Papakāinga Fund

White icon images of a koru spiral, house and a Maori meeting house on a green background.

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.

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
  • feasibility studies and technical plans, or reports such as a survey plan, landscape plan, geotechnical report, or concept drawing
  • external professional services
  • any other service provider costs that are not the responsibility of Whangarei District Council.

Apply for Papakāinga Fund

Online

You'll need to provide some details about yourself, your papakāinga project and the amount you are requesting.

If you need help with your application or can't complete all the questions, please reach out to us for support.

Step 1.Check criteria

Check if you are eligible:

Eligibility criteria

Step 2.Prepare supporting documents

You will need to provide the following information with your application:

  • evidence of current ownership, block, and Trust information (such as a Trust Deed).
  • a letter from the relevant governance structure or other legal entity confirming approval for the development and for this grant application.
  • evidence to demonstrate your readiness to proceed with the development, such as plans approved by Council, or invoices for the issued consent(s).

Step 3.Apply

Fill in our online form and upload any supporting documents. 

Papakāinga Fund online application form

Step 4.Assessment

Once your application has been received, we will assess it to ensure it is complete. If we need further information, we will contact you.

Applications will be assessed every month against funding criteria by a panel of staff.

Step 5.Decision

We will get in touch to let you know the outcome of your application.

Step 6.Payment of invoices

Successful grant applications will not be paid directly to the applicant. Instead, we will pay your relevant Council invoices.

By email

You'll need to provide some details about yourself, your papakāinga project and the amount you are requesting.

If you need help with your application or can't complete all the questions, please reach out to us for support.

Step 1.Check criteria

Check if you are eligible.

Eligibility criteria 

Step 2.Prepare supporting documents

You will need to provide the following information with your application:

  • evidence of current ownership, block, and Trust information (such as a Trust Deed).
  • a letter from the relevant governance structure or other legal entity confirming approval for the development and for this grant application.
  • evidence to demonstrate your readiness to proceed with the development, such as plans approved by Council, or invoices for the issued consent(s).

Step 3.Complete application

Download the application, print and complete it by hand.

Papakāinga Fund application form(PDF, 397KB)

Step 4.Email us

Email your completed application and supporting documents to:

Email: funding@wdc.govt.nz

Step 5.Assessment

Once your application has been received, we will assess it to ensure it is complete. If we need further information, we will contact you.

Applications will be assessed every month against funding criteria by a panel of staff.

Step 6.Decision

We will get in touch to let you know the outcome of your application.

Step 7.Payment of invoices

Successful grant applications will not be paid directly to the applicant. Instead, we will pay your relevant Council invoices.

By post

You'll need to provide some details about yourself, your papakāinga project and the amount you are requesting.

If you need help with your application or can't complete all the questions, please reach out to us for support.

Step 1.Check criteria

Check if you are eligible.

Eligibility criteria 

Step 2.Prepare supporting documents

You will need to provide the following information with your application:

  • evidence of current ownership, block, and Trust information (such as a Trust Deed).
  • a letter from the relevant governance structure or other legal entity confirming approval for the development and for this grant application.
  • evidence to demonstrate your readiness to proceed with the development, such as plans approved by Council, or invoices for the issued consent(s).

Step 3.Complete application

Download the application, print and complete it by hand.

Papakāinga Fund application form(PDF, 397KB)

Step 4.Post to us

Post your completed application and supporting documents to:

Attn: Community Funding Co-ordinator
Whangarei District Council 
Private Bag 9023
Te Mai
Whangārei 0143

Step 5.Assessment

Once your application has been received, we will assess it to ensure it is complete. If we need further information, we will contact you.

Applications will be assessed every month against funding criteria by a panel of staff.

Step 6.Decision

We will get in touch to let you know the outcome of your application.

Step 7.Payment of invoices

Successful grant applications will not be paid directly to the applicant. Instead, we will pay your relevant Council invoices.

In-person

You'll need to provide some details about yourself, your papakāinga project and the amount you are requesting.

If you need help with your application or can't complete all the questions, please reach out to us for support.

Step 1.Check criteria

Check if you are eligible.

Eligibility criteria 

Step 2.Prepare supporting documents

You will need to provide the following information with your application:

  • evidence of current ownership, block, and Trust information (such as a Trust Deed).
  • a letter from the relevant governance structure or other legal entity confirming approval for the development and for this grant application.
  • evidence to demonstrate your readiness to proceed with the development, such as plans approved by Council, or invoices for the issued consent(s).

Step 3.Complete application

Download the application, print and complete it by hand.

Papakāinga Fund application form(PDF, 397KB)

Step 4.Bring into us

Bring your completed application and supporting documents into one of our Customer Service centres:

Te Iwitahi
 9 Rust Avenue, Whangārei
Hours:  Monday to Friday - 8:00am to 4:30pm
Closed public holidays

Ruakākā service centre 
9 Takutai Place, Ruakākā
Hours:  Monday to Friday - 8:30am to 4:00pm
Closed public holidays

Service centre at isite
92 Otaika Road, Raumanga
Hours: Monday to Friday - 9:00am to 12:00pm and 12:30pm to 4:30pm
Closed public holidays

Step 5.Assessment

Once your application has been received, we will assess it to ensure it is complete. If we need further information, we will contact you.

Applications will be assessed every month against funding criteria by a panel of staff.

Step 6.Decision

We will get in touch to let you know the outcome of your application.

Step 7.Payment of invoices

Successful grant applications will not be paid directly to the applicant. Instead, we will pay your relevant Council invoices.

Enquiries

Please email us if you have a question or need help completing the application form.

Email:  papakainga@wdc.govt.nz

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