Applications are now open for the Kāpiti Coast District Council’s contestable Heritage Fund, which supports projects that manage and protect heritage sites throughout the district.

This year $39,000 is available to the community to care for ecological, geological, historical, and cultural features. Up to $5,000 in matched funding can be sought per project.

“We have lots of special and unique places across the Kāpiti Coast and the Heritage Fund provides financial support to help protect them for future generations,” says Andy McKay, Team Leader, Environment and Ecological Services for Council.

“There are four priority activities eligible for funding – preservation (either physically or by covenant), riparian management, heritage feature management (like planting or pest control), and research or education projects that help tell our heritage stories.”

The Council established the fund in 2001 to provide an incentive for landowners to look after heritage features such as ecological areas, significant trees, waahi tapu and historic structures.

“Through our last funding round, we supported some great environmental and cultural projects including a project to retire and replace streams and wet areas on a farm with native plants in Waikanae, and work to support a unique visitor destination centred around Mirek Smíšek’s ceramic kilns at Te Horo,” says Mr McKay.

“Over last 20 years, we’ve been able to get behind hundreds of small environmental projects, which together have protected what’s important to our community and to our unique environment. I’m looking forward to seeing what projects applicants put forward this year.”

Applications close at 5pm on Monday 31 October 2022. Kāpiti Coast District Council’s Grants Allocation Committee is scheduled to make funding decisions in December 2022.

For more information, visit kapiticoast.govt.nz/heritage-fund

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