Waste Minimisation Fund

Funding rounds

Applications for the most recent round of funding for the Waste Minimisation Fund closed on 31 March 2023. Thank you for all of the applications received. Please note late applications will not be considered.

Applications for the next round of funding will be open from 4 September to 29 September 2023.

Fund purpose

The purpose of the Taupō District Council Waste Minimisation Fund Grant is to provide individuals, community groups and organisations with the the opportunity to fund initiatives that:

Reduce the generation of waste
Encourage the reuse and recovery of materials
Divert waste from landfill through reuse, repair, recycling, and composting
Raise awareness of issues around food waste, single-use plastics, and other wastes

Funding and availability

Grants are available for up to $2,000 from an annual contestable fund of $10,000. The funding comes from the national waste levy, which is set by the Ministry for the Environment (MFE).

Please be aware Taupō District Council reserves the right to grant successful applicants funding that is different to the amount requested, and consideration of all applications will be dependent upon available funding.

Eligibility

To apply you must be an individual, school, business, iwi/Māori group, community group, early childhood centre, or other community-based organisation within the Taupō District.

Projects must be based within the Taupō District and mainly benefit the Taupō community.
Projects must contribute to waste minimisation, waste avoidance, the reduction of waste to landfill, and/or the recovery of materials or energy.
Applicants must demonstrate sound financial responsibility, clear objectives and planning, ways of measuring performance and the success of the project, and reporting this progress.
The funding granted must be used within one year to see the project to completion or until the project becomes self-funding.
Eligibility for funding will be discretionary to the Taupō District Council and decisions will be final.
If you have been allocated funding, you must read and sign the Terms and Conditions.

What we won’t fund

Litter pick-ups or materials (please email shanson@taupo.govt.nz if you would like to borrow these materials).
Waste disposal services.
Projects that do not deal with the minimisation of waste produced within the Taupō District.
Operating costs or projects that are ongoing.
Projects that are already existing or completed.
Projects that do not align with the goals and objectives of the Taupō District Council Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2018.
Individuals funding private projects.

Review process and timeline

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of Council staff who will assess the most eligible applications according to the following hierarchy:

Compatibility with the objectives outlined in the Taupō District Council Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2018
Waste minimisation and reduction projects
Waste reuse projects
Recycling projects
Recovery of waste resource projects
We will endeavor to respond within one month from date of application.

Please note that successful applicants must submit a final written report within one year of funding being allocated.

Fund recipients

For more information about past recipients of our waste minimisation fund - and some ideas on how funds can be used - take a look at our two feature stories, with a full list of past recipients shown below.

Taupō trials free child car seat recycling programme - May 2022
A worm welcome for waste grants funding at local motel - March 2022

2021-22

Applicant	Purpose
Kuratau School	Creating a shed where students make paper bricks and recyclables can be stored.
Stepping Stones homebased childcare	Involve children in composting to contribute to a backyard food growing project.
Taupō Community Gardens Trust	Implement a food waste collection system feasibility study with the local community.
3R - SeatSmart Recycling Programme	Fully subsidise carseat recycling for the Taupō district.
Central Plateau REAP	Implement worm farms and food scrap collection bins for staff, contractors, and some visitors of REAP.
Mangakino Central Charitable Trust	Creating a Community Mens Shed for the purpose of upcycling and giving new life to items that would have ended up in landfill.

2021

Applicant	Purpose
Te Pūawaitanga Kōhanga Reo	Supplies to start a reusable nappy programme.
Tongariro School	Paper shredder and other supplies to make fire bricks from paper and cardboard recycling.
St Patrick’s Catholic School	Recycling bins to increase classroom waste diversion.
Waipahihi School	Compost bins to divert garden waste.
Bella Vista Motel	Implementation of a worm farm at the motel, with a Hungry Bin and individual food collection bins in each room.
Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge	Reusable cable ties to reduce plastic waste and litter.

2020

Applicant	Purpose
Market Central	Equipment to set up a waste reduction station at the Sunday market.
Waste Free with Kate	Run waste-free workshops for local secondary schools.
Tongariro School	Recycling sorting station bin.