Application criteria
- Your group must be a registered legal entity, such as an incorporated society or charitable trust.
- Projects must align with the biodiversity outcomes and measures in our Long-Term Plan 2024-34, set out below.
- Seeking funding for between $20,000 and $100,000 per project.
- Be able to provide 30 per cent of the funding from other sources, such as in-kind support.
- The project must be located within the Christchurch City Council rateable boundary.
- Funded work must be completed by 30 June 2026.
Download the application guidance document (PDF file, 521KB).
Biodiversity outcomes
Projects will be assessed based on the following biodiversity actions and outcomes:
- Actions benefit indigenous biodiversity, either directly or indirectly through education/raising awareness, or supporting an organisation that undertakes these actions, with specific regard to habitat protection/enhancement.
- Outcomes focus on enhancing landscape-scale indigenous biodiversity and working with communities or local groups to protect priority habitats across freshwater, coastal, and land ecosystems.
Biodiversity measures
You will need to demonstrate how the planned work outcomes align with one or more of the following measures:
- Increasing the extent and values of natural wetlands
- Increasing the area of indigenous vegetation cover in both urban and non-urban environments
- Increasing the area of indigenous habitat on private land under legal protection by covenant
- Increasing the extent and natural character of braided rivers (parts of the Waimakariri River are within the targeted rate boundary)
- Increasing the health and wellbeing of coastal environments (by contributing to habitat protection)
- Increasing the health and wellbeing of waterbodies and freshwater ecosystems (by contributing to habitat protection).
What a grant can be used for
If your work aligns with the outcomes listed above, we may be able to provide support for:
- Tangible goods (such as plants, traps, fencing or building materials)
- Services (like project management, technical advice and education sessions)
- Community engagement (such as coordination and facilitation)
- Capacity and capability (such as upskilling and salary)
- Others on a case-by-case basis — please get in contact with us before you apply.
Exclusions
We are unable to support:
- Community groups that are not a registered legal entity, or individuals
- Organisations and/or initiatives that are primarily political
- Any project that will exclusively result in private gain
- Any project that is a legal obligation or condition of a resource consent.
Health and safety plans
We may need to see health and safety-related organisational policies and your health and safety planning documentation, and/or those of any contractors engaged by you. Do not submit these as part of your application, as we will request them if we need to see them.
If requested, applicants will need to provide health and safety planning documentation specifically related to managing the activities that will be carried out with our grant funding.
