Community-Led Development Funding from DIA Approved for Local Projects
Tapawera Connect is pleased to share that a recent funding application submitted through the Department of Internal Affairs' Community-Led Development Programme (CLDP) has been approved, securing $98,200 to support community-led projects across Tapawera and the surrounding valleys over the coming year.
This funding forms part of Tapawera Connect's ongoing partnership with the Department of Internal Affairs. We are currently in Year Three of a five-year Community-Led Development Programme that supports communities to identify local priorities, build community leadership, and turn community ideas into action.
The application was developed from priorities identified through community conversations, volunteer leadership, project planning, and the ongoing work of local groups and organisations. While our wider planning process identified approximately $138,000 in current community project needs, this funding round focused on projects considered most ready, achievable, and strategically aligned for delivery over the next 12 months.
Rather than funding isolated activities, the application grouped projects into five strategic investment areas that contribute to long-term community wellbeing, resilience, participation, and sustainability.
| Strategic Investment Area | Funding Approved |
|---|---|
| Community Wellbeing & Connection | $9,520 |
| Community Resilience & Emergency Preparedness | $16,550 |
| Environmental Stewardship & Food Resilience | $36,327 |
| Community Infrastructure & Activation | $13,848 |
| Community Capability & Coordination | $21,954 |
| Total Funding Approved | $98,200 |
Community Wellbeing & Connection – $9,520
This funding will support activities that help reduce isolation, strengthen support networks, and create opportunities for people to connect.
Projects in this area include the Circle of Security Parenting Programme, community events and activations such as the Spring Show, Christmas activities, and Matariki celebrations, as well as workshops and professional development that support local parents and caregivers.
These projects build on existing programmes that already create opportunities for connection and wellbeing within our community. Funding will help strengthen and expand opportunities for people to come together, learn from one another, and build supportive relationships.
Community Resilience & Emergency Preparedness – $16,550
Following the 2025 flood events, strengthening community resilience has become an increasingly important priority.
Funding in this area will support emergency preparedness activities, resilience planning, community engagement, and initiatives that help residents feel more connected and prepared for future emergencies.
A key focus will be supporting the continued development of the Tapawera Emergency Welfare Team and building local capability to respond to future events. The funding will also support ongoing community engagement following the flood debrief held on 10 June, helping ensure lessons learned continue to inform future planning and preparedness.
This work is already being championed by local residents and will remain community-led as it develops.
Environmental Stewardship & Food Resilience – $36,327
This investment area received the largest allocation of funding and reflects the strong community support behind several environmental and food resilience projects.
Funding will support the Community Garden, Pollination Pathway, and ongoing work at Shedwood Bush.
Each of these projects combines practical environmental action with opportunities for volunteering, learning, connection, and long-term stewardship of local spaces.
The Community Garden in particular has seen renewed momentum over the past year and will benefit from infrastructure and organisational support that helps establish it as a sustainable long-term community asset. Funding will also support a new partnership with Tasman Bay Guardians, providing regular environmental education sessions with tamariki and the wider community through the Tapawera Area School nursery and activities at Shedwood Bush. These sessions will help build practical knowledge, strengthen connections with the natural environment, and encourage the next generation of environmental guardians.
The Pollination Pathway will continue developing opportunities to improve biodiversity while encouraging community involvement through planting projects and shared stewardship of public spaces.
Funding for Shedwood Bush will support ongoing maintenance, volunteer-led improvements, biodiversity initiatives, and projects that encourage greater community use and appreciation of this special local environment.
Community Infrastructure & Activation – $13,848
Not all community development happens through programmes and events. Sometimes, practical infrastructure is what allows community participation to grow.
Funding in this area will support cycling infrastructure initiatives and practical solutions that help community programmes operate more effectively.
These projects support improved access, the activation of community spaces, and opportunities for residents and visitors to engage with the wider community.
While perhaps less visible than some other projects, these practical improvements create the foundations that allow many community-led activities to succeed.
Community Capability & Coordination – $21,954
Community-led projects rely on people, relationships, communication, and coordination.
Funding in this area supports cultural capability development and the coordination required to sustain community-led development activity across the wider programme.
This investment helps support volunteers, strengthen partnerships, improve communication, coordinate projects, and ensure community initiatives continue to grow and succeed over time.
While often less visible than physical projects, this work provides the backbone that enables community-led development to flourish. It helps turn ideas into action, connects people with opportunities to get involved, and supports the many volunteers and community leaders who make these projects possible.
Looking Ahead
Not every project identified through our wider planning process was included in this funding round. Some projects require further planning, community leadership, partnership development, or are better suited to future funding opportunities before they are ready to progress.
The projects included in this application are also at different stages of development. Some are well established and already delivering outcomes in the community, while others are entering a new phase of growth and development.
What they all have in common is that they have emerged from local priorities, local leadership, and a shared commitment to creating a stronger, more connected, and more resilient community.
As part of our commitment to transparency, we've attached the Executive Summary and the Budget Summary table submitted alongside this application. It outlines exactly what was applied for, how projects were grouped, and the intended outcomes for each investment area.
As we move into the second half of our five-year Community-Led Development Programme partnership, we're also beginning to look beyond the current funding period. Alongside delivering projects, we're exploring how successful initiatives can continue to thrive through strong community leadership, partnerships, volunteer involvement, and future funding opportunities.
Community-led development has always been about more than delivering individual projects. It's about building the relationships, skills, confidence, and local leadership that enable communities to identify opportunities, solve challenges together, and create the future they want to see.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed ideas, time, energy, and leadership to these projects. Whether you've volunteered at the Community Garden, planted trees at Shedwood Bush, helped organise an event, shared your experiences during the flood recovery, or simply attended a community conversation, you've played a part in shaping this application.
We look forward to sharing updates as these projects progress over the coming year.
A huge thanks to the Department of Internal Affairs for supporting these projects in our community.
