The Love Queenstown Community Fund provides an opportunity for our visitors, and our visitor industry, to support our communities’ efforts to protect and preserve our natural environment (te taiao), the treasures (taonga) it holds, and the people who call it home (our whanau).
Love Queenstown raises funds to support local environmental action. Each year, funds are available on an annual, contestable basis to local charitable organisations who work in the climate, conservation, and biodiversity spaces and who will deliver tangible benefits for the environment - both now and into the future.
This year, organisations can apply for funding between $5,000 - $10,000.
Applications open July 14 - August 6 2026. Applicants will be notified in September.
Applications are assessed by an independent distribution committee, with support from our partners at the 45 South Community Foundation. Announcements are expected in September 2026.
Sign up for our newsletter below to be the first to know when applications are live, otherwise feel free to reach out to our team to discuss an application in advance.
An independent distribution committee oversees the allocation of charitable funds, assessing all funding applications and making recommendations to the 45South Community Foundation (our charitable partner) to allocate those funds on behalf of Love Queenstown. The Community Foundation provides oversight and input into all funding decisions to ensure charitable intent is upheld across the entirety of the grant process.
Organisations can apply for funding to support one or more of the following:
To be eligible for funding, organisations must meet the below criteria:
Localised Benefit
Funds are allocated per their area of origin. The geographic boundaries are in keeping with the Regional Tourism Organisation’s operating boundaries. Love Queenstown exclusively serves the Queenstown region, including the Cardrona Saddle to the North, Kingston to the South, as well as Frankton, Arrowtown, Glenorchy and Gibbston. Funded projects or organizations must create benefit within this geographical area.
Charitable Registration
To be eligible for funding, your organisation and / or initiative must be a registered charitable entity and demonstrate both charitable intent and public benefit. Funding cannot be used to further the private financial interest of individuals or other non-charitable organisations.
Environmental Impact
To be eligible for funding, your organisation and / or initiative must demonstrate how it will benefit localised climate, conservation, or biodiversity action. This includes, but is not limited to: native revegetation efforts, biodiversity enhancement projects, pest and exotics control, waterway health and protection initiatives, waste minimisation efforts, and more.
To be successful, your organisation, project or initiative will provide:
•Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Skies, Pekapeka as Teachers – Native Bat Monitoring Programme ($10,000)
•Whakatipu Wildlife Trust, Community Biodiversity Monitoring Programme ($9,800)
•Mana Tāhuna Charitable Trust, Waiwhakaata Restoration and Maintenance ($8,000)
•Routeburn Dart Wildlife Trust, Operation Birdsong – Voices of the Dart ($8,000)
•Whakatipu Reforestation Trust, Native Reforestation Efforts ($8,542)
•Whakatipu Reforestation Trust, Nursery Electrification / Solar Upgrade ($2,500) – Parters Choice Recipient
Learn more about our 2025 recipients here
•Whakatipu Reforestation Trust - $9,135 Slope Hill Restoration Efforts
•Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Skies Group - $6,345 Rees Valley Conservation Efforts
•Whakatipu Wildlife Trust - $10,000 Pest Eradication Efforts
Learn more about our 2024 recipients here
Reach out to grants@queenstown-wanaka.nz with any questions or support requests.