Agenda of Grants Subcommittee - Friday, 26 June 2026

Grants Subcommittee

26 June 2026

Grants Subcommittee

Community Events

MINUTES

Minutes of an ordinary meeting of the Grants Subcommittee held in the Council Chamber, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, the Octagon, Dunedin on Friday 29 May 2026, commencing at 11:23 am

PRESENT

Chairperson	Cr Andrew Simms
Deputy Chairperson	Cr Mandy Mayhem
Members	Cr John Chambers	Ms Amie Curtis
	Ms Sarah Ellis	Mr Andrew Henderson
	Cr Cherry Lucas	Cr Mickey Treadwell

IN ATTENDANCE

Mike Costelloe (General Manager Arts, Culture and Economic Development), Teresa Fogarty (Manager Dunedin Destination), Dan Hendra (Team Leader Events), Olha Viazenko (Event Producer) and Kerri MacLennan (Events Coordinator)

Governance Support Officer Rebecca Murray

1 KARAKIA TIMATANGA

Ms Amie Curtis opened the meeting with a Karakia Timatanga.

2 Apologies
	There were no apologies.

3 Confirmation of agenda

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Cr Mandy Mayhem):

That the Subcommittee:

Confirms the agenda without addition or alteration.

Motion carried (GS/2026/006)

4 Declarations of interest

Members were reminded of the need to stand aside from decision-making when a conflict arose between their role as an elected representative and any private or other external interest they might have.

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Cr Mickey Treadwell):

That the Subcommittee:

a) Notes the Elected or Independent Members' Interest Register; and

b) Confirms the proposed management plan for Elected or Independent Members' Interests.

Motion carried (GS/2026/007)

Part A Reports

5 Community Event Grants

A report from Enterprise Dunedin summarised the applications for Community Events fund received in March 2026 round.

The General Manager Arts, Culture and Economic Development (Mike Costelloe), Manager Dunedin Destination (Teresa Fogarty), Team Leader Events, (Dan Hendra), Event Producer (Olha Viazenko) and Events Coordinator (Kerri MacLennan) spoke to the funding applications and responded to questions.

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Cr Cherry Lucas):

That the Subcommittee:

a) Declines the following funding application:

13	Fonofaufautua a Samoa i Otago

Motion carried (GS/2026/008)

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Cr Mickey Treadwell):

That the Subcommittee:

b) Declines the following funding application:

14	Otago Table Tennis Association (OTTA)

Motion carried (GS/2026/009)

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Cr Cherry Lucas):

That the Subcommittee:

c) Declines the following funding application:

15	Ōtepoti Possibilities Cooperative T/A Yours

Motion carried (GS/2026/010)

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Cr Mandy Mayhem):

That the Subcommittee:

d) Approves the following funding application:

Community Care Trust Aotearoa

$1,870.50

Motion carried (GS/2026/011)

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Cr Mickey Treadwell):

That the Subcommittee:

e) Approves the following funding application:

Diving Ōtākou

$2,500.00

Motion carried (GS/2026/012)

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Cr John Chambers):

That the Subcommittee:

f) Approves the following funding application:

Dunedin Edinburgh Sister City Society

$4,000.00

Motion carried (GS/2026/013)

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Cr Mandy Mayhem):

That the Subcommittee:

g) Approves the following funding application:

Dunedin Folk Club

$5,000.00

Motion carried (GS/2026/014)

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Ms Amie Curtis):

That the Subcommittee:

h) Approves the following funding application:

Dunedin Fringe Arts Trust

$5,000.00

Motion carried (GS/2026/015)

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Cr Cherry Lucas):

That the Subcommittee:

i) Approves the following funding application:

Dunedin Indian Association

$5,000.00

Motion carried (GS/2026/016)

Moved (Cr Cherry Lucas/Cr John Chambers):

That the Subcommittee:

j) Approves the following funding application:

Dunedin Town Hall Organ Trust

$977.50

Motion carried (GS/2026/017)

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Cr Cherry Lucas):

That the Subcommittee:

k) Approves the following funding application:

East Otago Musical Theatre Incorporated

$2,000.00

Motion carried (GS/2026/018)

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Cr Mandy Mayhem):

That the Subcommittee:

l) Approves the following funding application:

Otago Wheelchair Rugby Incorporated

$5,000.00

Motion carried (GS/2026/019)

Cr Mickey Treadwell left the meeting at 12.27pm and returned to the meeting at 12.29pm.

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Cr Mickey Treadwell):

That the Subcommittee:

m) Approves the following funding application:

Pakistan Association of Otago

$3,500.00

Motion carried (GS/2026/020)

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Cr Cherry Lucas):

That the Subcommittee:

n) Approves the following funding application:

Taste Nature Social Enterprise

$4,757.00

Motion carried (GS/2026/021)

Moved (Cr Andrew Simms/Cr Mickey Treadwell):

That the Subcommittee:

o) Approves the following funding application:

Otago Tongan Students' Association

$2,000.00

Motion carried (GS/2026/022)

6 Karakia Whakamutunga

Ms Amie Curtis closed the meeting with a Karakia Whakamutunga.

The meeting concluded at 12.54pm.

..............................................

CHAIRPERSON

Grants Subcommittee

26 June 2026

Part A Reports

Dunedin Biodiversity Fund Allocated - $5,000 and Under and Completed Projects

Department: City Growth and Advisory Services

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1 This report provides a summary of applications to the Dunedin Biodiversity Fund for the March 2026 funding round and notes the allocation of grants approved under staff delegation.

2 Fourteen applications were received, requesting a total of $60,072.08. This exceeded the available funding of $43,801.58 by $16,270.50.

3 Thirteen applications received funding, with $43,800.00 allocated. Seven of the successful applicants were first-time recipients of the fund. One application was declined. A summary of funding allocations is provided in Attachment A.

4 This report also summarises the ten project completion reports received between 1 December 2025 and 30 April 2026. The project completion reports are provided in Attachment B.

5 One grant expired between 1 December 2025 and 30 April 2026, this funding was reallocated.

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Subcommittee:

a) Notes the allocation of Biodiversity Fund grants approved under delegation for the March 2026 funding round (Attachment A).

b) Notes the project completion reports for Biodiversity Fund projects completed between 1 December 2025 and 30 April 2026 (Attachment B).

BACKGROUND

6 The Dunedin Biodiversity Fund was established in June 2007, with minor amendments to the eligibility, prioritisation criteria and terms and conditions by the Planning and Environment Committee in February 2019.

7 The purpose of the Biodiversity Fund is to enhance the condition and extent of indigenous biodiversity across Ōtepoti by encouraging and supporting landowners and communities who are committed to protecting, enhancing, and managing indigenous biodiversity.

8 Approval of Biodiversity Fund grants was formally the responsibility of the Grants Subcommittee Chair. On 12 February 2026, Council resolved to provide delegation to the Chief Executive Officer, or their delegate, to approve grants up to $5,000 per application. Grants for the March 2026 round were approved under this delegation.

9 The fund operates on a ‘pay first, claim after’ approach, where successful applicants have a standard 24-month term to complete their project and submit a completion report to claim their grant.

funding guidance

10 The Dunedin Biodiversity Fund operates under a 50:50 cost share basis, where the Council can fund up to 50% of a project. Grant amounts range from $500 to a maximum of $5,000 per application.

11 To be eligible for funding, projects must either:

a) Maintain or enhance the state of indigenous biodiversity in Ōtepoti e.g., fencing, plant and animal pest control; and/or

b) Increase the extent of indigenous biodiversity e.g., revegetation.

12 The fund supports ‘on-the-ground’ activities that benefit indigenous biodiversity. The Council’s contribution is intended for tangible goods such as plants, trapping equipment and herbicide, while the applicant’s contribution may cover labour and vehicle expenses (in addition to above). For information on eligible project types and grant costs, refer to Attachment C.

13 The prioritisation criteria (Attachment C) are used to rank projects for funding allocations when the fund is oversubscribed. These criteria are designed to ensure that projects most likely to achieve desirable biodiversity outcomes, especially those on protected land, are prioritised.

DISCUSSION

March 2026 Funding Round

14 A total of $43,801.58 was available for allocation in the March 2026 Biodiversity Fund round, comprising $40,650.00 in assigned funding and $3,151.58 redistributed from partially claimed and expired grants. A summary of additional funds is provided in Attachment D.

