Sport NZ Rural Travel Fund
Funding round dates
Applications for the most recent round of funding for the Sport NZ Rural Travel Fund closed at 4.30pm Monday 23 February 2026. Please note late applications will not be considered.
Thank you for all of the applications received.
Have questions? Email us at funding@taupo.govt.nz
About the Sport NZ Rural Travel Fund
The Rural Travel Fund was set up by Sport New Zealand to encourage participation in sport by people living in rural communities. The fund enables sports clubs and schools with young people aged between five and 18 years to offset some of the costs associated with travelling long distances to attend regular sporting competitions.
The fund is available to rural sport club teams or rural school club teams within the participating Territorial Authority (TA) regions who are competing in a regular local competition outside of school time.
There is approximately $16,000 available for distribution annually in one funding round.
Things to know before you apply
Eligibility criteria
Applications for the rural travel fund are open to rural sports clubs and rural school teams with young people aged between five and 18 years who need financial assistance with transport expenses to local sporting competitions.
The fund is NOT provided for the purpose of travel to regional or national competitions or events.
See the Rural Travel Fund Guidelines for full eligibility information.
Rural Travel Fund guidelines (PDF, 626KB)
Things to know after you apply
Confirmation and decision
- After submitting your application for funding, you'll receive an email to confirm your application has been received.
- Within one month of the closing date for applications, you’ll get an email to let you know the outcome of your application.
- If your application is successful, payment will be made to the nominated bank account from your application - you can now get started on your project!
The application process
Step 1: Plan
- You need to start by getting your ducks in a row and evidencing the need for your project before our funding rounds open.
- Check out our funding calendar to know when our funding rounds are next open.
- Our Funding Toolkit will also support you to create a funding plan for your project.
- Sign up to our Community Kōrero newsletter to keep up to date with funding news and opportunities.
- Familiarise yourself with our eligibility requirements and funding criteria which outlines how we consider and prioritise applications to TDC funds.
- If you haven’t submitted a request with us before, we recommend you use this time to create an account and familiarise yourself with our Funding Portal.
Step 2: Prepare
- Once you’ve created an account in our Funding Portal, you will be able to view our application form to get an idea of the types of questions we will ask in an application.
- In addition to our written questions, you will also need to provide the below information as part of your application:
- Evidence of Bank Account
- A budget
- A copy of your latest financial statement (if you are an individual applying this is not required)
- Two quotes, or reasoning for why two quotes cannot be provided
- Any other documentation you think will support your application.
Step 3: Apply
- When funding rounds open, you will be able to submit an online application through our Funding Portal.
- Funds will generally be open for one month. Unfortunately late and/or paper applications cannot be accepted.
- We recommend submitting well before the closing date to allow us to review and come back to you if any additional information is required. We will message you through the Funding Portal if any additional information is sought.
- Once you submit your online application, you’ll instantly receive an automated email confirming we’ve got it – no need to wonder if it went through!
- We hope to get back to you within eight weeks of the application period closing.
Step 4: Assessment
- Your application is considered against different criteria and funding framework depending on what fund you’re applying to.
- Eligibility criteria for the Rural Travel Fund can be found above under 'Things to know before you apply'.
Step 5: Decisions
- Different committees consider funding applications.
- If you wish, you may be present at these meetings to answer any questions of clarification decision makers may have.
- Where this applies, we will ask as part of your application if you wish to be present at the decision meeting. If you select ‘yes’ we will be in touch to let you know of the details at the application closing date.
- Committee members, meeting times and locations are available to view here.
- Once decisions have been made, we’ll let you know the outcome through the Funding Portal. You’ll also receive an email notification with a letter confirming the decision.
Step 6: Payment
- If your organisation is GST registered, you will need to send an invoice for the amount offered plus GST to funding@taupo.govt.nz.
- If you are not GST registered, there is nothing you need to do! You will receive the grant payment within one month.
- Don’t forget – we’d love for you to show our support of your project by displaying our logo on your promotional material. Our logo and brand guidelines can be accessed here.
Step 7: Tell us how you got on!
- While we haven’t met anyone who loves written reporting just yet, this is a really important part of the process to help us account for how funds are being spent!
- All reporting will be completed online, in our Funding Portal under the “milestones” tab.
- All funding recipients are required to spend and account for the funds within 12 months of being successful.
- Your reporting asks for updates on how the project went, as well as evidence of how the grant was spent (e.g. receipts, media promotion etc).
Accountability
Please complete and submit the accountability form within one month of the project/activity being completed.
The accountability form can be accessed in the Funding Portal.
