Building connected communities through events
We are Waipā Home of Champions
The events industry brings in millions of dollars to the Waipā district through hospitality, retail and accommodation spend. Great people, great places and a vibrant and healthy events industry plays a huge part in why we are the Home of Champions, and why Waipā is such a great place to live and visit.
In response to the financial challenges the council faced during the development of the 2024/25 Enhanced Annual Plan, the amount available for event support was reduced from $150,000 to $75,000 and the Community Event Fund was disestablished.
We have been working on updating the criteria and eligibility for the District Promotion Fund to ensure we can support a mix of events that bring economic wellbeing to our district and events that are organised and loved by locals and visitors alike.
The delay in the funding opening this year has been attributed to discussions about revising the criteria. However, following revision and a risk analysis, it was identified that more work needed to be done in consultation with the community before changes were implemented.
By engaging on this strategy and ensuring it aligns with the strategic direction we are heading in with the Long Term Plan, Ahu Ake and future Economic Wellbeing Strategy, we will be able to take the community along with us in carving out our niche.
This means for 2024/25 financial year the District Promotion Fund criteria and eligibility will remain the same as last year.
If you’re an event organiser who has previously applied to the Community Event Fund, we encourage you to submit an application to the District Promotion Fund, or to look into the criteria of other Council funds, including Community Discretionary Fund which opens on Monday 30 September.