15 Fourteen applications were received and assessed by DCC staff in accordance with the fund’s eligibility and prioritisation criteria. Thirteen applications were successful, with $43,800.00 allocated in total. A balance of $1.58 remains unallocated at the end of the financial year. A summary of funding requests and grants allocated is provided in Attachment A.

16 One application was declined as the fund was oversubscribed and the applicant had received funding in the preceding round making this application a lower priority under the fund’s criteria.

Completed Projects

17 The project completion summaries for the ten grants claimed between 1 December 2025 and 30 April 2026 are provided in Attachment B. Confirmation of the expired grant is also included here.

18 Table 1 provides a summary of the completed grants.

Table 1: Summary of grants from the Dunedin Biodiversity Fund settled between 01 December 2025 and 30 April 2026.

Application ID	Grant recipient	Project type	Amount allocated	Amount claimed	Balance
BIO-2023-28	S. Eckhoff *	Revegetation	$998.75	$ -	$998.75
BIO-2023-35	K. Wilson *	Revegetation and weed control	$4,982.50	$4,873.20	$109.30
BIO-2023-36	F. Jakobs *	Fencing	$5,000.00	$3,718.39	$1,281.61
BIO-2024-07	L. Campbell *	Revegetation	$4,995.38	$4,894.46	$100.92
BIO-2024-14	O. Dar	Revegetation	$3,200.00	$3,200.00	$-
BIO-2025-01	Matai Hill Trust	Revegetation	$4,400.00	$4,400.00	$-
BIO-2025-02	Makarara Station (S. Nichol)	Revegetation	$5,000.00	$5,000.00	$-
BIO-2025-05	P. Williams *	Revegetation	$5,000.00	$4,339.00	$661.00
BIO-2025-11	A. Young	Revegetation	$2,500.00	$2,500.00	$-
BIO-2025-19	L. Sheridan	Weed control	$3,800.00	$3,800.00	$-
BIO-2025-23	Waitati Beach Reserve Society Inc.	Weed control	$1,350.00	$1,350.00	$-
		Total	$41,226.63	$38,075.05	$3,151.58

* Grant expired or partially uplifted

19 All grant recipients who claimed funding successfully completed their projects in accordance with their approved applications. Invoices and receipts provided confirmed expenditure is consistent with the amounts claimed, including for partially claimed grants.

20 One grant expired and was therefore forfeited. Several attempts were made in the six months prior to the grant expiring; however, the applicant could not be reached.

21 An amount of $3,151.58 was returned to the fund for redistribution in the March 2026 funding round. This amount comprises $998.75 from the expired grant and $2,152.83 from four partially claimed grants.

22 Thirty-six approved grants totalling $121,517.20 remain unclaimed, with no grants outstanding from funding rounds prior to September 2024.

OPTIONS

23 As this report is for noting there are no options.

NEXT STEPS

24 Applicants have been advised of the Council’s funding decisions for the March 2026 Biodiversity Fund round.

25 Staff will continue to administer the Biodiversity Fund, the next funding round will be in September 2026.

26 Projects completed between two funding rounds will be reported to the Subcommittee at the next meeting.

Signatories

Author:

Zoe Lunniss - Biodiversity Advisor

Authoriser:

Mark Mawdsley - Team Leader Advisory Services

David Ward - General Manager, 3 Waters, Property and Urban Development

Attachments

	Title	Page
⇩a	March 2026 Biodiversity Fund Approved Grants	22
⇩b	Completed Project Summaries - 1 December 2025-30 April 2026	23
⇩c	Dunedin Biodiversity Fund Eligibility and Prioritisation Criteria	62
⇩d	Summary of available funds - March 2026	64

SUMMARY OF CONSIDERATIONS

Fit with purpose of Local Government

This decision enables democratic local decision making and action by, and on behalf of communities. This decision promotes the environmental well-being of communities in the present and for the future.

Fit with strategic framework

	Contributes	Detracts	Not applicable
Social Wellbeing Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Economic Development Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Environment Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Arts and Culture Strategy	☐	☐	✔
3 Waters Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Future Development Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Integrated Transport Strategy	☐	☐	☐
Parks and Recreation Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Other strategic projects/policies/plans	✔	☐	☐

The Dunedin Biodiversity Fund directly supports the objectives and outcomes of Te Ao Tūroa – Dunedin’s Environment Strategy, the DCC Biodiversity Strategy, and the Future Development Strategy. It also contributes to the Parks and Recreation Strategy.

Māori Impact Statement

Mana whenua provide guidance and advice on priority projects and the appropriateness of restoration activities in culturally significant areas.

Sustainability

The projects in this report will contribute positively to the long-term sustainability of the natural environment of Dunedin.

LTP/Annual Plan / Financial Strategy /Infrastructure Strategy

There are no implications. The allocated funding is within budget.

Financial considerations

A total of $43,800.00 has been granted to thirteen applicants and is within budget.

Significance

This decision is considered to have low significance based on the Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy.

Engagement – external

Aukaha and Pouhere Taonga have provided feedback on funded projects.

Engagement - internal

There has been no internal engagement.

Risks: Legal / Health and Safety etc.

There are no known risks

Conflict of Interest

There are no identified conflicts of interest.

Community Boards

Several of the grants relate to Community Board areas – i.e., Otago Peninsula, Mosgiel-Taieri, Saddle Hill, West Harbour and Waikouaiti Coast.

Grants Subcommittee

26 June 2026

Waste Minimisation Grants Allocated - $5,000 and Under

Department: Waste and Environmental Solutions

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1 This report provides details of the Waste Minimisation Community grants that were awarded under the Chief Executive Officer’s delegation in the March 2026 round, and the Waste Minimisation Small Project grants awarded under the Chief Executive Officer’s delegation in May 2026.

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Subcommittee:

a) Notes that the Waste Minimisation Grants are funded by Waste Disposal Levy funds provided by the Ministry for the Environment and are not rates funded.

b) Notes the approved funding allocated to organisations for Waste Minimisation Community grants and Waste Minimisation Small Project grants.

BACKGROUND

2 On 12 February 2026, council granted the Chief Executive delegated authority to allocate small grants of $5,000 or less. Decisions made under this delegation must be reported to the next Grants Subcommittee for noting.

Moved (Cr Cherry Lucas/Mayor Sophie Barker):

That the Council:

e) Confirms its preferred Governance Structure for Grant Decisions is a Grants Subcommittee + Staff Delegations + Council Oversight where:

i) Staff allocate small grants under delegation.

ii) A Grants Subcommittee (which include community representatives) allocates mid-tier grants, multi-year and large grants.

Division

The Council voted by division

For: Crs John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Mandy Mayhem, Andrew Simms, Mickey Treadwell and Steve Walker (8).

Against: Crs Cherry Lucas, Russell Lund, Benedict Ong, Lee Vandervis, Brent Weatherall and Mayor Sophie Barker (6).

Abstained: Nil

The division was declared CARRIED by 8 votes to 6

Motion carried (CNL/2026/001)

DISCUSSION

3 In the March funding round, $30,000 was available for Waste Minimisation Community Grants. In the financial year 2025/26, $10,000 was available for Waste Minimisation Small Project Grants.

4 The Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2025 sets out the framework for waste minimisation grant funding (Attachment A)

5 The Chief Executive under delegated authority has approved the grants as outlined in the attached tables for Waste Minimisation Community grants (Attachment B) and Waste Minimisation Small Project grants (Attachment C).

OPTIONS

6 This report is for noting only.

Signatories

Author:

Karen Gadomski - Waste Planning Advisor, Construction and Demolition

Authoriser:

Chris Henderson - Group Manager Waste and Environmental Solutions

Scott MacLean - General Manager, City Services

Attachments

	Title	Page
⇩a	Waste Minimisation Grants Framework	69
⇩b	Waste Minimisation Community Grants - March 2026	70
⇩c	Waste Minimisation Small Project Grants - May 2026	71

SUMMARY OF CONSIDERATIONS

Fit with purpose of Local Government

This decision promotes the social well-being, economic well-being, environmental well-being, and cultural well-being of communities in the present and for the future.

Fit with strategic framework

	Contributes	Detracts	Not applicable
Social Wellbeing Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Economic Development Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Environment Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Arts and Culture Strategy	☐	☐	✔
3 Waters Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Future Development Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Integrated Transport Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Parks and Recreation Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Other strategic projects/policies/plans	✔	☐	☐

This report supports the Council’s Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2025.

