This fund encourages collaborative/community-scale initiatives that help meet the objectives of the Community Waterways Partnership to improve and protect our urban waterways.

Applying for the fund

The Community Waterways Partnership Fund will open again in August 2025. Applicants will be notified of their funding decision in mid-October 2025.

Community Waterways Partnership objectives

The Community Waterways Partnership Fund supports projects that address the following objectives of the Partnership: 

  • Establish a strong collaborative partnership between community groups, businesses, researchers, and local, regional and central government.
  • Achieve consensus on messaging interwoven with appropriate cultural narrative, and market these with an innovative package of shared and consistent material suitable for a variety of audiences.
  • Develop a network of trained people to deliver the key messages professionally and consistently.
  • Design and implement stormwater, habitat and water conservation educational resources to supplement existing resources for use in schools and community events.
  • Advocate for incentives that enable community implementation of positive stormwater, habitat and water conservation actions and solutions.
  • Establish and facilitate a network of water care champions and kaitiaki.
  • Advocate for national legislative change to better address stormwater contaminants.
  • Develop research to evaluate outcomes and improvements in our knowledge of best practice community interventions.
  • Establish, facilitate or support projects to deliver these outcomes.
  • Advocate for resources to sustain the partnership and deliver these outcomes.

Under the comprehensive Stormwater Network discharge Consent, Christchurch City Council has allocated Community Waterways Partnership $50, 000 towards a contestable fund in the 2025/2026 financial year. 

We aim to support several projects under this fund, so the funding of your project may also need to come from other funding pools. 

Funded projects should be ready to start within four months and be completed within twelve months. Multi-year applications can be considered, provided the business case is compelling and the project plan has clear milestones and points for progress payments. 

Funds can be requested for operational aspects (e.g. staff time) and for materials or equipment needed to successfully deliver the project benefits. Applications seeking to purchase equipment will need to have quotes.  You will be required to provide proof of purchase with your end-of-project report. 

Organisations that are GST-registered should be aware that this grant is an unconditional gift and does not attract GST. All amounts are effectively exclusive of GST. GST will not be paid.

Who can apply

  • Community organisations, schools, social enterprises and businesses can apply to this fund.
  • Applicants must be a legal entity registered in New Zealand, such as an incorporated society, charitable trust or limited liability company.
  • Preference will be given to those who have signed up for the Community Waterways Partnership. Next preference will be given to Christchurch-based community groups who work collaboratively with other groups and communities to achieve project goals.  
  • Individuals seeking funds will need to partner with a legal entity and include in the application a letter from the host entity endorsing the proposed project and partnership arrangement.
  • Generally, applications led by government organisations will not be considered. However, partnerships involving government organisations are acceptable.
  • Only one application per project will be accepted in each Council financial year (July to June). Organisations may put forward more than one project in a year.
  • Applicants should have made reasonable efforts to secure funding from other sources before applying to this fund.

Proposals will be assessed against the following evaluation criteria. 

Applications should provide specific and detailed information about how the project will address each criterion, and a budget clearly showing how funds will be used. 

Evaluation criteria 

Key questions to consider in your application
Relevance 
Alignment with the Community Waterways Partnership's key objectives 
  • How will the project advance on the Community Waterways partnership’s objectives?
  • How will the project improve the ecological health, indigenous biodiversity, cultural, and amenity value of our urban waterways?
  • What is the issue or opportunity being addressed? 
Benefit 
The nature and scale of public good being delivered 
  • What is the nature and scale of the benefits to be delivered by the project? 
  • Which waterway will benefit from this project, in what ways and by how much?
  • What will be the estimated benefit to the waterway?
  • What level of community engagement is anticipated?
  • How will things improve for Christchurch’s urban waterways? 
Legacy 
Ability to deliver ongoing benefit 
  • How will the project continue to deliver its benefits beyond the funding period?
  • Does the project have enduring benefits or how can the project be self-sustaining?
  • What will be the legacy of the project? 
Deliverable 
The project is ready and able to be delivered 
  • Do you have the skills, experience, resources or support needed to successfully deliver the project and achieve its benefits?
  • Is the project ready and able to proceed within four months of receiving funds?
  • Can the project be completed within twelve months or by clearly defined and achievable milestones? 
Measurable 
Has clear measures of success 
  • How will you measure and report project success and share learning?
  • What are the key metrics or indicators that will measure your impact (quantity or quality)? For example, the number or perspectives of people benefiting media, exposure, photographs of improvements made, stories or information captured and shared with others.
  • What will be the measurable, tangible outcomes achieved by the project?  

 

Before funding is allocated to successful projects, applicants will be required to sign Council’s agreement.

Reporting

If you receive a grant from Christchurch City Council, you are required to provide reporting. This is a condition of the Community grants terms and conditions [PDF, 35 KB] that you agree to before receiving a grant.

You are required to spend the grant as per the resolution on the funding agreement. Any variation to this, not previously agreed to by Council, will mean you will have to return the money.

The same applies if you have finished your project and have not spent all of the grants, you will be required to return the unspent money.

Future funding can be withheld if reporting requirements are not met.

End-of-project report

Online end-of-project reporting form(external link)

End-of-project reporting is due when funding is spent or 13 months after the money was granted.

Applicants are encouraged to approach other funds that may be more suited to specific proposals: