Applying For A Grant From Our General Fund

The November 2023 Funding Round is now open and two grants of up to $1000 are available.

APPLY HERE

We have two sources of funding:

  1. We run general grants rounds which are funded through your donations, merchandise sales and our partnerships with commercial organisations.
  2. If you are working on a track on public conservation land, we are a partner of the Backcountry Trust which has funds available for upgrade and maintenance of trails on public conservation (Department of Conservation) land. This has a separate process. Calls for applications are made a few times a year. For enquiries email Hamish at grants@trailfund.org.nz or the Manager of the Trust, Rob Brown at rob.brown@backcountrytrust.org.nz

Who do you give $$ to? 

  • Your trail project must be volunteer-led.
  • Your group must be not-for-profit and must be an incorporated society or trust; ideally with charitable status. Some newer projects may choose to come under the umbrella of the local MTB Club or residents’ association.
  • Funds must be used in support of building new trails or the maintenance or upgrading of existing trails.
  • Your trail project must be “publicly accessible” meaning a trail which is on public land, or accessible to the public under reasonable conditions. For example, the trail might be on privately owned land such as a commercial forest but a member of the public can access it through reasonable conditions such as becoming a member of a club, paying a nominal fee, and / or signing a liability waiver. Facilities that are operated on a commercial basis are ineligible.
  • The project must also be “Mountain-bike accessible”, meaning a trail that is legally open for mountain-bike use. Note: the vast majority of mountain –bike accessible trails in New Zealand are multi-use (shared with other users such as walkers, runners, horse-riders etc.). 

What can I get $$ for?

  • Way finding e.g. trail signage, map boards, mapping projects, etc.
  • Materials e.g. retaining materials, bridging materials, concrete, geo-matting, gravel, etc.
  • Tools e.g. spades, rakes, grubbers, wheelbarrows, etc.
  • Safety equipment e.g. eye protection, gloves, ear protection, etc.
  • Equipment hire e.g. compactors, power barrows, etc.
  • Labour costs and contractors.
  • Conservation e.g. the purchase of plants for planting in direct proximity to the trail.
  • Education e.g. contributions towards workshops or conferences including travel costs for out of town expert speakers.

We can’t fund:

  • Food and alcohol.
  • Overheads (e.g. web site hosting, electricity, PO box fees etc.).
  • Retrospective applications.
  • Other conservation activities such as pest control.

 We don’t usually fund scoping studies or resource consents as we prefer to invest in projects that are ready to start.

How much can I apply for?

Our standard amount is a maximum of $2,000 per application per round. The number of grants we offer depends on how much $$ we are able to raise, but is usually 3 – 4 grants per round.

When can I apply?

We have two rounds per year. We will announce the application deadline at least one month in advance.

What information do I need?

Our Application Form  is pretty simple

We need to know: 

  1. Some basic details about your club and group.
  2. A description of your trail project and what you will use the funds for.
  3. A letter or email from your land manager (usually the local Council) confirming you have permission to work on the land.
  4. You must include a current quote for the proposed purchase or service. You may very well have contacts which can provide cheaper ‘mates rates’, but please ensure we are aware of any possible conflict of interest. Trail Fund reserves the right to request additional quotes or review quotes before funding is confirmed. 

This round is open until 1 December 2023!

Who makes the decision?

Our awesome advisory board. These are volunteers from around the country who have experience in trail building and governance. They rank the projects and advise the Executive Committee. They record any conflicts of interest and often have feedback and advice for applicants.

How do I access the $$?

  • We operate on a claim back model. You may either purchase the services or materials yourself and invoice us, or by prior arrangement we may be able to pay suppliers directly.
  • In all cases, you must invoice Trail Fund NZ for the amount including GST. Please include copies of receipts/invoices for all claims. The invoice must include the Club’s full name and address. Invoices will be paid by electronic transfer. Our contact details are available on trailfund.org.nz
  • The claim must be submitted to us by a certain date (usually four months).
  • You must supply Trail Fund NZ with a short written report detailing the agreed work completed. This should include before and after photographs of the work. This will be shared on social media and on our website.
  • You agree to provide a progress report if requested.

I have lots of questions! Who can I ask?

For questions about the grants process contact Hamish at grants@trailfund.org.nz

For technical queries on trailbuilding contact Russ trailcrew@trailfund.org.nz