Māori Impact Statement

Staff are working to develop relationships with the Māori community and ensure DCC grants are accessible and supportive of the needs of the Māori community.

Sustainability

Waste Minimisation Grants provide community with a funding opportunity for new waste minimisation projects and initiatives.

LTP/Annual Plan / Financial Strategy /Infrastructure Strategy

Budget is set aside from Waste Levy revenue for waste minimisation grants in accordance with the Dunedin City Council Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2025. This money is received from the Ministry for the Environment and has been approved to use for grants funding in accordance with section 47 of the Waste Minimisation Act.

Financial considerations

Grants will be expended from the Waste Minimisation Funds within approved budgets.

Significance

This decision is considered to be of low significance in terms of Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy.

Engagement – external

A variety of newsletters, social media, Otago Access Radio, as well as advertising in local media were used to promote these grants.

Engagement - internal

Internal engagement was carried out with other grant funding departments to check applicants were not doubling up on applications. Departments relevant to the organisations applying for funding were also engaged to check on the best fits in funding criteria for applicants.

Risks: Legal / Health and Safety etc.

By funding consenting costs for applicants, the risk of funding non-compliant activity can be managed.

Conflict of Interest

No conflict of interests have been identified.

Community Boards

Funded waste minimisation projects may develop in community board areas.

Grants Subcommittee

26 June 2026

DCC Arts Grants Allocated - $5,000 and Under and DCC Small Arts Grants Report

Department: Ara Toi

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1 This report summarises the DCC Arts Grants (under $5k) that have been approved by staff, under delegation up to 30 April 2026. This includes:

a) DCC Arts Grants (up to $5k)

b) DCC Small Arts Grants (up to $500).

2 Council confirmed its preferred governance structure for grants as, Grants Subcommittee, Staff Delegations and Council Oversight. Staff can now approve small grants (under $5k) under this delegation.

3 This report summarises the small grants approved by staff under delegation through to 30 April 2026.

4 A list of approved DCC Arts Grants is included in attachments A.

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Subcommittee:

a) Notes the DCC Arts Grants approved from the DCC’s Ara Toi/Creative Partnerships team (up to 30 April 2026).

b) Notes the grants allocated between 2 December 2025 and 30 April 2026 for DCC Small Arts Grants.

BACKGROUND

5 Councill confirmed its preferred governance structure for grants as:

Moved (Cr Cherry Lucas/Mayor Sophie Barker):

That the Council:

e) Confirms its preferred Governance Structure for Grant Decisions is a Grants Subcommittee + Staff Delegations + Council Oversight where:

i) Staff allocate small grants under delegation.

ii) A Grants Subcommittee (which include community representatives) allocates mid-tier grants, multi-year and large grants.

Division

The Council voted by division

For: Crs John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Mandy Mayhem, Andrew Simms, Mickey Treadwell and Steve Walker (8).

Against: Crs Cherry Lucas, Russell Lund, Benedict Ong, Lee Vandervis, Brent Weatherall and Mayor Sophie Barker (6).

Abstained: Nil

The division was declared CARRIED by 8 votes to 6

Motion carried (CNL/2026/001)

6 Applications for DCC Arts Grant fund closed on 27 March 2026.

7 The Ara Toi/Creative Partnerships team held an arts-specific funding drop-in session in the Community Gallery on Thursday 26 February. Potential applicants were able to speak to Creative Advisors in a welcoming space between 11am and 4pm.

8 The team is in regular contact with potential and current applicants throughout the year and proactively contacts groups and individuals to check in with their application process.

9 Grants applications and relevant report backs are discussed and reviewed by the full team prior to finalising recommendations; all final assessments are reviewed by the Team Leader.

10 Applicants are encouraged to meet with staff before applying for a grant, to receive relevant advice and information.

11 There was additional funding available in the DCC Arts fund this round due to the return of a DCC Arts grant from the September grant round.

12 All grant applications undergo a rigorous assessment to ensure full compliance with the grant criteria as outlined on the DCC’s website, as well as the DCC’s Grants Management Policy (2019). The assessment process provides assurance that grant applicants are eligible and that the required documentation such as financial records, are received as part of their application.

13 The current Grants Management Policy (2019) is undergoing a review, and this work is being led by the DCC’s Corporate Policy team.

DISCUSSION

14 The DCC Arts Grants have two rounds annually: March and September.

15 There were 20 applications submitted to the DCC Arts funding pool. This round has more applicants than the last round but reflects the same number of applications as the March 2025 round.

*Applications (new applicants)*
March 2026	September 2025	March 2025
20 (7)	11	20

Table 1. Summary of DCC Arts grants over the last three funding rounds.

16 16 DCC Arts grants were approved and 4 were declined. Of the 16 funded, 7 were new applicants.

Grant	Number of applications received	Number of applications successful	Total requested	Total available (March 2026)
DCC Arts Grant	20	16	$74,281.50	$39,700.00

Table 2. Summary of DCC Arts Grants, March 2026.

17 The decision to decline 3 of the applications was informed by prioritising new projects that had clear and direct community engagement and outcomes. 1 decline was due to the project be ineligible for funding.

Analysis of DCC Arts Grants (under $5k) March 2019 – March 2026

18 Figure 1 reflects the allocation trends per medium from September 2018 – March 2026:

A graph of different colored bars

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

19 Figure 1 reveals the distribution trends for funding allocation across different artforms over the past eight years. Music and Visual Arts projects continue to receive the largest proportion of grants funding from these funding pools. To note: projects and events that incorporate a mix of music, dance, and song fall under ‘Multi-arts’.

20 In a slight shift away from funding trends, the Theatre sector has seen an increase for the first time since 2021/2022.

21 After identifying in 2022 that Māori and Pāsifika applicants and other minority groups were underrepresented in both applications received and funding distributed, it is positive to see these results, which are also reflected in the Creative Communities Scheme grants round (Figure 2). Ongoing staff outreach and work to minimise and/or remove barriers for potential applicants has been a large factor in this change.

A graph of a number of people

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Summary of Small Arts Project grants approved between 2 December 2025 and 30 April 2026.

22 Table 3 outlines the allocation of the remaining DCC Small Arts Grants. In total, 6 applications received funding.

23 The Small Arts Project grants has been full allocated for 2025/26.

Applicant	Project	Medium	Total approved	FY
Marea Colombo (under auspice of Late Bloomers)	Great Big Make It Up Show	Theatre	$500	25/26
Mr Roberelli Ltd (under auspice of Dunedin Rudolf Steiner School)	Albatross	Music	$500	25/26
Musical Theatre Dunedin Inc	Sister Act	Theatre	$500	25/26
Port Chalmers Historical Society	“Historic Buildings of Main Street Port Chalmers” Booklet	Literature	$500	25/26
Strange Material Limited	Pilot issue of Ōtepoti Art Guide	Visual	$500	25/26
Mosgiel Abilities Resource Centre (MARC)	“Lazy Sunday” music video launch	Music	$500	25/26

Table 3. Summary of DCC Small Arts grants, 2 December 2025 – 30 April 2026.

OPTIONS

24 There are no options as this is a noting report.

NEXT STEPS

25 Staff are processing payments for DCC Arts Grants and DCC Small Arts Grants in line with the outcomes of this report.

Signatories

Author:	Amie Taua - Ara Toi Partnerships Team Leader
Authoriser:	Mike Costelloe - General Manager, Arts, Culture & Economic Development

Attachments

	Title	Page
⇩a	March 2026 DCC Arts Grants	79

SUMMARY OF CONSIDERATIONS

Fit with purpose of Local Government

This decision enables democratic local decision making and action by, and on behalf of communities.

This decision promotes the social, economic, environment and cultural well-being of communities in the present and for the future.

Fit with strategic framework

	Contributes	Detracts	Not applicable
Social Wellbeing Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Economic Development Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Environment Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Arts and Culture Strategy	✔	☐	☐
3 Waters Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Future Development Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Integrated Transport Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Parks and Recreation Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Other strategic projects/policies/plans	✔	☐	☐

Funding decisions made by staff allow creative communities to engage in diverse arts and cultural activities. These activities support a vibrant and creative city described in strategies, policies, and plans such as Ara Toi Otepoti, the Festivals and Events Plan, and the Ōtepoti Live Music Action Plan.

