Call for Proposals: Resource Wise Fund (New Zealand)

The Resource Wise Fund is a grant programme from Tauranga City Council supporting local initiatives that reduce waste in Tauranga, including reducing waste to landfill. The 2026/27 round opens on 28 September 2026 and applications close on 26 October 2026. Grants range from $2,000 to $25,000 from a $100,000 pool, with priority aligned to Tauranga’s Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2022–2028 (WMMP). Opportunity at a Glance

- Provider: Tauranga City Council

- Opportunity name: Resource Wise Fund (2026/27)

- Opportunity type: Community grants for waste minimisation initiatives

- Funding pool: $100,000

- Grant size: $2,000 to $25,000

- Eligible location: Projects must be located within Tauranga city boundaries

- Program start requirement: Projects must commence no sooner than 1 October 2026

- Opens: 28 September 2026

- Closes: 26 October 2026 (time zone and time not specified in the source)

- Contact: [contact details removed]

- Official page: Resource Wise Fund – Tauranga City Council

About the Opportunity

The Resource Wise Fund supports local initiatives aimed at reducing waste in Tauranga. It is in its 9th year and adjusts its priorities annually to align with council goals and the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2022–2028 (WMMP). The 2026/27 round prioritises outcomes intended to help reduce the amount of waste generated, prevent and divert food and garden waste from landfills, and move toward a circular economy—supported through projects that include behaviour change and measurable waste minimisation. Funding and Benefits Tauranga City Council provides grants through the Resource Wise Fund: - Grants range from $2,000 to $25,000

- Total fund pool: $100,000

The source does not specify additional funding conditions such as cost-matching requirements, coverable cost categories, or whether overheads are allowed beyond the listed exclusions (see “What we don’t fund”). Who Is Eligible? The source describes project eligibility requirements and geographical constraints, but it does not specify applicant categories (for example, whether only community groups, registered charities, iwi/hapū organisations, or other legal entities can apply). The following eligibility criteria are explicitly stated for funded projects:

Projects must:

- Be located within Tauranga city boundaries - Meet one or more of the priority outcomes - Support and achieve specific actions within the WMMP - Have waste minimisation at the core of the project (not general sustainability) - Achieve demonstrated behaviour change, or waste minimisation using proven behaviour change methods - Demonstrate monitoring, measurement, and evaluation for success (including how waste diversion and behaviour engagement will be measured) - Commence no sooner than 1 October 2026 What the source does not specify in detail: applicant legal status, registration requirements, organisational capacity, or restrictions by organisation type. Applicants should confirm these points in the official guidelines. Eligible Activities or Priority Areas The Resource Wise Fund prioritises outcomes and projects that align with WMMP actions. The 2026/27 priority outcomes include projects that: - Stop waste before it’s created, by: - Avoiding and reducing materials and consumption - Reducing the total amount of waste generated - Preventing and diverting food and garden waste from landfills through local initiatives

- Working toward WMMP actions, including:

- Action 19: solutions to divert construction and demolition waste (in collaboration with private industry)

- Action 20: services for targeted waste streams, especially hard-to-recycle items such as soft plastics, small lids, textiles, and batteries

- Action 25: food waste prevention, food and garden waste rescue initiatives, and home/community composting

- Action 29: changes that support a circular economy

- Keep materials in use, by:

- Supporting reuse, repair, sharing, rental, and circular models - Encouraging systems and infrastructure that make these options easy - Helping shift behaviour away from single-use and throwaway culture - Deliver innovative, scalable, practical solutions for key waste challenges, including: - Construction and demolition waste - Hard-to-recycle materials - Textiles

- Enable community-led action, including:

- Education, engagement, and behaviour change - Community and iwi/hapū-led initiatives - Collaboration and collective impact Why This Opportunity Matters This fund is designed to support projects with waste minimisation at the core—including prevention, reduction, reuse, and diversion from landfill—rather than projects focused on collecting, disposing, or treating waste. It also emphasises behaviour change and requires applicants to show how they will monitor, measure, and evaluate outcomes such as waste diverted from landfill and changes in participation or behaviours. How to Apply - Review the applicant guidelines referenced on the official page (PDF). The source lists “Guidelines for applicants (196kb pdf)” but does not include the PDF link text or URL in the provided content. - Prepare a project that meets the stated project criteria, including location within Tauranga city boundaries and a start date no earlier than 1 October 2026. - Submit your application using the “Apply now” pathway on the official Resource Wise Fund page.

- Submit by the deadline: 26 October 2026 (time and time zone not specified in the source).

Official opportunity page: Resource Wise Fund – Tauranga City Council

Contact for help: [contact details removed]

Application Tips or Common Mistakes - Don’t position the project as general sustainability. The source requires waste minimisation to be at the core of the proposal. - Include a clear measurement plan. Applications should explain how waste diversion and/or behaviour change will be monitored, measured, and evaluated. - Avoid ineligible project types. The fund does not support certain activities listed under “What we don’t fund” (s