Rural Travel Fund
The Rural Travel Fund is designed to help subsidise travel for rural junior teams aged between 5 to 18 years by removing the barrier of travel costs so participants can compete in regular sporting competition. Sport New Zealand, who provide half the funding, have the following guidelines for funding. Please read these guidelines before making an application.
The remainder of the funding is from Sport Northland and the Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa programme which provides funding for programmes or projects delivering:
- tākaro/play
- ngā mahi a te rēhia/active recreation; and
- hākinakina/sport opportunities.
Priority for the Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa funding will go to those that can show their funding will be used for:
- children and young people in higher deprivation communities
- girls and young women (5-18); and
- disabled children and young people.
The Rural Travel Fund covers travel to and from regular sporting events (competitions and practices) within the Far North District only. You can apply for up to half (50%) of your total travel costs. Funding must be for the upcoming season.
You can download an application form here or pick up an application from any FNDC Service Centre or from Sport Northland - Far North Sport Coordinators. Fill in the application and email it to funding@fndc.govt.nz or post it to:
Rural Travel Fund
Far North District Council
Private Bag 752
Kaikohe 0440
If you email your application and have not received an acknowledgement within 2 working days, please call 09 401 5775 to confirm it has been received.
Two funding rounds take place each year - one for winter sports at the start of the year and one for summer sports at the end of the year. You can see the application deadlines and meeting dates on the panel on the right side of this page.
Decisions are made by local community boards – Te Hiku, Kaikohe-Hokianga and Bay of Islands-Whangaroa – with advice from Sport Northland representatives.
Each community board receives funding based on the number of school-aged children between 5-19 years living in their area. This figure is calculated using the 2013 population census.
When your project is complete, you will need to submit a report detailing how you spent the money. This is also available as a MS word document upon request - email funding@fndc.govt.nz.
If you do not provide a project report at the end of the season, you will be ineligible to apply for funding from Council for 3 years.
There are many trusts and organisations other than Council that support sporting activities. To find out more contact Sport Northland.
2024 Application Deadlines
Winter 2024
Applications for the Winter Rural Travel Funding round will close on Friday 8 March and will be considered at the community board meetings held in April.
Summer 2024
Applications for the Summer Rural Travel Funding round will close on Friday 6 September and will be considered at the community board meetings held in October.
If you want to discuss your application before lodging it, please contact the Funding Advisor on 09 401 5775 or email funding@fndc.govt.nz