Following are links to the most relevant funds offered by Christchurch City Council and Environment Canterbury, with key criteria, opening/closing dates, and links to the applications. If it’s too challenging to read on your computer (or phone!), then download this summary document.
| Fund source | Details | Dates and Funding | Open/closing dates | Region |
| Environmental Partnerships Fund, Christchurch City Council | This fund supports proactive partnership work between Council and community groups for environmentally focused activities and projects on publicly accessible land and waterways. They are looking for projects with legacy values and must be sustainable in the long term. Must show you have discussed with or are already working with Council staff eg rangers or 3 Waters staff. Judging panel includes CCC parks staff, 3 Waters, climate change and funding, plus input from rangers or ecologists, who may have worked with you. | Total fund of $1,000,000, with $500,000 contestable in 2025. Min grant: Not stated Max grant: Not stated Multi-year funding? 1-3 years Co-funding: 50% required Time limit: Within 12 months of receiving grant | Opens on 6 October 2025 and closes on 7 November 2025 | Rating boundary of Christchurch City Council. Publicly accessible land. |
| Christchurch Biodiversity Fund, Christchurch City Council | Providing support to custodians of biodiversity, to protect areas of significant ecological value on private land within the boundaries of Christchurch City Council. To support and encourage initiatives that protect and enhance indigenous biodiversity on private land. Projects should have significant ecological values that will be protected and/enhanced. Grants can be up to $60k for projects but there is an expectation that there will be an equivalent in kind contribution. Note that a management plan is required. | Total fund of $500,000 Min grant: Not stated Max grant: $60k Multi-year funding? TBC Co-funding: Max 50% of project costs Time limit: Within 5 years of receiving grant | Opens on 22 September 2025 and closes on 31 October 2025 | Rating boundary of Christchurch City Council. Private land. |
| Sustainability Fund, Christchurch City Council | The purpose of this fund is to encourage community, school, social enterprise or business projects that help meet our climate change objectives and targets. Note that emission reduction targets are a key driven for the council for this fund, and while predator control can help this (possums) I’d expect that the predator control component would need to be part of a wider initiative, probably involving planting also. Projects with an education component will have a higher chance. | $400,000 in 2025. Min grant: Not stated Max grant: $40k Multi-year funding? Yes Co-funding: Max 60% of project costs Time limit: Within 12 months of receiving grant | Opens on 1 December 2025 and closes on 23 January 2026 | Preference will be given to Christchurch-based organisations or partnerships involving Christchurch organisations. |
| Community Waterways Partnership Fund, Christchurch City Council | This fund encourages collaborative/community-scale initiatives that help meet the charter of Community Waterways Partnership to improve and protect our urban waterways. | $60,000 contestable in 2025/2026 Min grant: $5K Max grant: $30K (2024) Multi-year funding? 3 years Co-funding: 70% max Time limit: Within 12 months of receiving grant | Closed for 2025, open again in 2026 (August probably) | Preference will be given to those who have signed up for the Community Waterways Partnership |
| Waitaha Action to Impact Fund Environment Canterbury | A contestable fund to support community organisations to deliver projects that align with our work and priorities through community engagement and action. Applications will be weighted towards those with community involvement. More weighting given to youth involvement too. | $310,000 contestable in 2025/2026 Min grant: $5K Max grant: $30K Multi-year funding? 2 years Co-funding: 30% min from other sources Time limit: TBC | Opens 8 Dec 2025, and closes mid-February 2026 | Canterbury Public or private land. |
| Christchurch Biodiversity Targeted Rate Fund, Environment Canterbury | The targeted rate seeks to enhance landscape-scale indigenous biodiversity outcomes in the district. It focusses on doing more work with the community and local groups to protect priority habitats across freshwater, coastal and land-based ecosystems. | Total fund of $1,000,000, with $300,000 contestable in 2025. Min grant: $20K Max grant: $100K Multi-year funding? TBC Co-funding: TBC Time limit: Within 12 months of receiving grant | Opens late Nov/early Dec, and closes mid-February 2026 | Rating boundary of Christchurch City Council. Public/private TBC |
| Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS), Environment Canterbury | A new chapter on freshwater and land management in Canterbury is now underway with a transition from water zone committees to local leadership groups. Details of the fund should be announced soon. | Canterbury |