Welcome, Nau mai haere mai! This page contains information on the Dunedin City Council (DCC) funds and grants available for application, and the criteria and closing dates for each. You will also find 10 tips to help you before you apply for any grant.
Grants allocated and information about the subcommittee members who make funding decisions can also be found here.
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Grants Subcommittee 2022 - 2025
In May the DCC approved the appointment of its full Grants Subcommittee for the next three years. The subcommittee comprises five Councillors, a mana whenua representative and community, community events, arts and Creative NZ representatives.
Grants Subcommittee members are listed below;
Chair – Councillor Marie Laufiso
Deputy Chair – Councillor Bill Acklin
Councillors Sophie Barker Andrew Whiley, Cherry Lucas and Mandy Mayhem
Mana whenua Representative – Adam Keane
Community Representatives – Anna Parker and Jonathan Usher
Arts Representative – Hannah Molloy
These subcommittee members make decisions on Community, Community Events, Arts, Professional Theatre, Place Based Community and Waste Minimisation Grants.
Specialist Representatives
Creative NZ Representatives – Peter Hayden and Don Hunter (Arts and Creative Communities Grants)
Major Community and Premier Events Representative – Alister Robinson (Major Community and Premier Events Grants only) along with the five Council members of the Subcommittee
Biodiversity Grants are allocated by the five Council members of the Subcommittee and a Department of Conservation Representative, Craig Wilson
The DCC offers a range of funding opportunities for businesses, community groups and event organisers. The following departments can assist with enquiries on specific grants.
Ara Toi – Arts, City Service and City Project, Creative Communities, Professional Theatre, Small Projects Arts
City Development –Biodiversity and Heritage
Community Development and Events – City Service and City Project, Community, Community Events, Major Community and Premier Events, Neighbourhood Matching, Puaka Matariki Festival Events, Rates Relief for Not-for-Profit Organisations, Small Project.
Waste and Environmental Services – Waste Minimisation
Contact details for departments can be found on each grant's information page.
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Grants allocated in July 2025
In July 2025, DCC allocated a total of $991,778.00 from its City Service, City Project, Major Community Events and Premier Events Funds.
City Service and City Project Funds support significant groups contributing to the DCC’s Strategic outcomes and acting as a peak body or providing a unique service within Dunedin. Major Community Events and Premier Events contribute to the vibrancy, economy and social connection within the city. Major Community Events deliver larger events for mainly Dunedin residents, while Premier-level events have a stronger economic focus, bringing visitors into the city.
The Council continued to support core operating costs through its, including wages.
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Grants allocated in March 2025
In March 2025, the DCC allocated a total of $298,983.07 in grants.
The allocations include both DCC-funded grants, Creative Communities Scheme and Waste Minimisation grants (administered by the DCC on behalf of Creative New Zealand and the Ministry for the Environment respectively).
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Grants allocated in September 2024
In September 2024, the DCC allocated a total of $465,405.71 in grants.
The allocations include both DCC-funded grants, Creative Communities Scheme and Waste Minimisation grants (administered by the DCC on behalf of Creative New Zealand and the Ministry for the Environment respectively).
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Grants allocated in July 2024
In July 2024, DCC allocated a total of $959,978.00 from its City Service, City Project, Major Community Events and Premier Events Funds.
City Service and City Project Funds support significant groups contributing to the DCC’s Strategic outcomes and acting as a peak body or providing a unique service within Dunedin. Major Community Events and Premier Events contribute to the vibrancy, economy and social connection within the city. Major Community Events deliver larger events for mainly Dunedin residents, while Premier-level events have a stronger economic focus, bringing visitors into the city.
The Council continued to support core operating costs through its, including wages.
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Grants allocated in March 2024
The funding is part of a wider allocation of $317,662.20 to 91 individuals and community groups for the March quarter, confirmed at a recent meeting of the DCC’s Grants Subcommittee.
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Grants allocated in October 2023
Place-based Community Grants have been allocated by the DCC since 2018, and are open for applications each August. The latest funding allocations for the 2023 round were considered on 20 September.
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Grants allocated in September 2023
In total, the DCC’s Grants Subcommittee has allocated $448,876.01 in grants following the September application round.
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Grants allocated in July 2023
In total, the DCC’s Grants Subcommittee has allocated $1,048,778 in grants following the July application round.
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Grants allocated in May 2023
In total, the DCC’s Grants Subcommittee has allocated $441,135.76 in grants following the March application round.
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Regional Events Funds allocated in November 2022
The DCC Grants Subcommittee has allocated $278,000 to successful Regional Events Funding allocations during a meeting in November.
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Grants allocated in July 2022
In total, the DCC’s Grants Subcommittee has allocated $922,400 in grants following the July application round.
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Grants allocated in May 2022
In total, the DCC’s Grants Subcommittee has allocated $214,824.97 in grants following the May application round.
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Grants allocated in November 2021
Community groups and event organisers across Dunedin are benefitting from nearly $792,000 in funding grants following the latest meeting of the DCC's Grants Subcommittee.
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Grants allocated in October 2021
A $100,000 increase in the DCC’s place-based community grants funding has helped deliver a welcome boost to eight essential community groups this year, and more support is on the way.
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Grants allocated in June 2021
The funding, totalling $956,800, has been allocated to 33 groups across Dunedin from the June funding round of the DCC’s City Service, City Project, Major Community Events and Premier Events funds.
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Grants allocated in May 2021
In May 2021 the DCC’s Grants Subcommittee has allocated $429,248.23 in grants following the March application round.
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Grants allocated in November 2020
In November 2020, the DCC allocated nearly half a million dollars to community groups in its latest grants round, including the first of two COVID-19 community grants worth almost $50,000.
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Grants allocated in June 2020
In June 2020, the DCC allocated a total of $916,800 in grants from the following grant funds.
Applications made for any DCC grant must be made using the online forms you will find on the webpage for each grant. Please check that you are applying for the correct grant in the correct form. If you are unsure which form to use, or if you have any enquiries, please contact us on 03 477 4000.
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10 Essential tips to read before applying for a DCC grant
1 Call us on 477 4000 before starting your application.
We can help you with which grant you should be applying for, and whether your project, event or service meets the criteria.2 Please read the application forms carefully before applying.
From time to time we update the application forms or request additional or new information / may not require the same supporting documentation.3 Some browsers work better with the application system than others.
We recommend using Google Chrome, Safari or Firefox. Other browsers will still work but have some limited functionality.4 Prepare your application in a word document.
You can then copy and paste it into the online application form, and you have a back-up in case something happens with the system or with your computer.5 When entering your email address at the beginning of the application form, please ensure that there are no additional spaces at the beginning or end of the address.
This can often happen if you are copying and pasting your email address.
If there are spaces, you may not receive the email confirming that you have started your application.6 Please save the first email you receive from the application system, for each new application.
It will include a link and a password so that you can access your incomplete application online.
If you haven’t received an email confirmation in 30 minutes, please call one of the grants team on 477 4000.7 ALWAYS save your progress, using the ‘Save Progress and Exit’ button. 8 When entering your bank account number, please use numbers only, with no letters or spaces.
For new applicants or to change to the bank details previously provided please provide bank details as verification.
9 Check how big your files are. If they exceed the maximum size, please call us and we can help you make them smaller.
If you need to join multiple files together, we can also help with this.10 Once you click submit, do not close your browser until you receive a notification on screen saying that your application has been submitted.
If you haven’t received an email confirmation in 30 minutes, please call one of the grants team on 477 4000.