More than 2,000 play, active recreation and sports organisations, including 116 golf organisations across Aotearoa have received relief funding from Sport NZ’s $15 million Community Resilience Fund Phase 2 to help alleviate the financial impact from COVID-19.
The fund is part of the $265 million Sports Recovery Package announced at Budget 2020 and focused on providing support to help play, active recreation and sports organisations recover, rebuild and grow stronger as a result of COVID-19.
Distributed on behalf of Sport NZ by Regional Sports Trusts (RSTs), the fund was increased from $10 million to $15 million due to the volume of applications received over the first few weeks.
A total of 2,070 applicants from regional and local organisations have received funding to cover fixed and operational costs for the period 1 July 2020 to 30 September 2020.
55 golf organisations applied for grants worth greater than $5,000 while 61 applied for grants worth less than $5,000. In total Golf has been funded to the tune of $1.2 million.
Outgoing Sport NZ CEO Peter Miskimmin the fund builds on the previous Community Resilience Fund Phase 1 in which a total of $6 million was awarded.
“This second resilience fund provided an opportunity for further support, but this time allowing applications of up to $25,000 to cover both fixed and operational costs,” Miskimmin said.
“The broadening of the eligibility criteria from the previous Community Resilience Fund has meant more organisations were able to apply for support, including applicants that were not affiliated to Sport NZ national partners.
“This has helped a wider range of community organisations to continue to deliver activities and programmes that have a key role in maintaining individual and community health and wellbeing.”
Other investments supporting the sector as part of the Sport Recovery Package include the $68 million Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa Fund for community-based programmes and projects helping children and young people get active, as well as additional investment to provide ongoing support for Sport NZ’s national partners and their national leagues and key programmes.
In addition, the Exceptional Systems Support Fund provided $1.88 million in support for 38 organisations including disability providers, recreation organisations and Māori national sporting organisations that did not already receive investment directly from Sport NZ.
For the full list of applicants go here.