Information
Each year, the Waikato River Authority holds a contestable funding round, allocating up to $6 million to successful applicants. Since 2011, the Waikato River Authority has granted over $83.7 million across 503 projects.
The 2026 Funding Round opens on 2nd June and closes on 27th July at 4pm.
* Please note that our application form has changed for 2026
Resources
Applicants are encouraged to thoroughly scope and plan their projects prior to applying for funding. The following resources are available to help you prepare high-quality applications:
(Process Guide)
(Planning Template)
(Template Small Projects)
(Factsheet)
(PDF File)
(Word doc )
(PDF File)
(Restoration Project)
(Reconnection Project)
Iwi engagement
WRA funding is derived from Treaty of Waitangi settlements for the Waikato and Waipā Rivers. These settlements provide for co-management between the Crown and River Iwi ( Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Raukawa, and Te Arawa river iwi).
Applicants are required to engage with the relevant River iwi about their proposed project at an early stage. Contact details for the environmental teams for River Iwi are provided in the WRA Funding Strategy. Projects that are not supported by River iwi are unlikely to receive WRA funding.
More information about our enabling legislation can be found here.
Instructional videos
Playlist
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Health & Safety
All successful applicants must provide the Waikato River Authority with organisational and project-specific Health & Safety information prior to the Deed of Funding being signed for their project.