Māori Impact Statement

Te Taki Haruru, the DCC’s Māori Strategic Framework outlines the aspirations for Māori living in Ōtepoti Dunedin. Some of the creative projects supported by grants funding directly acknowledge and celebrate the cultural and creative traditions of Kāi Tahu and mataawaka in Ōtepoti. The Grants Subcommittee includes mana whenua-appointed representation to ensure all grant decisions include mana whenua perspectives.

Sustainability

There are no negative implications for sustainability.

Zero carbon

Projects are likely to have minimal impacts on city wide emissions; this has not been formally assessed.

LTP/Annual Plan / Financial Strategy /Infrastructure Strategy

Grants are part of the DCC’s Levels of Service and are included in the DCC’s LTP and Annual Plans.

Financial considerations

There are no financial considerations as grants are allocated according to the DCC’s grants budget approved by Council.

Significance

The significance of the decision related to grants has been assessed as ‘low’

Engagement – external

No internal or external engagement has taken place related to grants. Where an applicant has applied for a DCC grant from another team, staff share relevant knowledge. Staff also check to ensure that applicants do not apply for multiple DCC applications in one round.

Engagement - internal

Ara Toi/Creative Partnerships staff consulted with the Events, Community Partnerships, and Waste Minimisation teams.

Risks: Legal / Health and Safety etc.

The risks related to grants is considered low as applicants have to provide financial and group information to be eligible to apply.

Conflict of Interest

No Conflicts of Interest have been noted by staff in accordance to the DCC’s Conflict of Interest policy.

Community Boards

There are no implications for Community Boards. There are some applicants who are located within the Community Boards areas.

Grants Subcommittee

26 June 2026

CNZ Creative Communities Scheme Grants Allocated

Department: Ara Toi

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1 This report summarises the CreativeNZ Creative Communities Scheme (CCS) funding allocation that have been approved by an Assessment Panel of community arts representatives.

2 The establishment of the assessment panel was a motion that was approved by Council on February 24^th and subsequently meets the contractual obligations outlined by CreativeNZ:

“7. The Territorial Authority will:

7.1 Ensure that the Scheme is administered according to the Guidelines (including when any allocation is done by a third party).

7.2 Adhere to the provisions for the composition and appointment of any assessment committee, whether operated directly by the Territorial Authority or by a third party under contract, as set out in the Guidelines.”

3 A summary of the Creative Communities Scheme funding round is provided. Staff review eligibility of the applications, and the funding decision is made by the Assessment panel, in accordance with the DCC Grants Subcommittee’s delegations.

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Subcommittee:

a) Notes the Creative Communities Scheme funding round was allocated and approved by the Assessment Panel of community arts representatives.

BACKGROUND

4 Councill confirmed its preferred governance structure for grants as:

Moved (Mayor Sophie Barker/Cr Christine Garey):

That the Council:

a) Approves the establishment of the Creative Communities Scheme Assessment Panel to undertake CCS assessment and decision-making, the composition of which was as follows:

i) 4 general community representatives, across a range of creative disciplines

ii) 1 youth representative (aged 24 or under)

iii) 1 mana whenua representative (or their nominee, if mana whenua did not have capacity to sit on the committee at the current time)

iv) 1 or 2 elected officials with appropriate arts knowledge and experience (Mayoral nomination, drawn from Council and/or Community Boards)

b) Notes that CCS administration, applicant support, assessment of eligibility, and provision of information to applicants and the Assessment Panel would continue to be done by the Ara Toi/Creative Partnerships team.

Motion carried (CNL/2026/038)

5 Applications for the CNZ Creative Communities Scheme (CCS) grants closed on 27 March 2026.

6 The Ara Toi/Creative Partnerships team held an arts funding drop-in session in the Community Gallery on February 26^th. Potential applicants were able to speak to Creative Advisors in a welcoming space between 11am and 4pm.

7 The team is in regular contact with potential and current applicants throughout the year and proactively contacts groups and individuals to check in with their application process.

8 Applicants are encouraged to meet with staff before applying for a grant, to receive relevant advice and information.

9 Grants applications and relevant report backs are discussed and reviewed by the full team prior to being sent to the Assessment Panel.

10 There was additional funding available this round due to the unallocated CCS funding from the September grant round.

11 On February 27^th there was an open call for expressions of interest to the arts community to be part of the CCS Assessment Panel. This opportunity was telegraphed to arts organisations, past CCS recipients, and was promoted on social media and via the Creative Register.

12 The Assessment Panel is made up of 6 representatives and reflects experience in Visual and Object Art, Dance, Theatre, Music, and Pāsifika arts. There is one mana whenua representative, and one youth representative.

13 Prior to the decision meeting, training was provided to the Assessment Panel. This was delivered by the Ara Toi team with guidance from CreativeNZ.

14 Grant applications and relevant report backs were discussed and reviewed by the full team to confirm eligibility.

15 Grants applications and relevant additional information was provided to the Assessment Panel before the decision meeting to review. The Panel were encouraged to send through any questions for staff to answer.

16 The Assessment Panel decision meeting was held on May 15^th. The meeting was attended by two staff members and administrative support was provided.

17 The outcome of the round was emailed to applicants on May 18^th.

DISCUSSION

18 Presently, the Fund has two rounds annually: March and September.

19 A total of 27 applications were received for the March 2026 round; 11 were new applicants to the CCS fund.

*Applications (new applicants)*
March 2026	September 2025	March 2025
27 (11)	28	26

Table 1. Summary of Creative Communities Scheme grants over the last three funding rounds.

20 19 CCS grants were approved and 8 were declined.

Grant	Number of applications received	Number of applications successful	Total requested	Total available (March 2026)
Creative Communities Scheme	27	19	$98,053.64	$48,671.33

Table 2. Summar of Creative Communities Scheme grants, March 2026.

21 Every year, the CCS funding pool is heavily over-subscribed. This round, the funding request is almost double the amount available for allocation.

22 Assessments are based on the CCS scoring matrix and project alignment with the following local priorities:

· Local practitioners

· Communities who face barriers accessing creative funding and/or activities

· Geographic spread of projects

· New projects and/or first-time applicants

· Dance

· Literature

23 The funding decisions by the CCS Assessment Panel was informed by these local priorities, and the intention to support local practitioners for whom funding options are limited.

24 The intent of the CCS Fund is to primarily support community-focussed, grassroots activities and the large number of applications to this pool highlights the breadth of creative expression across Ōtepoti, as illustrated in Figure 1.

A graph of different colored bars

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

25 This round, there is a high representation of Visual Arts, and an increase in Theatre projects for the first time since 2022/23.

26 After identifying in 2022 that Māori and Pāsifika applicants were underrepresented in both applications received and funding distributed, it is positive to see these results conveyed in Figure 2. Ongoing staff outreach and work to minimise and/or remove barriers for potential applicants has been a large factor in this change.

A graph of a number of people

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

27 The funding outcomes conveyed in Figure 1 and Figure 2 highlights the ongoing value and opportunity that the CCS fund provides to arts disciplines and communities who are often underrepresented in public funding rounds.

OPTIONS

28 There are no options as this is a noting report.

NEXT STEPS

29 Staff have processed the payments for the Creative Communities Scheme Fund in line with the outcomes of this report.

Signatories

Author:	Amie Taua - Ara Toi Partnerships Team Leader
Authoriser:	Mike Costelloe - General Manager, Arts, Culture & Economic Development

Attachments

	Title	Page
⇩a	March 2026 CreativeNZ Creative Communities Scheme Grants	87

SUMMARY OF CONSIDERATIONS

Fit with purpose of Local Government

This decision enables democratic local decision making and action by, and on behalf of communities.

This decision promotes the social, economic, environment and cultural well-being of communities in the present and for the future.

Fit with strategic framework

	Contributes	Detracts	Not applicable
Social Wellbeing Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Economic Development Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Environment Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Arts and Culture Strategy	✔	☐	☐
3 Waters Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Future Development Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Integrated Transport Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Parks and Recreation Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Other strategic projects/policies/plans	✔	☐	☐

Funding decisions made by the Assessment Panel allow creative communities to engage in diverse arts and cultural activities. These activities support a vibrant and creative city described in strategies, policies, and plans such as Ara Toi Otepoti, the Festivals and Events Plan, and the Ōtepoti Live Music Action Plan.

Māori Impact Statement

Sustainability

There are no negative implications for sustainability.

Zero carbon

Projects are likely to have minimal impacts on city wide emissions; this has not been formally assessed.

