires you to do so.
* Will need to be undertaken by an independent qualified accountant
What we fund
Regional Sports Organisations can use their funding for whatever areas of their operation are a priority and that are particularly aligned to our People & Places priorities.
People & Places Priority
TOITŪ TE TANGATA, TOITŪ TE WHENUA
Healthy & happy
Encouraging healthy active lifestyles leads to improved wellbeing and positive community outcomes
Vibrant spaces & places
Activating spaces and places that bring joy and connection for all people and ages including supporting building community through access to art, hertitage, cultural, sport and active recreation programmes and events.
How to apply
Already Receiving Regional Sports Organisation Funding
Your continued funding depends on you providing us with your annual RSO application by mid-February each year. In December your RSO will be emailed a direct link and instructions on how to access the application.
To help you prepare, you will need to provide:
- your annual financial statements
- your business plan for the coming year
- your operating budget for the coming year
- your current database detailing individual participants
- evidence of a demonstrated need for funding
DATABASE TEMPLATE
You will find here a sample database spreadsheet. Although most RSOs provide their database of affiliated members in an Excel spreadsheet, there are some that are still submitting handwritten sheets. We have developed a template consisting of the information we require to assist all RSOs transition into Excel. This doesn’t preclude you from using your own spreadsheet as long as it includes this information.
Applying for Regional Sports Organisation Funding For The First Time
You will need to contact us to make sure you are eligible and for details on the application process.
How we assess applications
We carry out an initial review of your application to make sure you can apply.
We calculate your funding using a set formula that is based on the number of participants in your sporting code:
- Base funding of $4,000
- Plus $11.50 per participant
How We Define Participants
For the purposes of funding the following applies:
- A “participant” is a person participating in regular competition or activity of at least six weeks duration arranged under the auspices of the RSO; and
- Pays an affiliation fee or subscription to that RSO
Important to note: A person can be counted once only e.g. a person who is a player, coach and/or referee is regarded as one participant.
The following are not considered to be participants for the purposes of funding:
- casual or unaffiliated participants e.g. green fee paying golfers, casual squash or tennis players;
- those participants who have not paid any fees to play/participate;
- those participating in school based and/or holiday programmes organised by the RSO;
- those participating in social competitions not run under the auspices of an RSO.
Database template
You will find here a sample database spreadsheet. Although most RSOs provide their database of affiliated members in an Excel spreadsheet, there are some that are still submitting handwritten sheets. We have developed a template consisting of the information we require to assist all RSOs transition into Excel. This doesn’t preclude you from using your own spreadsheet as long as it includes this information.
When will you hear back?
Applications are considered in May each year and the contact person in your application will receive an email. Payment of RSO funding will be made by the end of May.