Climate action grants

Funding for Climate Action Grants was available in 2023/24 and 2024/25 and has now ended. This money came from the previous government’s Better Off Funding programme, which supported local government investment in communities' wellbeing. No rates funding was involved.

Grants were for projects to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, support community resilience, and help with a fair transition to low-carbon living on the Kāpiti Coast.    

Find out more about greenhouse gas emissions and what Council’s doing.  

---

Timeline

Date	Action
Monday 29 April 2024	Opening of Climate Action Grant applications Note: Our team will acknowledge applications as we receive them.
5pm, Friday 7 June	Closing of applications.
Tuesday 2 July	Climate and Environment Subcommittee meets to consider recommendations and make funding allocation decisions.
Friday 5 July	applicants advised of decisions by this date successful applicants announced.

---

Funds available

---

Fund objectives

The fund was set up with the following objectives, and initiatives must benefit the Kāpiti Coast District in one or more of:

• enabling GHG emissions reduction
• helping create a culture of climate change action
• improving resilience in local communities
• supporting an equitable transition to low-carbon living
• supporting mana whenua vision and priorities in relation to these objectives.

Mana whenua vision and priorities, as outlined in our Long-term Plan 2021–41, are:

• kaitiakitanga – sustaining the environment and people
• ūkaipōtānga – identity
• whanaungatanga – connectedness
• pūkengatanga – preserving, creating, teaching and knowledge
• manaakitanga – supporting each other.

---

Application criteria

Funding preference was given to projects that:  

• aligned with one or more of the grant’s objectives
• continued to offer benefits to the Kāpiti Coast District after the grant funding was used
• demonstrated equity, with project benefits were accessible and relevant to different groups in the community
• showed how success would be measured in relation to project aims and goals, with success being quantifiable and reportable to Council.

The Climate Action Grants were for:

• new projects or programmes based on the Kāpiti Coast
• existing local projects or programmes wanting to expand within the Kāpiti Coast
• existing national or international projects or programmes wanting to establish on the Kāpiti Coast.

---

Recipients 2024

We’re pleased to announce the 12 successful Kāpiti community and business group applicants for funding from this year's Climate Action Grants.

Recipient	Project	Amount	Year
Coastal Restoration Trust	Producing a video focused on nature-based methods for restoring and managing beaches, estuaries, and dune systems along the Kāpiti Coast District. This will provide expert guidance for a wide range of groups working on adaptation and restoration projects within our district.	$13,000	2024
Huha	Establishing an emergency response depot on the Kāpiti Coast to provide assistance to people and animals during natural disaster responses.	$7,953	2024
Nikau Valley Restoration Society	Plant guards to protect seedlings planted in various restoration areas in the Nīkau Valley.	$2,643	2024
Tree Space Kāpiti	Establishing a “tiny forest” project in Waikanae, based on the Japanese “Miyawaki” microforest concept.	$1,000	2024
Paekākāriki School Potty Potters Garden Club	Funding for compost to support growing and planting of native seedlings, fruit trees, and vegetables across a variety of school and community initiatives.	$600	2024
Energise Ōtaki	Further development of their Ōtaki Bike Space operation, including a bike library and building a more comprehensive bike repair set-up.	$13,900	2024
Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki	Engaging their hapori and wider tangata tiriti communities in a range of wananga/workshops and other initiatives aimed to develop understanding and resilience to climate change through indigenous knowledge/mātauranga Māori.	$13,900	2024
Raumati Technology Centre	Continuing the expansion of their environmental hub and teaching garden as part of their holistic sustainability curriculum. Specific project initiatives include further development of the food forest, native plant nursery, beehives, and ongoing land and stream restoration.	$11,200	2024
Kaibosh	Expanding their local food rescue programme to work more with local orchards. This will redirect tonnes of fruit that would otherwise rot on the ground, providing healthy food for people through community partnerships and saving tonnes of methane from entering the atmosphere.	$11,200	2024
Ohu Taiao – Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Rito	Continuing with land restoration and education initiatives in Ōtaki.	$11,200	2024
Kāpiti College	Establishing a composting system and associated land restoration and education initiatives at the school.	$11,200	2024
Paekākāriki Orchard and Gardens	Expanding their biochar programme with a specialised trailer, additional equipment and more community workshops.	$10,100	2024

---

Reporting

Interim progress reporting

Depending on the project and amount of funding allocated, you may need to provide interim project reports to Council staff, or Council staff may visit your site for progress updates.  We’ll give you details of any interim project reporting you’ll be required to do when we confirm whether your funding application has been successful.

Final reporting

You’ll need to advise Council staff when you complete your project. Depending on the project, Council staff may visit your site, and you'll need to provide a final report.

We’ll give you details of any final project reporting you’ll be required to do when we confirm whether your funding application has been successful.

Financial records

You’ll need to keep a record of how funds are spent, and include this information with your interim and final project reporting.

Future funding

Funding recipients who do not provide satisfactory interim and final project updates or reports will not be eligible for future funding.

---

Other conditions

Council reserves the right to:

• revisit the Climate Action Grant application criteria and process before each annual funding round opens
• to check on progress and celebrate success, visit project sites throughout project development and delivery, including taking photos, and brief interviews during these visits; applicants will be notified in advance of any proposed visits
• communicate concerns and work with fund recipients to find solutions if projects don't seem to be on track
• suspend and refuse further grant payments if, in Council’s opinion, the grantee wilfully or through neglect causes the project to fail, or proceeds with the project in a way that Council has not approved
• if the project changes significantly from the original plan, or finishes early, then Council may suspend or refuse further grant payments, or may require any equipment purchased with grant money to be transferred to Council for reallocation to another project.

---