COMMUNITY CLIMATE ACTION FUND (formerly the Community Engagement Fund)
Criteria
The fund aims to contribute to the city’s carbon reduction goals by funding:
i. Community-led carbon reduction initiatives, with a focus on initiatives already identified in
the Lower Hutt Climate Pathway
ii. Community engagement initiatives that can demonstrate a contribution to carbon reduction
in the way they are delivered (eg waste minimisation).
To be eligible for funding:
• Initiatives/activities must take place within Lower Hutt.
• Physical assets must not be stored on Council reserve land or road reserve.
• Any asset purchased over the value of $1,000 must be added to the organisation’s asset register.
• Organisations/groups requesting funding must meet specified criteria, including legal entity status for
applications above $10k and the project must align with Council’s Climate Action Pathway.
This is a one-off grant, and any future maintenance of physical assets purchased are the
responsibility of the applicant organisations.

Applications must align with the Lower Hutt Climate Action Pathway or be a community
engagement initiative which results in waste minimisation.

Each of the city’s seven wards receive funding according to the number of residents within its
boundaries.
The ward allocations per annum are listed below:
Ward / Amount
Eastbourne $2,434
Petone $6,437
Wainuiomata $8,856
Central $9,590
Eastern $8,706
Northern $7,865
Western $6,380

Decisions
Each Community Board decides the funding applications within its area. Boards are free to
distribute their funding in a single large allocation or spread it over a number of smaller ones.

Examples of what can be funded
• Improving access to secure bike parking and charging.
• Supporting tamariki to walk or scoot safely to school.
• Community initiatives to tackle food and green waste.
• Community-led nature-based solutions to tackle the impact of climate change (eg: riparian planting
or planting trees).

Examples of what won’t be funded
• Assets on Council land which require ongoing operational funding.
• Projects-assets which require significant support from Council teams to implement.
• Promotion of an organisation’s religious, ethical, commercial, or political views.
• Buying land or buildings or carrying out maintenance on buildings.
• Duplicate services that are already covered by Council or by government agencies e.g. health or
education providers.
• Kaupapa that has already begun or finished.
• Redistribution of funds to others at the applicant’s discretion.
• Fundraising or legal costs.
• Capital investments or trust funds.
• Prize money or prizes.
• Operational costs e.g. salaries, wages, rent, power.

Funding rules
Successful applicants must:
• Use funds only for the approved purpose and in accordance with any terms and conditions
set by Council.
• Use funds by 30 June of the following year.
• Let Council’s funding officer know immediately if any difficulty or potential difficulty
arises that may compromise the service or project.
• Lay a complaint with Police if any funds are stolen or misappropriated, and then notify
Council.
• Allow Council to audit the use of the funds should it wish to do so.
• Recognise Council’s support in all publicity material, annual reports and similar
publications.
• Complete accountability reports within a specified timeframe after project completion, demonstrating
the impact of projects on carbon reduction.
Council’s Community Funding Advisor is available to support and assist community groups
when making applications through Council.