LTP/Annual Plan / Financial Strategy /Infrastructure Strategy

Grants are part of the DCC’s Levels of Service and are included in the DCC’s LTP and Annual Plans.

Financial considerations

There are no financial considerations as grants are allocated according to the DCC’s grants budget approved by Council.

Significance

The significance of the decision related to grants has been assessed as ‘low’

Engagement – external

No internal or external engagement has taken place related to grants. Where an applicant has applied for a CCS grant and a DCC grant from another team, staff share relevant knowledge. Staff also check to ensure that applicants do not apply for multiple DCC applications in one round.

Engagement - internal

Ara Toi/Creative Partnerships staff consulted with the Events, Community Partnerships, and Waste Minimisation teams.

Risks: Legal / Health and Safety etc.

The risks related to grants is considered low as applicants have to provide financial and group information to be eligible to apply.

Conflict of Interest

No Conflicts of Interest have been noted by staff in accordance to the DCC’s Conflict of Interest policy. The Subcommittee manages its Conflicts of Interest in accordance to the DCC’s Conflict of Interest policy.

Community Boards

There are no implications for Community Boards. There are some applicants who are located within the Community Boards areas.

Grants Subcommittee

DCC Community Grants Allocated - $5,000 and Under and Small Grants Report

Department: Community and Planning

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1 This report summarises the Community Grants (under $5k) that have been approved by staff, under delegation up to 30 April 2026. This includes:

a) Community Grants (up to $5k)

b) Small Project Grants (up to $500), and

c) Neighbourhood Matching Grants (up to $500).

2 Councill confirmed its preferred governance structure for grants as, Grants Subcommittee, Staff Delegations and Council Oversight. Staff can now approve small grants (under $5k) under this delegation.

3 This report summarises the small grants approved by staff (under $5k) by the Community Partnerships team, since the delegation until 30 April 2026.

4 A list of approved Community Grants and Small Project and Neighbourhood Matching grants are proved in the following attachments (A and B).

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Subcommittee:

a) Notes the small grants approved from the DCC’s Community Partnerships team (up to 30 April 2026).

b) Notes the grants allocated between 1 December 2025 and 30 April 2026 for Small Project and Neighbourhood Matching Grants (Attachment B).

BACKGROUND

5 Councill confirmed its preferred governance structure for grants as:

Moved (Cr Cherry Lucas/Mayor Sophie Barker):

That the Council:

e) Confirms its preferred Governance Structure for Grant Decisions is a Grants Subcommittee + Staff Delegations + Council Oversight where:

i) Staff allocate small grants under delegation.

ii) A Grants Subcommittee (which include community representatives) allocates mid-tier grants, multi-year and large grants.

Division

The Council voted by division

For: Crs John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Mandy Mayhem, Andrew Simms, Mickey Treadwell and Steve Walker (8).

Against: Crs Cherry Lucas, Russell Lund, Benedict Ong, Lee Vandervis, Brent Weatherall and Mayor Sophie Barker (6).

Abstained: Nil

The division was declared CARRIED by 8 votes to 6

Motion carried (CNL/2026/001)

6 Applications for the DCC Community Grant fund opened on 2 March and closed on 27 March 2026.

7 Applicants are encouraged to meet with staff before applying for a grant, to receive relevant advice and information.

8 All grant applications undergo a rigorous assessment to ensure full compliance with the grant criteria as outlined on the DCC’s website, as well as the DCC’s Grants Management Policy (2019). The assessment process provides assurance that grant applicants are eligible and that the required documentation such as financial records, are received as part of their application.

9 The current Grants Management Policy (2019) is undergoing a review and this work is being led by the DCC’s Corporate Policy team.

DISCUSSION

Summary of Community Grants – March 2026

10 Community Grants has two rounds each calendar year – March and August.

11 The March 2026 funding round received 29 applications (Attachment A), which his less than the September 2025 round when we received 41 applications.

12 Only one application was ‘declined’ as it did not meet the Community Grant’s eligibility criteria.

Grant Fund Name	Number of Grant Applications Received	Number Withdrawn	Total Requested	Total Available (March 2025 Round)
Community Grants	29	0	$127,056.02	$96,450.00

Table 1. Summary of Community Grants Applications and funding, March 2026.

13 Staff are not aware of any issues as to why the numbers have decreased but acknowledge that the as Community Grants closed just before Easter and school holidays, this may have impacted on people’s capacity to apply.

Analysis of Community Grants (under $5k) over the Past Five Years

14 To investigate this further, staff reviewed the number of Community Grant applications received over the past five years (FY 2022-2026). Figure 1 shows that Community Grant applications have fluctuated over this period with an overall upward trend, followed by increased variability in later years.

15 FY 2022 recorded relatively low application numbers, with a gradual decline and a low point of 23 applications in September 2022. Staff have proposed a likely explanation for this was COVID related impacts on applicant’s capacity and confidence to access funding.

16 From FY 2023 onwards, applications increased steadily, rising through March 2023 (31), September 2023 (32), and March 2024 (34), suggesting recovery and growing awareness of the grants.

17 The highest demand occurred in September 2024, with 46 applications, representing the peak across the entire period and indicating heightened funding demand or increased grants’ visibility.

18 Following this peak, application numbers fluctuated but remained higher than early years, with 37 in March 2025, 41 in September 2025, and 29 in March 2026.

Figure 1: General review of grant applications received FY 2022-2026

19 Of the 29 applications received in March 2026, 11 were from local Ōtepoti/Dunedin organisations, while the remaining applicants represented organisations supported by regional (5) and/or national (13) entities. A total of three applications (10%) came from first-time applicants to the DCC Community Grants fund.

20 A review of the March cohort (Figure 2) showed that 40% of applications sought support from the health sector, marking a shift from the March 2025 round, where a significant portion of applicants were from the social service sector. The second-largest sector represented was Social and Community Services (31%), followed by Education (14%) and Disability and Former Refugees and Migrants (6%) each.

Figure 2: General review of grant applicants, Community Grants March 2026 round.

21 In March 2026, most applications came from groups that provide services and support for all priority groups identified in the DCC’s Social Wellbeing Strategy, while also offering broader local community support.

22 In reviewing applications aligned with each of the priority groups of the DCC’s Social Wellbeing Strategy, three applications were submitted by groups dedicated to supporting Pacific communities, former refugees, and migrants. There were 12 applications that strongly emphasised meeting the needs of children, young people, and families, while six focused on serving the disability community.

23 There were no applications specifically dedicated to 'Older Persons.' However, it was noted that several applications providing general community services would also cater to the needs of older individual, such as The Order of St John.

24 All 29 grant applications have been thoroughly reviewed by staff. While direct meetings with every applicant was not possible, each application was carefully assessed to ensure its compliance with the DCC’s Community Grants criteria (as outlined on the DCC’s website), and the conditions set out in the DCC’s Grants Management Policy (2019). The review process included verifying that each group could contribute at least 30% of the funding for the project or service for which they are seeking a grant. For applicants that staff have met with directly, extra details have been included with the grants review material in Fund Consult.

25 Returning applicants who received a DCC Community Grant in 2025, have had their report backs reviewed by staff to confirm their eligibility for the March 2026 round. Each report back report is provided with a reference number which has been logged in the applicant’s assessment information for reference.

Summary of Small Project and Neighbourhood Matching Grants approved between 1 December 2025 and 30 April 2026

Grant Fund Name	Number of Grant Applications Received (2025/2026FY)	Number Withdrawn	Total Requested	Total remaining this FY
Small Project Grants	6	0	$5,162.01	$1,058.87
Neighbourhood Matching Grants	5	0	$5,162.01	$1,058.87

Table 2. Update on approved Small Grants as of 30 April 2026.

26 Small Project and Neighbourhood Grants are for grants up to a maximum of $500. Funding for both grant schemes is allocated from the annual Community Grants budget, with a total of $10,000 allocated each financial year.

27 The Small Project Fund offers a quick response option for applicants. Its criteria are the same as the DCC’s Community Grants scheme and following assessment and approval, staff facilitate the payment directly to groups.

28 The Neighbourhood Matching Grants are designed for informal, local groups. The remaining $500 is expected to come from the community either through another grant or volunteer contributions. Following that assessment and approval of a Neighbourhood Matching Grant, staff then facilitate the purchase of items which is usually the cost of food and/or equipment hire such as a barbeque.

