Monday 23 February 2026
Landowners, iwi, community groups and environmental organisations are invited to learn more about Otago Regional Council’s (ORC) ECO Fund and how to submit a strong application, with two free webinars taking place on 3 and 10 March.
ORC councillor Chanel Gardner says the 2026 ECO Fund will open for applications on 16 March with a total $919,800 available - a similar amount to last year.
“The ECO Fund information webinar on 3 March is about clarity. We want potential applicants, including those who have applied before, to understand what the fund is designed to achieve in 2026, what’s changed, and how to position their project well before applications open,” says Cr Gardner.
The following week, ORC will host a Preparing a Strong Funding Application webinar at 7pm on Tuesday, 10 March, designed to help applicants strengthen their submissions and maximise their impact.
“The second webinar is practical. Good environmental projects deserve strong applications. Whether you’re new to funding or experienced, this session will walk through what makes a proposal clear, credible and aligned with Council priorities. We encourage all applicants to take part.”
Topics include:
Topics include:
Have an idea to improve your local environment? The ECO Fund could help. The March 3rd webinar will explain how the fund works and how community groups, organisations and private landowners can apply.
Want your funding application to stand out? Join this practical 60-minute webinar on March 10th, with Strategic Grants to learn clear, useful tips for writing stronger grant applications — especially if you’re planning to apply for the ECO Fund.
The ECO Fund webinar will be recorded and made available on ORC’s website at orc.govt.nz/ecofundwebinar. If you are unable to make the live event, the Preparing a strong grant application webinar will be available by request via ecofund@orc.govt.nz.
Two ECO Fund categories have been updated this year:
Four existing ECO Fund categories will continue unchanged:
There are some new requirements when applicants apply for funding.
“We’ve introduced a quote requirement this year. It’s a straightforward step that strengthens accountability and helps ensure ratepayer money is used carefully, while still keeping the process accessible for community groups and landowners,” says Cr Gardner.
“The ECO Fund is one of the largest regional council environmental funds of its kind in New Zealand. Every dollar allocated comes from an Otago home or business. That means we have a responsibility to continually demonstrate value and maintain public confidence in how the fund operates.”
More information about the webinars and the ECO Fund is available at orc.govt.nz/ecofundwebinar.
Established in July 2018, ORC’s ECO Fund supports work that protects, enhances and promotes Otago’s environment to enable iwi, communities’ and private landowners’ environmental activities. An annual review process occurs, to set up the funding categories for each year which align with Council’s strategic directions.
Since 2018, the ECO fund has supported 194 projects from 420 applications, distributing just over $3.64 million (out of $10.45 million requested) across 11 application rounds. Each round has averaged 38 applications and has been oversubscribed by an average of 300%.
The ECO Fund has been set up to support work that protects, enhances and promotes Otago's environment. Find info, such as fund categories, eligibility and how to apply for an ECO Fund grant.
Learn how you could use an ECO Fund grant to help support local environmental projects.
Join us at a series of free funding clinics hosted across Otago to help you prepare strong applications for the ECO Fund. These sessions are open to community groups, organisations and landowners and include practical guidance on how the fund works and how to apply.
