Rates relief

Rates Relief grants are designed to support non-government and not-for-profit groups that make their property available to help improve our community’s wellbeing. This includes social, educational, recreational, cultural, and environmental activities. The Dunedin City Council is one of the few local authorities across the motu (country) that offer this type of grant to community groups and organisations.

In addition to satisfying the requirements of the DCC Grants Management Policy, applicants must be able to demonstrate alignment with the following eligibility criteria:

• The group or organisation is non-government / not-for-profit.
• The facility benefits primarily Dunedin residents.
• The facility is made available for wider community use (through attendance of programmes/ services or by hireage).
• In the opinion of the Council, activities provide significant public good as a result of occupation of the property.
• Activities are accessible to disadvantaged groups and other sections of the wider community.
• Funding priority will be given to groups or organisations that primarily serve priority groups and/or vulnerable individuals.

Organisations are not eligible if they are fully non-rateable under the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002, hold betting or gaming licences, operate residential housing, or primarily serve adults for entertainment or social purposes.

The DCC runs its Rates Relief fund annually and, this year, applications are open between 1 - 31 October 2025.

Local councils, like ours, have limited money available in grants pools. We’re also responsible for using public funds wisely and making sure they benefit the wider community. This means we have some tough choices to make when allocating grant funding.

Because funding is limited, we give priority to groups that show they can make the biggest positive impact. Meeting the eligibility criteria means your application will be considered, but it doesn’t guarantee funding. Similarly, being a past recipient of the Rates Relief grant does not predispose future funding application outcomes. We carefully assess all applications and aim to support those that, in the Council’s opinion, offer the greatest benefit to the community.

The percentage of rates relief granted per annum will include any non-rateable amount that is applicable to the title and will reflect the Council’s assessment of eligible applications. Grant amounts may vary between based on the following assessment scale:

Please note that any money granted will be exclusive of GST.

All applications will be considered by Council, or a Committee of Council, in a public meeting. Please note that Rates Relief funding decisions are final and cannot be appealed.

Getting ready to apply

Before completing an application form, make sure you have tested your eligibility using our flowchart above. This might save you some time!

We recommend setting aside 1 hour to pull together your application for a Rates Relief grant. Here are the documents that you will be required to submit alongside your application:

1. Constitution (if applicable).
2. Rental or lease agreement (if applicable).
3. Evidence of facility usage/bookings from the last 12 months (e.g., copy of booking records, calendar of events, etc.).
4. Evidence of fees and charges associated with accessing the facility (e.g., membership fees, booking charges, etc.).
5. Financial statements, preferably audited. (If your group is a registered charity, you are welcome to use the financial information provided to the Charities Commission.) Please include:
   1. Profit and loss (how much your group earned and spent).
   2. Balance sheet (what your groups owns and owes).
6. Letters of support / testimonials (optional).

Contact us

Please contact us at rates.relief1@dcc.govt.nz if you have any questions about Rates Relief grants or the application process.

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