Important information for applicants
The Papakāinga Fund is a limited-term funding programme and all available funding has now been allocated.
We are still accepting expressions of interest and applications from eligible projects. While we are unable to guarantee funding, applications that meet the fund criteria may be assessed and retained on file.
From time to time, approved projects may be unable to utilise their full funding allocation within the required timeframe. If funding becomes available, Council may contact applicants with qualifying projects that have been kept on file.
Applications provide valuable information to Council to understand demand for papakāinga support and informing consideration of future funding opportunities.
A reminder to current grant recipients that the current funding programme requires all approved funding to be utilised by 31 December 2026.
About the Papakāinga Fund
The Papakāinga Fund is available to support the development of new housing on ancestral Māori land within the Whangārei District.
It can be used to cover Council regulatory costs associated with setting up a papakāinga development, including the costs of:
- resource consent applications
- building consent applications
- development contributions
- potentially contaminated site searches
- vehicle crossing permits
- public utility – this is not the physical construction, this is the regulatory associated fees
- feasibility and concept planning reports
- civil engineering and infrastructure design
- site preparation (e.g. surveying, geotechnical assessments)
- planning and design consultants (e.g. architects, planners)
- capacity building to support landowner understanding of regulatory processes
- cultural impact assessments where required for development.
Note: All costs must be directly tied to papakāinga housing development. Whānau will need to demonstrate the connection between the activity and progress toward housing outcomes.
Amount available: You can apply for grants of up to $40,000 per papakāinga project. A total contestable fund of $300,000 is available, provided by the Better Off Funding package from the Department of Internal Affairs.
Closing date: You can apply any time, however funded projects must be completed no later than 30 June 2027.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible to apply:
- Your papakāinga development must be based in the Whangārei District.
- Your papakāinga development must be on land administered under the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993.
- You are an individual, or submitting on behalf of a trust, or other legal entity with the appropriate approvals for the project to go ahead, such as a letter from the relevant governance entity (if applicable).
- Your project must be ready to begin development. This means all relevant plans and designs have been completed and lodged with us, or are ready to be lodged with us.
What can't this fund be used to pay for?
The fund is only for papakāinga housing development on whenua Māori.
The following will not be funded:
- housing on general title land
- construction costs required to build / construct / renovate a house
- hui / meeting costs associated with venue hire or catering
- any other service provider costs that are not the responsibility of Whangarei District Council.
Apply for Papakāinga Fund