29 The approved amounts for both grants vary, as detailed in Attachment B, ranging from $200 to $500.

30 An update of the Small Project and Neighbourhood Matching Grants approved since 1 December 2025 and up to 30 April 2026 is provided in Attachment B and summarised in Table 2.

Accountability

31 Community Grant recipients are required to submit a ‘Report Back’ within 12 months of receiving their grant. Applicants must also do this before they apply for any other DCC grant and staff actively check and monitor report backs.

32 Report Backs ensure accountability while recognising the vital contributions that communities make to residents’ wellbeing. Staff also review report backs to confirm that the grants have been used for their original intended purposes.

33 Neighbourhood Matching Grant recipients are not required to submit a formal ‘Report Back,’ as payments are managed directly by DCC staff. However, grant recipients typically provide a short summary of their project or neighbourhood activity, offering valuable insights into how communities are sustaining community connections.

OPTIONS

34 There are no options as this is a noting report.

NEXT STEPS

35 Staff are processing payments for Community, Small Project and Neighbourhood Matching Grants in line with this report.

36 Staff are in the process of assessing City Service, City Project grants for approval by the Grants Subcommittee.

Signatories

Author:	Mai Tamimi - Team Leader Community Development
Authoriser:	Gina Hu'akau - Community Partnerships Manager

Attachments

	Title	Page
⇩a	Community Grants March 2026 - Summary of Applications	97
⇩b	Small Community Projects and Neighbourhood Matching Grants	99

SUMMARY OF CONSIDERATIONS

Fit with purpose of Local Government

This decision enables democratic local decision making and action by, and on behalf of communities.

This decision promotes the social, economic, environment and cultural well-being of communities in the present and for the future.

Fit with strategic framework

	Contributes	Detracts	Not applicable
Social Wellbeing Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Economic Development Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Environment Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Arts and Culture Strategy	✔	☐	☐
3 Waters Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Future Development Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Integrated Transport Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Parks and Recreation Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Other strategic projects/policies/plans	✔	☐	☐

Staff are delegated to allocate grants up to $5k and in line with the approved grants budget. These grant decisions directly support community groups to deliver on projects, services and activities that support local residents’ wellbeing and contributes to many of the DCC’s strategies and plans.

Māori Impact Statement

Te Taki Haruru, the DCC’s Māori Strategic Framework outlines the aspirations for Māori living in Ōtepoti Dunedin. Many of the grant applications contribute to these aspirations by way of the services and activities that they deliver on. In making grant decisions, the Subcommittee includes representation as appointed by mana whenua to ensure all grant decisions include mana whenua perspectives.

Sustainability

There are no negative implications for sustainability, with some grant applications positively contributing to sustainable goals for their local community.

LTP/Annual Plan / Financial Strategy /Infrastructure Strategy

Grants are part of the DCC’s Levels of Service and are included in the DCC’s LTP and Annual Plans.

Financial considerations

There are no financial considerations as grants are allocated according to the DCC’s grants budget approved by Council.

Significance

The significance of the decision related to grants has been assessed as ‘low’.

Engagement – external

No internal or external engagement has taken place related to grants. Internal checks by staff from relevant DCC teams has occurred to ensure that applicants have not applied to more that one grant fund.

Engagement - internal

The teams consulted with include the Events, Ara Toi and Waste Minimisation.

Risks: Legal / Health and Safety etc.

The risks related to grants is considered low as applicants have to provide financial and group information to be eligible to apply.

Conflict of Interest

Community Boards

There are no implications for Community Boards. There are some applicants who are located within the Community Boards areas.

Grants Subcommittee

26 June 2026

City Service City Project Grants 2026/27 - Ara Toi Arts and Culture Sector

Department: Ara Toi and Corporate Policy

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1 This report summarises arts and culture grant applications to the Dunedin City Council’s (DCC) City Service, City Project Fund for the 2026/27 round.

2 The Grants Subcommittee (Subcommittee) is responsible for allocating funding in line with the DCC’s grants budget and in accordance with the DCC Grants Subcommittee’s delegations. This report includes applicant data from the arts and culture sector for the City Service, City Project fund for the 2026/27 round (Attachment A).

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Subcommittee:

a) Decides the arts and culture sector grants to be allocated from the DCC’s City Service, City Project 2026/27 Fund.

BACKGROUND

3 The amount for the DCC’s grants is determined by Council when it sets its budget through its annual or long-term planning process.

4 The City Service, City Project fund (Fund) has been delivered by the DCC since 2015, as a contestable grant aimed at organisations, groups and peak bodies in Dunedin who deliver essential services or activities that support Dunedin’s creative communities.

5 The establishment of the Fund opened access to new service providers and provided greater transparency about the allocation and use of DCC grants funding.

6 Other than a one-off increase of $40,000 in 2021/22, and adjustments for inflation in 2022/23 and 2023/24, the amount of money available through this Fund has remained static.

7 For 2026/27, the total budget of the City Service City Projects Fund is $463,100.

8 This amount has been split evenly between applications from the arts and culture and social sectors, resulting in $231,550 being available for each in the 2026/27 round.

9 The Fund support the arts organisations that meet the following criteria:

· The organisation significantly contributes to achieving the strategic objectives of Ara Toi Ōtepoti and other city strategies.

· Provide a unique service for creative practitioners and the wider city community.

· They are critical to the long-term sustainability of Ōtepoti’s creative ecosystem.

· Demonstrates community support, building partnerships and collaborations with other organisations.

· They have effective and efficient governance with a presence in Dunedin.

DISCUSSION

10 The Fund is the only source of DCC grant funding that supports operational costs for Ōtepoti’s arts, creative, and cultural organisations.

11 Prior to 2015, large arts sector organisations in receipt of regular Creative New Zealand funding (the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra and the, now defunct, Fortune Theatre Company) were funded through Service Level Agreements. The security of the multi-year funding agreements supported strategic planning and sustainable development processes in the organisations.

12 The 2023 Creative New Zealand (CNZ) review of its grants funding model recognises the problems that short-term and project/outcomes-based funding exacerbates:

“[CNZ] acknowledge[s]the uncertainty that artists and arts organisations often operate within. The change in focus flows through the [new funding] programmes, with an emphasis on vision and purpose, valuing artists’ time, supporting longer-term development.”

13 CreativeNZ is presently undergoing an organisational and funding restructure which will see funding distributed at a regional level across the country. The framework for this change is not finalised. As a result, there is uncertainty across the sector, locally and nationally, for both artists and arts organisations.

14 Applications have been received from 12 organisations with a total request of $375,527.84. In the past three years, new applicants have entered the funding pool: Dance Ōtepoti, the Dunedin Jazz Foundation, the Māori and Pāsifika Education Trust, and this year, the Dunedin Youth Orchestra.

15 Figure 1 reflects the applications received in the 2026 round, by medium:

16 The disciplines best represented this round is Music (including Opera), followed by an equal representation from Multi-arts, Theatre (including musical theatre, comedy) and Visual Arts (including craft and photography).

17 The allocation of this funding across arts organisations is skewed by the inclusion of the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra (DSO) in this contestable funding pool. It is important to note that while the size of request from the DSO is proportionately greater than other applicants, the total cost of the DSO programme and subsequent economic return means that the request is a small portion of the overall annual budget.

18 Staff meet and speak with applicants throughout the year.

19 Staff have used the following questions to assist them when assessing applications and prioritising funding recommendations:

· Does this group provide creative pathways for young people and for those who face additional barriers to accessing arts, culture, and creative activities?

· Is the group providing opportunities for learning, innovation, and pastoral/professional support for creative practitioners and audiences?

· What risks would an organisation face were it not funded to an adequate level?

· Is the organisation active in seeking additional funding/revenue streams?

OPTIONS

20 There are no options as the Subcommittee is delegated to make decisions related to grants.

NEXT STEPS

21 Staff will advise applicants of the Subcommittee’s decisions and administer the payment of the Fund.

Signatories

Author:	Amie Taua - Ara Toi Partnerships Team Leader
Authoriser:	Mike Costelloe - General Manager, Arts, Culture & Economic Development

Attachments

	Title	Page
⇩a	Ara Toi Arts and Culture Strategy City Service Grants 2026-2027	107

SUMMARY OF CONSIDERATIONS

Fit with purpose of Local Government

This decision enables democratic local decision making and action by, and on behalf of communities.

