Porirua City has two rounds of grant funding opening in August – one supporting young people and the other supporting projects to reduce waste in the city.
The Waste Minimisation Grants scheme is a new government-funded programme that will initially run for 12 months to gauge the level of demand and the types of waste minimisation projects available.
The Young People’s Fund has its Tier 2 funding opening for applications this year, supporting projects that will have a significant impact on tamariki and rangatahi living in Porirua.
Applications for both types of grants open on 18 August. Applicants are welcome to apply for grants from both funds so long as they meet the criteria.
Waste Minimisation Grants scheme
The Waste Minimisation Grants scheme has two levels of funding available for projects.
Tier 1 grants of up to $30,000 will be allocated on an annual basis. The application period for Tier 1 grants is 18 August – 19 September. Tier 2 grants of up to $2000 will be allocated monthly and can be applied for year-round.
The waste minimisation grants are funded by payments from the Waste Levy. These payments are made to councils from the Ministry for the Environment to support work on waste minimisation.
“This grants scheme will encourage more people to work towards Porirua becoming a low-waste city,” says Porirua City Manager Waste David Down.
“The more work done to reduce waste will mean less waste going to the landfill.”
David says they are keen to see initiatives that create new opportunities and encourage community participation in waste minimisation.
Projects that focus on reduction, redesign, reuse, repair and repurposing will be prioritised.
Young People’s Fund
Up to six grants of $6000 can be applied for this year as part of the Young People’s Fund.
The fund is designed to support initiatives in diversity and inclusion, the environment, and health and wellbeing.
Projects that have been successful in the past were focused on supporting our city’s young people to take on new challenges and learn new skills.
Recipients of the $6000 grants last year were for projects including a school garden project, health and wellbeing workshops, workshops about identity and culture, and the creation of short-run radio shows/podcasts.
Applications for the Young People’s Fund close on 19 September.
For more information, visit the Community Support page on our website and click on either ‘Young People’s Fund’ or ‘Waste Minimisation Grants’.
29 Jul 2025