Tū Manawa active Aotearoa fund

The purpose of Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa is to provide quality opportunities that are accessible and create a life-long love of being active.


Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa (Tū Manawa) is an activation fund that supports tamariki (5-11yrs) and rangatahi (12-18yrs), particularly those that are less active, to access quality play, active recreation, or sport opportunities of their choice in their community or school and kura. 

The meaning behind Tū Manawa means:

  • Tū - ‘to stand’ and 

  • Manawa – ‘breath’.

In the context of play, active recreation and sport the name calls to all New Zealanders to live Sport NZ’s vision - 'Every Body Active'. 

The fund is managed, on Sport NZ’s behalf, by Regional Sports Trusts (RSTs) and is designed to ensure it reaches the communities that need it most.

A wide range of organisations that provide physical activity opportunities for tamariki and rangatahi are encouraged to apply, particularly those supporting the following target groups that are known to be less active:

  • Young women and girls (5-18yrs) 

  • Disabled tamariki and rangatahi (5-18yrs and including those in schools up to the age of 21)

We also welcome applications supporting less active participants outside of these target groups.

Funding dates

Round 1 - Fast Fund & Community Activation: Closing Friday 16th Aug 2024 (midnight)

Round 2 – Fast Fund: Closing Friday 25th October 2024 (midnight)

Round 3 – Fast Fund & Community Activation: Closing Friday 21st February 2025 (midnight)

Round 4 – Fast Fund: Closing Friday 9th May 2025 (midnight) 

Who can apply?

We welcome applications from the following organisation types (please note, funded entities must have legal status): 

  • Hapū, iwi, marae, Māori organisations

  • Incorporated clubs or societies

  • Charitable Trusts

  • Regional or local councils

  • For-profit businesses/commercial organisations and social enterprises

  • Education settings:
    - Primary/Intermediate schools/Kura
    - Secondary schools/Wharekura

Where an organisation or group wishes to apply but has no legal status, we recommend you consider partnering with a qualifying (legal) entity.

Where a project or programme is to be delivered in a school/kura setting during class time and involving external provision the application needs to show evidence that the school or kura has been involved in the design of the project/programme, that it is based on participant wants and needs, and that it addresses the barriers to access for the students within that school or kura.

In this case the Implementation in a school/kura settings template must be attached to your application – this should be read in conjunction with the Working Together for Tamariki support document on the Sport NZ website. 

Who cannot apply?

The following are not eligible to apply: 

  • National and regional organisations who receive Partnership Investment from Sport NZ (Regional Sport Trusts, National Sport and Recreation organisations) 
  • Individuals 
  • Professional or semi-professional sports teams and organisations 
  • Government agencies and their regional branches (e.g. Ministry of Health, Oranga Tamariki) 
  • Early Learning Services
What can be funded?

This is an activation fund that is intended to address barriers that tamariki and rangatahi face in accessing quality physical activity opportunities. A clear idea of what those barriers are, along with evidence that you have ensured your initiative is wanted and needed by participants, must be included in your application.

This includes costs of (among others):

  • Project or programme delivery (for example, venue or equipment hire, transport to event),

  • Equipment (only when it is needed as part of a project, activation, or programme),

  • Officials and coaches, where these are required for delivery of the programme,

  • Staff that will deliver the programme, where they are not already funded from other sources.

What will not be funded?

The fund does not cover:

  • Costs of retrospective programmes or events (those that have already been completed or held)

  • Costs associated with representative teams (including uniforms, travel, accommodation etc), academies, professional athletes, or professional sports teams,

  • Capital infrastructure (for example, facility development, or playgrounds)

  • Administration and on-going costs (for example, rent, internet, or power)

  • Wages or annual salaries of existing funded staff or staff who are not involved in the delivery of the project or programme.

  • Medals, prizes, giveaways, and spot prizes

  • Food

  • Sports Uniforms

  • Storage for activity equipment

Tū Manawa is unable to meet all the demand so has a specific focus on the costs of delivering an activity opportunity. Your Regional Sport Trust may be able to help identify funding avenues for other areas, or you could check Sport NZ's searchable funding opportunities here: 


Sports Grants NZ | Funding | Sport New Zealand - Ihi Aotearoa (sportnz.org.nz)

Application process

Stage 1: Expression of Interest (NON-COMPULSORY)

To determine whether your application for funds might be considered by your local Regional Sports Trust, we have developed this short questionnaire that will enable your RST to provide any suggestions/enhancements that could be made before you submit a full application. 

We will provide feedback on what you have submitted (if required) and an indication of further work that might need to be done before a full application is completed.

Expression of interest form

Stage 2: Full application

The full application is required for consideration by our assessment panel and asks for more detail about your project. You are welcome to progress straight to that stage if you are confident that your activity or project meets the requirements of the fund and the expectations of the RST that is administering it.

Please note, support from our team during your application process does not immediately guarantee application approval. Applications submitted after close off will fall into the next round (all applications are assessed AFTER close off dates and can take up to 6-8 weeks from close off date).

Fast fund application (up to 30,000)    Community activation application (up to 50,000)

Successful Applicants

Successful Applicants: 2021
Successful Applicants: 2022
Successful Applicants: 2023
Successful Applicants: 2024

Copyright © 2024 Sport Waikato