This decision promotes the social, economic, environment and cultural well-being of communities in the present and for the future.

Fit with strategic framework

	Contributes	Detracts	Not applicable
Social Wellbeing Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Economic Development Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Environment Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Arts and Culture Strategy	✔	☐	☐
3 Waters Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Future Development Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Integrated Transport Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Parks and Recreation Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Other strategic projects/policies/plans	✔	☐	☐

The grants’ decisions support the implementation of the Ōtepoti Live Music Action Plan and allow groups and organisations to deliver activities that contribute to the city’s vibrancy and economic development.

Māori Impact Statement

Sustainability

There are no negative implications for sustainability.

Zero carbon

Each grant application will have an impact on carbon across the city but no assessment has been made to determine city wide emissions.

LTP/Annual Plan / Financial Strategy /Infrastructure Strategy

Grants are part of the DCC’s Levels of Service and are included in the DCC’s long-term and annual plans and budgets.

Financial considerations

There are no financial considerations as grants are allocated according to the DCC’s grants budget approved by Council.

Significance

This decision is considered low in terms of the Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy.

Engagement – external

No internal or external engagement has taken place related to grants. Internal checks by staff from relevant DCC teams has occurred, to ensure that applicants have met the grant criteria.

Engagement - internal

The team engages with the Community Partnerships and Events Teams.

Risks: Legal / Health and Safety etc.

The risks related to grants is considered low.

Conflict of Interest

No direct Conflicts of Interest have been noted by staff; perceived Conflicts of Interest have been managed in accordance with DCC’s Conflict of Interest policy.

Community Boards

There are no implications for Community Boards.

Grants Subcommittee

26 June 2026

City Service City Project Grants 2026/27- Social Sector

Department: Community and Planning

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1 This report summarises the social sector grant applications to the Dunedin City Council’s (DCC) City Service, City Project Fund for the 2026/27 financial year.

2 The Grants Subcommittee (Subcommittee) is responsible for allocating funding in line with the DCC’s grants budget and in accordance with the DCC Grants Subcommittee’s delegations. This report includes applicant data from the social sector for the City Service, City Project fund for the 2026/27 financial year (Attachment A).

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Subcommittee:

a) Decides the social sector grants to be allocated from the DCC’s City Service, City Project 2026/27 Fund.

BACKGROUND

3 The amount for the DCC’s grants is determined by Council when it sets its budget through its annual or long-term planning process.

4 The City Service, City Project fund (Fund) has been delivered by the DCC since 2015, as a contestable grant aimed at organisations, groups and/or peak bodies in Dunedin who deliver essential social services or activities that support Dunedin’s community.

5 Previous to 2015, funding requests to Council were made through the annual plan process, but there was limited ability to analyse grant requests or evaluate their contribution to the city and residents. It was determined that by establishing this Fund, this would allow more opportunity to understand and acknowledge some of the important roles that these organisations have in contributing to the city’s wellbeing.

6 In 2021, Council resolved to increase the Fund’s budget at its Council Meeting 31 May 2021, as outlined below;

16 10 year plan 2021-31 - Funding Requests
A report from Corporate Policy summarised the funding requests received from submitters during the community feedback period on the 10 year plan 2021-31.
The Chief Executive Officer (Sandy Graham) spoke to the report and responded to questions.
City Services Grants
Moved (Cr Christine Garey/Cr Chris Staynes): That the Council: Increases the budget allocation for City Service Grants by $40,000 to a total of $448,100 in Year 1, thereafter inflation adjusted annually in Years 2 to 10 in the 10 year plan 2021-2031. Division The Council voted by division: For: Crs David Benson-Pope, Rachel Elder, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Carmen Houlahan, Marie Laufiso, Mike Lord, Jules Radich, Chris Staynes, Steve Walker, Andrew Whiley and Mayor Aaron Hawkins (12). Against: Crs Sophie Barker, Jim O'Malley and Lee Vandervis (3). Abstained: Nil The division was declared CARRIED by 12 votes to 3 Motion carried (CNL/2021/115)

7 The Fund was administered in accordance with Council’s motion in 2021/22 which included a one-off increase of $40k, after which the fund was inflation adjusted in 2022/23 and in 2023/24.

8 In 2024, no adjustments were applied to the Fund to allow Council to finalise its long-term plan (2025-2034), and in respect of the DCC’s Grants Review work programme. This meant that the inflation increase for the Fund was not allocated during the 2024/25 and 2025/26 Fund rounds, see Figure 1 below.

Figure 1: City Service, City Grants Fund as per CNL/2021/115

9 For 2026/27, the total budget of the Fund is $463,100, as approved by Council in its annual plan.

10 This amount has been split evenly between applications from the arts and social sectors, resulting in $231,550 being available for the social sectors in the 2026/27 round.

11 The Fund supports the social sectors that meet the following criteria:

· Their work in the city significantly contributes to achieving the priorities of one or more of the DCC’s key strategies, and due to this they have a unique service/place within community or are considered a peak body.

· They are deemed critical to Dunedin's community fabric and longer-term sustainability.

· They can show they have community support, collaborate, and build partnerships with other organisations.

· They have effective and efficient governance that has a presence in Dunedin.

DISCUSSION

12 In the 2026/27 round, the DCC received 19 applications to the Fund from a range of services. This included five applications from organisations who have not previously applied to the Fund.

13 In total, 19 applicants have applied for $544,342.00 this is a decrease of around $147k compared with the 2025/26 round, which applied for $691,192.52. The DCC’s budget for the Fund, is less than half of the amount requested from applicants which demonstrates that the Fund is heavily contested.

14 All 19 grant applications submitted to the Subcommittee for consideration, have been thoroughly reviewed by staff. Staff have assessed each application against eligibility criteria including their organisation details, financial records and information about their services and activities. Staff also prioritised meeting with applicants (either online or in person) to better understand each applicant’s context. The team also assessed their application to ensure compliance with the DCC’s City Service, City Project grant criteria and the DCC’s Grants Management Policy (2019). Each application’s information was summarised in the attached spreadsheet (Attachment A) for the Subcommittee, to assist in their deliberations.

15 All 19 applications have applied for a grant towards their operating expenditure, salary/wages and/or project costs. The smallest grant application was for $8,000 with the largest being $50,180.

16 All 19 applications represent a broad cross-section of the community sector. The strongest representation is in social services, followed by health, community development, and education/training. Several organisations have a cross-sector approach in their delivery of social services, rather than a single focus area. This suggests the funding round is attracting organisations with both specialised and holistic service delivery models.

17 Data derived from the applications shows a clear emphasis on social wellbeing and frontline community support, with multiple organisations working across sectors such as health, education, and community development. Niche areas like volunteering promotion and community engagement also appear, but less frequently. The presence of services that work across multiple sectors suggest that many providers are addressing complex needs.

Figure 2: Sectors Represented (Applicants 2026/27)

18 In terms of priority groups, the strongest focus among applicants is on the general public (10), Youth (5), children and young people (4), people with disabilities (3), elderly (3) homeless (1) and victim support (1).

19 Māori are explicitly identified in three applications, while groups such as Pāsifika and multi-ethnic (including migrants and former refugees) appear less frequently but are still represented. Many applications also indicated broad inclusion reinforcing an accessibility alongside targeted services. Overall, the purpose of funding requests is heavily weighted toward operational costs, staffing, and service delivery, indicating a sector need for sustainability and continuity rather than one-off projects.

