Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), huddl, Three Lakes Cultural Trust, Sport Otago and the Conservation Alliance have joined forces to establish The Funding Series, a collaborative initiative designed to strengthen the capability of non-profit organisations and support sustainable funding strategies.

Fiona Reeve, Project Lead of huddl, a newly formed initiative focused on supporting community groups, acknowledges that funding and fundraising remain significant pressure points for many local organisations.

"huddl's 2024 Community Needs Assessment survey found that over 70% of local non-profits surveyed indicated they were facing challenges within their organisations, with funding being a key issue. We wanted to find practical ways to support groups with tools and a framework to help set them up for long-term success," said Mrs Reeve.

Samantha Kirk, Chief Operating Officer of Three Lakes Cultural Trust, agreed, noting, “The need to better understand and navigate funding was a consistent theme through our consultation on the Te Muka Toi, Te Muka Takata, Creativity, Culture and Heritage Strategy last year with ‘Training and Skills’ becoming a pillar of the strategy as a result. We are thrilled to work with other local groups to help bring this to life.”

Kenneth Bailey, QLDC Community Services General Manager said that by working together, the collective were able to maximise resources and build on existing funding capabilities.

“Sustainable funding is crucial for long-term impact, and we are pleased to support a programme that equips local groups with the skills and knowledge to thrive,” said Mr Bailey.

The Funding Series is open to individuals, groups and organisations who rely on funding or fundraising to support their operations, project or event.

The series kicks off with Funding Fundamentals, facilitated by fundraising strategists Fi McPhee and Anna Mathieson in Wānaka on 25 March and Queenstown on 26 March. The series is a free ticketed event, sponsored by QLDC.

The Funding Series Full Schedule:

• Funding Fundamentals:
  • 25 March, Wānaka Community Hub, Wānaka, 6.00pm to 8.30pm, Bookings now open https://events.humanitix.com/funding-fundamentals-part-one-of-the-funding-series

1. 26 March, Salvation Army Frankton, Queenstown, 6.00pm to 8.30pm, Bookings now open https://events.humanitix.com/funding-fundamentals-session-1-of-the-funding-series-queenstown

• Philanthropic Funding

1. 9 April, Lake Wānaka Centre, Wānaka, 12.30pm to 1.30pm.
2. 10 April, Te Atamira, Queenstown, 6.00pm to 8.30pm.

• Building Good Partnerships: Corporates and Non-Profits Working Together

1. 15 May, Te Atamira, Queenstown, 9.00am to 12.00pm.

This session is in collaboration with the BforGood Programme, a collaboration between the Wakatipu Community Foundation and the Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce. Spaces will be limited.

• Funding in Practice

1. 13 June, Lake Wānaka Centre, Wānaka, 6.00pm to 8.00pm
2. 14 June, Salvation Army Frankton, Queenstown, 6.00pm to 8.00pm

To stay informed of when tickets are available, make sure to follow one of the following, or email samantha@threelakesculturaltrust.co.nz to express your interest:

• Three Lakes Cultural Trust - https://www.facebook.com/threelakesculturaltrust/
• huddl - https://www.facebook.com/huddl.nz
• Sport Otago - https://www.facebook.com/SportOtago

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