If you’ve got a great idea that could benefit your community but are not quite sure how to fund it, help is at hand – at this year’s South Wairarapa Funders Forum on Monday 4 May, which is open to all community groups, sports clubs, iwi and not‑for‑profit organisations.
The Funders Forum 2026 will be held at Anzac Hall, Featherston, on Monday 4 May from 3pm to 6pm and is open to all who are keen to find funding, whether you’re an experienced grant writer or brand new to the funding world.
This forum will be a friendly and practical event, designed to make funding easier to understand and to access.
Who is running the Funders Forum?
The Funders Forum is a collaborative event organised by the three Wairarapa councils, with sessions hosted in each district. Each forum brings together a wide range of regional and national funding providers in one place, giving community organisations the chance to meet funders face to face, ask questions and talk through project ideas.
The aim is to make funding more accessible. Direct engagement between funders and applicants will aim to demystify the grants landscape in a single, coordinated setting.
How the forum helps our community
The Wairarapa Funders Forum shows how councils can:
- Act as trusted convenors between funders and communities
- Improve funding outcomes without directly increasing council grant budgets
- Strengthen regional collaboration across districts
- Support long‑term community resilience and project delivery
These Funders Forum address common barriers to funding by
- Reducing complexity for groups unfamiliar with grant systems
- Improving the quality of applications through early advice
- Increasing awareness of regional and national funding opportunities
- Supporting equity of access, particularly for smaller or volunteer‑led organisations
What attendees can expect
The forum offers a valuable opportunity to connect community groups, sports clubs, iwi and individuals seeking funding support directly with funding advisors.
Those who attend can:
- Ask questions
- Discuss project ideas
- Gain practical insights into funding and grant processes
Last year almost 40 local South Wairarapa community groups attended along with eight fund advisors from Trust House, Greytown Lands Trust, the Department of Internal Affairs, Tindall Foundation and REAP, Te Puni Kōkiri, Nuku Ora, and Eastern & Central Community Trust. This year the list has grown to include additional funders for our regions the Bobby Foundation – formerly TAB Racing Grants, Wairarapa Moana Wetlands, Nikau Foundation, Te Matarau o Maui and fund holder the Gift Collective.
A special thank you again to Eastern & Central Community Trust and Trust House for generously covering printing, and catering costs.
When funding knowledge is shared, our whole community benefits and great ideas can germinate and grow into something real.