Figure 3: Priority Groups (Applicants 2026/27)

20 Referring to the data above, staff have compared this with demographics for Dunedin from Statistics New Zealand and Infometrics (see Attachment B). Below is a snapshot of key highlights.

a) Age – Dunedin has a large youth cohort particularly in the 20–24-year cohort. While this partly reflects the tertiary sector, this is not the only factor. The 15–19 age group is also disproportionately large compared to the national average (see Attachment B, Figure 1). This suggests that grant applicants working with and/or supporting youth should be prioritised.

b) Disability – Disability indicators for Dunedin, are on average slightly higher on average compared with those for New Zealand (see Attachment B, Figure 2). This suggests applicants working with disabled people should be prioritised.

c) Ethnicity – While most ethnic groups in Dunedin have remained stable or shown slight growth over the past decade, the Pākehā/European population has declined slightly. Māori, Pacific and Asian ethnic communities have demonstrated the most significant growth (see Attachment B, Figure 3).

d) Housing – Reliable housing deprivation data is limited, but available evidence suggests housing hardship in Dunedin is rising. Between 2018 and 2023, homelessness-related deprivation increased by 21.5% (see Attachment B, Figure 4), pointing to a need for prioritising support for those applicants working with people and communities facing housing insecurity and homelessness.

e) Unemployment – In 2025, Dunedin’s unemployment rate was approximately 0.8 percentage points lower than the national average. This difference partly reflected the presence of large, public-sector employers in the health and tertiary education sectors, which limited the increases in unemployment relative to the national level. However, as a smaller city, Dunedin generally offers fewer employment opportunities than larger urban centres, and the local labour market continues to present challenges for some job seekers (see Attachment B, Figure 5).

f) Employment Growth – Following the previous point, Dunedin’s employment growth continued to decline in 2025. Employment in Dunedin City measured 66,435 filled jobs in the year to March 2025, down 0.7% from a year earlier. Employment growth in Dunedin City averaged 1.4%pa over the 10 years to 2025 compared with average employment growth of 1.9%pa in New Zealand (See Attachment B, Figure 6).

g) Medium personal income – In 2023, Dunedin’s median personal income was $33,500, compared to $45,100 nationally (see Attachment B, Figure 7). This gap may contribute to staff retention issues for social sector organisations and intensify cost-of-living pressures.

h) Personal income by Gender – In 2023, more males earned $50,000 or above in Dunedin, while more females earned under $50,000. This income distribution can have a disproportionate effect on gendered workforces. For example, a significant proportion of professionals in Dunedin’s community sector are women, and this sector typically offers modest remuneration (see Attachment B, Figure 8).

i) Social Deprivation –In 2023, 19.7% of Dunedin’s population fell into the most deprived quintile—slightly below the national figure of 20.8%. Despite this, the level of local deprivation is concerning and monitoring of this issue is needed (see Attachment B, Figure 9).

j) Social Deprivation across Dunedin city in more detail – Between 2018 and 2023, the number of Dunedin people in high-deprivation areas (deciles 9 and 10) increased. Three deciles—3, 6, and 8—showed no growth, while all others, including the least-deprived groups, did. This data suggests that there is a widening inequality gap in Dunedin (see Attachment B, Figure 10).

DCC Fund’s criteria and eligibility

21 In the DCC’s Grants Management Policy under 3.1 (j), it states; “The DCC may take into consideration any current or previous DCC funding the applicant has received when assessing a grant application. All contestable grants, discretionary funding, loans and any other type of funding received from the DCC must be disclosed as part of a grant application”.

22 In line with 3.1 (j), staff checked each applicant’s DCC funding history and noted that out of the 19 applications to the Fund (2026/2027);

· 8 applicants currently receive a DCC Rates Relief grant,

· 1 applicant currently receive a DCC Community Grant, and

· 1 applicant currently receives a DCC Service Level Agreement to administer the Electricity Scheme on behalf of the DCC.

23 A review of DCC grants awarded last FY, compared with the current Fund applicants, revealed:

· 15 applicants received a City Service, City Project grant in 2025/2026,

· 2 applicants received a DCC community or Waste Minimisation in 2025/2026,

· 2 applicants received a Mayoral donation in 2025/2026,

· 1 applicant received Community Board Grant in 2025/26, and

· 3 applicants did not receive any DCC grants and/ or funding in 2025/2026.

24 In accordance with section 3.1(j), staff have identified and noted the above funding information for the Subcommittee’s information.

25 In reviewing the DCC’s Grants Management Policy and the criteria set out for the Fund, staff have considered the meaning of ‘…unique service / place within community or are considered a peak body’ to assess eligibility. Staff acknowledge that the term "peak body" would benefit from a clearer definition. In the meantime, efforts have been made by staff to ensure that each recommended applicant has demonstrated, through their application, the delivery of a distinct and valuable service in Dunedin. For this purpose, definitions and guiding questions were included in the assessment spreadsheet (Attachment A).

26 Where applicable, staff have verified that applicants who have received previous DCC funding have completed their ‘Report Backs’ (accountability reports). Identification numbers for their reports have been included for the Subcommittee’s reference. There are two applicants (DBAS and Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust) who receive DCC funding related to a Service Level Agreement and a Community Grant. Interim updates have been received by staff from DBAS), with complete accountability reports due at the end of their terms from both.

Challenges

27 Analysis of applicants’ income and expenditure data shows that many applicants have retained central government funding linked to service delivery and, where appropriate, secured support from other funders and philanthropic sources. Collectively, the 19 applicants reported total income of about $44 million and expenditure of $42 million, largely directed toward supporting Dunedin people and communities.

28 Some organisations applying to the Fund have recently faced significant reductions in central government funding. This presents a pressing challenge in the context of Dunedin’s current needs (see Point 20).

29 Considering the DCC’s role, this Fund remains one of the few grants that can be used for operating costs without contractual obligations tied to service delivery. While it comprises a small percentage of many organisations’ overall income, the Fund plays a vital role in signalling Council’s support. That recognition provides valuable assurance to other potential funders and supports groups to attract funding support from outside the Dunedin area.

30 Staff note that the Fund remains heavily contested, indicating a strong and ongoing need for it. The Fund also supports organisations that directly contribute to Council’s Community Outcomes.

31 Council’s role in determining appropriate levels of investment in Dunedin’s essential services is critical, as this helps groups attract funding from outside the city while sustaining their service delivery locally.

OPTIONS

32 There are no options as the Subcommittee has delegation to make decisions related to grants.

NEXT STEPS

33 Staff will advise applicants of the Subcommittee’s decisions and administer the payment of the Fund.

Signatories

Author:

Mai Tamimi - Team Leader Community Development

Authoriser:

Gina Hu'akau - Community Partnerships Manager

Nicola Morand - Manahautū (General Manager Community and Strategy)

Attachments

	Title	Page
⇩a	Attachment A. City Service Grants 2026/27 - Summary of Social Sector Applications	117
⇩b	Attachment B. Dunedin Demographics	119

SUMMARY OF CONSIDERATIONS

Fit with purpose of Local Government

This decision enables democratic local decision making and action by, and on behalf of communities.

This decision promotes the social, economic, environment and cultural well-being of communities in the present and for the future.

Fit with strategic framework

	Contributes	Detracts	Not applicable
Social Wellbeing Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Economic Development Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Environment Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Arts and Culture Strategy	✔	☐	☐
3 Waters Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Future Development Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Integrated Transport Strategy	☐	☐	✔
Parks and Recreation Strategy	✔	☐	☐
Other strategic projects/policies/plans	✔	☐	☐

The Subcommittee is delegated to allocate funding within the approved grants budget. The grant decisions directly support community groups to deliver on projects, services and activities that support local residents’ wellbeing and contributes to many of the DCC’s strategies and plans.

Māori Impact Statement

Te Taki Haruru, the DCC’s Māori Strategic Framework outlines the aspirations for Māori living in Ōtepoti Dunedin. Many of the grant applications contribute to these aspirations through the services and activities that they deliver. In making grant decisions, the Subcommittee includes representation as appointed by mana whenua to ensure all grant decisions include mana whenua perspectives.

Sustainability

There are no negative implications for sustainability, with some grant applications positively contributing to sustainable goals for their local community.

LTP/Annual Plan / Financial Strategy /Infrastructure Strategy

Grants are part of the DCC’s Levels of Service and are included in the DCC’s long-term and annual plans and budgets.

Financial considerations

There are no financial considerations as grants are allocated according to the DCC’s grants budget approved by Council.

Significance

The significance of the decision related to grants has been assessed as ‘low’.

Engagement – external

No internal or external engagement has taken place related to grants. Internal checks by staff from relevant DCC teams has occurred, to ensure that applicants have met the grant criteria.

Engagement - internal

Other teams consulted with include Events, Ara Toi and Waste Minimisation teams.

Risks: Legal / Health and Safety etc.

The risks related to grants is considered low as applicants must provide financial and group information to be eligible to apply.

Conflict of Interest

Conflicts of Interest have been noted by staff in accordance with the DCC’s Conflict of Interest policy. The Subcommittee manages its Conflicts of Interest in accordance with the DCC’s Conflict of Interest policy.

Community Boards

There are no implications for Community Boards. There are some applicants who are located within the Community Boards areas and have received a Community Board Grant.

	Title	Page
A ⇩	Minutes of Grants Subcommittee meeting held on 29 May 2026	11