Further information
For further information please contact our Taupō District Council funding team:
- Email: funding@taupo.govt.nz
- Phone: 07 376 0899
Past funding recipients
2025 funding recipients
Organisation | Sporting code | Allocation |
Taupō Marist Incorporated | Rugby | $800 |
Mangakino School | Basketball, Netball, Soccer, Rugby League | $850 |
Tongariro Junior Rugby | Rugby | $1,000 |
Tūrangi-Tokaanu Sports and Cultural Club | Rugby League | $2,000 |
Taupō-nui-a-tia College | Football, Rugby, Hockey | $2,725 |
Tūrangi Wanderers Soccer Club | Soccer | $2,000 |
Taupō United Rugby & Sports Club | Junior Rugby | $800 |
Tauhara College | Hockey, Rugby and Football | $3,000 |
Taupō Phoenix Rugby League Club | Rugby League | $800 |
Taupō Rugby & Sports Club | Rugby | $800 |
Marotiri School | Netball | $1,000 |
Marotiri School Netball | Netball | Application Withdrawn |
2024 funding recipients
Organisation | Purpose | Allocation |
|---|---|---|
Mangakino School | To support weekly travel for rugby league, basketball and swimming competitions. | $3,000 |
Marotiri School Netball | To support regular travel from Marotiri to Taupō for netball games. | $1,000 |
Taupō Marist Incorporated | To support fortnightly travel to Tūrangi, Te Kuiti, Piopio and Central Taupō for rugby games. | $1,000 |
Marotiri Soccer Club | To support regular travel to and from Crown Park from Whakamaru, Mangakino and Tihoi for soccer games. | $1,000 |
Tongariro School | To support weekly travel to Tūrangi and Taupō for basketball, rugby, ripper, Kī-o-rahi and netball games. | $3,000 |
Taupō-nui-a-Tia College | To support travel to the Bay of Plenty, Rotorua and Tokoroa for hockey, football and rugby competitions and games. | $5,500 |
Tirohanga School | To support travel to Taupō and other schools in the district for athletics, winter sports, swimming and cross country. | $1,992 |
Turangi-Tokaanu Sports and Cultural Club INC (Dambusters Rugby League) | To support travel throughout the district for weekly rugby league competition. | $2,442 |
Tauhara te Maunga Junior Rugby League Sports Club | To support travel to Rotorua, Tokoroa, Putararu, Mangakino, Tauranga and Reperoa for weekly rugby league games. | $2,000 |
Phoenix Rugby League Taupō Inc | To support weekly travel to Rotorua, Tokoroa, Tauranga, Mangakino, Tūrangi for rugby league competitions. | $2,000 |
| Nuki's Boxing Gym Inc | To support travel costs for one-off competitions. | Declined |
2023 funding recipients
Organisation | Purpose | Allocation |
|---|---|---|
Marotiri Soccer Club | Travel from Marotiri to Crown Park to attend games. | $1,000.00 |
Marotiri School- Netball | Travel from Marotiri to Owen Delaney Park to attend games. | $1,000.00 |
Mangakino School | Travel from Mangakino to Tokoroa each term for after school sports. | $2,000.00 |
Taupō- nui-a-tia College | Travel from Taupō to BOP region to participate in sporting competitions. Hockey, Rugby, Football, Basketball. | $5,500.00 |
Tauhara College | Travel from Taupō to BOB weekly to participate in sporting competitions. Football, Hockey, Rugby. | $3,000.00 |
Tauhara Te Maunga Sports Club | Taupō/ Mangakino/ Tūrangi to Rotorua. | $2,000.00 |
Tauhara Gymnastics Club | Taupō to Hamilton/ Rotorua/ Napier/ Hastings/ Huntly gymnastics clubs. | Declined |
TKKM o Whakarewa i te Reo ki Tūwharetoa | Taupō to Rotorua and Taupō to Tūrangi games. | $1,000.00 |
Great Lake Taupō Hockey Club | Taupō to Napier to attend weekly competitions. | $500.00 |
Tongariro School | Tongariro School to Taupō (for Netball and Basketball), Tongariro School to Taupō and BOP wide competitions (for rugby). | $3,000.00 |
Tūrangi Dambusters | Play in carnivals- travel to Rotorua, Putararu, Tokoroa, Reporoa, Mangakino. | $2,000.00 |
Taupō Phoenix Club | Travel from Taupō to Tokoroa/ Rotorua/ Putararu and Auckland. | $2,500.00 |
2022 funding recipients
Applicant | Allocation |
TKKM o Whakarewa I te Reo ki Tuwharetoa | $1,000.00 |
Marotiti Soccer Club | $700.00 |
Mount Tauhara Gymnastics Club | $1,000.00 |
Tauhara College | $2,600.00 |
Tauhara Te Maunga | $1,000.00 |
Taupo Cricket | $1,000.00 |
Great Lake Taupo Hockey Club | $1,000.00 |
Taupo Marist | $1,000.00 |
Taupo Nui A Tia College | $4,000.00 |
Taupo United | $1,000.00 |
Tongariro High school | $2,000.00 |
Turangi Tokaanu Sports and Cultural | $1,000.00 |
| Rangitaiki School | Declined (didn't meet criteria) |
2021 funding recipients
Applicant | Allocation |
Kuratau Netball | $700.00 |
Marotiri Netball | $1,000.00 |
Marotiri Soccer Club | $700.00 |
Tauhara College | $2,800.00 |
Taupō Association Football Club 12 | $500.00 |
Taupō Nui a Tia College | $3,941.00 |
Taupō Phoenix Rugby League Club | $2,000.00 |
Taupō United | $700.00 |
Tongariro School | $2,000.00 |
Tongariro Sports Club | $800.00 |
| Turangi -Tokaanu Sports & Cultural Club (Dambusters) | $1,250.00 |
Whakamaru School | $1,400.00 |
| Taupō Association Football Club 13 | Withdrawn |
| Lake Taupō Basketball Association | Declined |
Transparency matters
Please note that all information provided in your application will be made available to relevant funding committees for assessment purposes. Select details - including your name, organisation name, and the amount applied for will also be made publicly available on the Council website.
