ECO Fund: Environment Community Otago Funding

Funding round open from
1 - 31 March 2025

What is the ECO Fund?

The ECO Fund supports our Otago community with their projects that protect, enhance or promote Otago's environment. We have different funding categories that target specific environmental issues.

For 2025, the total contestable environmental grant money is $1,059,500. This is made up of:

Funding category 

Objectives 

Budget

Large scale biodiversity projects 

  • To protect and enhance native biodiversity.  
  • To enable larger scale projects for significant biodiversity outcomes aligned with regional priorities. 
$450,000

General (on-ground and education)  

  • To protect and enhance Otago’s environment.  
  • To enable community-led environmental activities.   
$309,500

Biodiversity enhancement on protected private land  

  • To enhance existing protected areas of biodiversity on private land.  
  • To enable private landholders to maintain existing biodiversity.  
$100,000

Sustained rabbit management  

  • To manage rabbit populations in new or existing community programme areas.  
  • To enable landowners and community to work together to manage rabbit populations.  
$100,000

Critical source area management on private land 

  • To improve water quality.  
  • To support private landholder to manage critical source areas for native biodiversity. 
$ 50,000

Weed removal and revegetation 

  • To improve native vegetation through removal of weeds / pest plants and rehabilitation. 
  • To increase area of native terrestrial biodiversity.  
$ 50,000

The ECO Fund supports both work on the ground and projects with an education or awareness-raising focus. Whether your project is large or small, we welcome your application.

View a map of previous activities and projects

Applications for 2025 open on 1 March

Timeline

1 March 2025: ECO Fund round opens


31 March 2025: ECO Fund round closes


April – May 2025: Applications are reviewed


June 2025: Applicants are notified of our decision

What you need to know before applying

Applying for funding

Reporting

Tips for a good application

Other

Get in touch on 0800 474 082 or email ecofund@orc.govt.nz if you wish to discuss your project and whether it is eligible with staff.