23 April 2025

The 2024/25 funding year for the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund (TWBCEF) saw 99 events funded throughout the region.

With 31 events held in the Western Bay and 68 in Tauranga, the fund continues to provide a diverse range of community-focused opportunities across the region.

A total of $966,461 was funded in the 2024/25 funding year, with grants ranging from $1,600 to $35,000. The average grant amount was $9,762 with community volunteering a strong feature in keeping events affordable.

Ensuring our communities have access to a diverse range of events is key to the success of the fund and the growth of the region, says TECT Community Impact Manager, Paula Hudson.

“We are proud to have supported close to one hundred events over the last funding year. Seeing these events well attended and flourish shows how funding can support and enable opportunities for our growing population.”

Established in 2022, the TWBCEF allows organisers to apply to a single joint fund for funding rather than having to apply to multiple funders.

This streamlined approach continues to see an increase in the number of new events applying to the fund, with over half of last year’s applications being made by new applicants.

“We are thrilled to see new organisers and events applying for the fund particularly with an increase of 72% more events being funded in the Western Bay than the previous year,” says Rebecca Chambers, Arts and Culture Programme Lead at Western Bay of Plenty District Council.

The fifth and final funding round for the year saw 11 events funded, with recipients and events as follows:

TWBCEF round five funded events:

• Te Puke 119th A&P Lifestyle Show - 8 February

• Trio Madeleine by Tauranga Musica - 30 March at Wesley Church

• Kilikiti Aho Fiafia 2025 - 5 April, Moore Park

• Welcome Bay Family Fun Day - 23 April

• Tauranga Junior Tough Guy and Gal Challenge - 9 May, BayPark

• Beethovens Violin by Bay of Plenty Symphonia - 11 May, Holy Trinity • Smokefree Rockquest & Tangata Beats, Heats – 25 May

• Smokefree Rockquest & Tangata Beats, Finals – 3 June

• Showquest Tauranga 2025 - 26 June, BayPark

• Matariki ki Katikati - 19 June, Te Rereatukahia Marae, Katikati College and Park Road Reserve

• Welcome Bay Community Event - 22nd June

The TWBCEF website has more details on these and other events funded.

Applications for round two of the TWBCEF for the funding year 2025/26 are now open through www.communityeventfund.nz

Applications are open from 16 April to 15 July 2025. Decisions for this funding round will be released by 20 August 2025.

About the fund

The Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund (TWBCEF) is a collaborative fund created in partnership between Acorn Foundation, BayTrust, Tauranga City Council, TECT and Western Bay of Plenty District Council.

The fund is designed to support and enhance local community events through grants so that locals and visitors would have a broad range of events to experience and enjoy throughout the year. The TWBCEF is designed to simplify the process and reduce the barriers to applying for community event funding.

Events that are accessible free or low cost as well as those with cultural and historical significance are prioritised.

Fund decisions are made by a panel of representatives from each funding organisation, and event organisers are encouraged to submit their applications at least four months before their event date.

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