Some council services will be unavailable over the Christmas and New Year break.
Check if you need to apply or order before Friday 19 December 2025.
Te Pūtea Tiaki Arawai me Te Pūtea Whakawātea Wāhi mō te Wai Tuawhenua Waterway Protection Fund and Making Space for Rural Water Fund
About the Waterway Protection Fund and Making Space for Rural Water Fund
We have two regional grants for rural landowners and community groups that work on private property larger than 5 hectares. These grants are for projects that:
- improve water quality and freshwater ecosystems
- minimise the impact of flooding.
The priority water catchment areas for the 2025/2026 funding round are:
- Papakura Stream
- Matakana and Ōrere rivers
- Āwhitu Catchment
- Aotea / Great Barrier Island.
View the catchment maps
Types of projects funded by the grant
- Environment
Grant value
We will assess your application and decide how much funding we can contribute.
Outcomes
The funds support projects that:
- protect flood plains, waterways, lakes and wetlands through stock-exclusion fencing
- enhance riparian margins (land strips along natural waterways), wetlands and flood plains by planting native and eco-sourced plants in areas without stock
- remove barriers to support the migration of native fish species
- provide alternative water supply for stock that previously drank water from unfenced waterways.
Funding priorities
We prioritise applications that have been successfully assessed against these criteria:
- environmental benefits
- community benefits
- feasibility and likelihood of success
- partnership with iwi.
Before you apply
Read the Waterway Protection Fund and Making Space for Rural Water Fund guidelines before you apply.
The document describes:
- who can apply
- how to apply
- our funding priorities
- what we will and will not fund
- the funding process and how to prepare your application
- the assessment criteria
- how we provide funding.
Visit What we don't fund to find out more about what regional grants do not cover.
More about the Waterway Protection Fund and Making Space for Rural Water Fund
Previously funded projects
Download the project document to find out who has received funding in previous years.