Museum and Heritage Development Fund available to help bring Kāpiti Coast’s stories to life

Kāpiti Coast District Council’s Museum and Heritage Development Fund has $13,000 available to support local projects that protect and share the district’s unique history.

Council’s Customer and Community Group Manager Brendan Owens says the fund provides financial support for initiatives that showcase the district’s heritage – from exhibitions and documentaries to restorations and digital storytelling.

“We want to celebrate our district’s taonga – precious items and places to be preserved, stories to tell, and people to honour – for current and future generations.”

Funding is available for both short-term and longer-term museum and heritage initiatives. Grants can either be:

• a one-off grant for a specific activity, supporting projects that run over one to two years, or
• seed funding for longer-term initiatives, while ongoing viability and sustainability is developed.

Grants can be for multiple years and, as a guide, are usually around $4,000 or over per year.

Past recipients include the Kāpiti Coast Museum for its ‘Telling the Kāpiti Story’ exhibition, Kāpiti Aviation Museum for upgraded displays, Steam Incorporated for volunteer and youth training, and the Paekākāriki Station Precinct Trust which delivered digital upgrades and community events.

Anyone with a museum or heritage project idea that might benefit from a funding boost will need to connect with the team before applying.

“Having a conversation early helps ensure your project is a good fit – and gives it the best chance of success,” says Mr Owen.

Applications for this funding round close on Monday 1 September 2025.

Learn more about our Museum and Heritage Development Fund and email [email protected] or call 0800 486 486.