Northland Regional Council (NRC) invites tāngata whenua and community catchment groups to submit an expression of interest for funding that supports projects improving freshwater quality across Te Taitokerau.

The Tāngata Whenua and Community Catchment Fund (TWCCF) is designed for collective efforts that make a real difference to the health of our waterways. The fund supports a wide range of actions including professional services, on the ground mahi, training, and engagement. 

Expressions of Interest are open to established legal or operational tāngata whenua entities, such as marae committees, hapū trusts, iwi authorities, or consultants acting on their behalf, and to established legal or operational community or catchment groups.

The TWCCF offers two pathways. Single-year projects can receive up to $40,000 excluding GST for work completed within one financial year. Multi-year projects can access up to $60,000, spread over three years at a maximum of $20,000 per year.

All work needs to align with the council’s funding cycle, which runs from 1 July to 30 June. If your project is likely to extend beyond this timeframe, a multi-year application may be the best option. Funding cannot be allocated for activities outside the financial year applied for.

Expressions of interest can be submitted online or by contacting NRC’s Land Management team.

The closing date is 30 April 2026, after which we will work with you to develop your expression of interest into a project application. This will go to the decision-making panel in mid to late July. Applicants will be notified of the outcome by late July, and approved projects can generally begin from mid-August.

This fund is an opportunity to work together for healthier waterways and a stronger future for Northland’s whenua and communities. If you have a project that fits, now is the time to start planning and get your application underway.

Find out all the information, including more details on eligible projects and FAQs at: www.nrc.govt.nz/twccf 

While the Tāngata Whenua and Community Catchment Fund is not available to individual landowners, NRC has alternative funding options that may be able to help: www.nrc.govt.nz/funding

For landowners in the Kaipara catchment, funding is now managed by the Kaipara Moana Remediation Programme.

Kaipara Moana Remediation: www.kmr.org.nz/funding