Funding News - PLEASE READ
Published on August 19, 2026 by Trish Given
Kia ora koutou,
There is a lot happening in the funding space at the moment, so we wanted to share some updates, reminders and upcoming opportunities to help you find funding and put together strong applications.
UPCOMING WEBINAR SERIES - DATES AND BOOKING LINK
WEBINAR 1 - 💵 Putting Together a Good Budget - Thursday 3 September 12.30pm
With Duncan Matthews - Good Numbers and Rule Foundation
Budgets are one of the areas we see Collectives needing the most support with when preparing funding applications.
Duncan Matthews from Good Numbers will join us for a practical session on putting together a clear, realistic and funder-friendly budget.
We'll look at what funders expect to see, common budgeting challenges, how to make sure your numbers tell the same story as your application, and how to include costs such as the Gift Collective fundholding fee.
Following the webinar, we'll also provide Collectives with a budget template that you can use when developing project budgets and future funding applications.
REGISTER HERE
WEBINAR 2 - 📝 Writing a Strong Funding Application - Date TBC
WEBINAR 3 - 📋 Accountability & Reporting - Date TBC
FUNDING
With Duncan Matthews - Good Numbers and Rule Foundation
Budgets are one of the areas we see Collectives needing the most support with when preparing funding applications.
Duncan Matthews from Good Numbers will join us for a practical session on putting together a clear, realistic and funder-friendly budget.
We'll look at what funders expect to see, common budgeting challenges, how to make sure your numbers tell the same story as your application, and how to include costs such as the Gift Collective fundholding fee.
Following the webinar, we'll also provide Collectives with a budget template that you can use when developing project budgets and future funding applications.
REGISTER HERE
WEBINAR 2 - 📝 Writing a Strong Funding Application - Date TBC
WEBINAR 3 - 📋 Accountability & Reporting - Date TBC
FUNDING
DIA Lottery Funding:
A big thank you to everyone who worked with us on the recent DIA Lottery funding round. We know there was a lot of work involved in getting applications and budgets ready.
We submitted a number of applications on behalf of Gift Collective groups and will keep you updated as we hear from DIA or if any further information is requested.
A reminder that when Gift Collective is acting as your fundholder, there can be some additional steps involved in the application process, so please involve us as early as possible and send the application to us to review at least 1 WEEK before the closing date.
Our advice to you
We submitted a number of applications on behalf of Gift Collective groups and will keep you updated as we hear from DIA or if any further information is requested.
A reminder that when Gift Collective is acting as your fundholder, there can be some additional steps involved in the application process, so please involve us as early as possible and send the application to us to review at least 1 WEEK before the closing date.
Our advice to you
- Check the funding criteria carefully - are you eligible?
Please read the criteria thoroughly before starting an application and make sure your project and activities are a good fit for the fund. If you are unsure about anything, contact a DIA Community Advisor before you begin. - Connect with your regional DIA Community Advisor now!
We strongly encourage you to email, call or, where possible, meet with your regional advisor. Building a relationship with funders is really valuable. They can help you understand whether a fund is right for your kaupapa and what they are looking for in an application. - Let us know as early as possible if you want to apply.
As soon as the funding round opens, let us know if you are planning to submit an application through Gift Collective. Once the application portal is open and we have access to the questions, we will send these to you to complete. - Prepare your budget thoroughly.
Your budget is an important part of your application, so please allow plenty of time to prepare it. Check with your regional DIA advisor if you are unsure what should be included, and make sure your figures clearly align with what you are requesting funding for. Please add a line for your 8% Gift Collective cost. - Give us enough time to work with you on your application.
Please remember that Gift Collective is responsible for completing the application in the DIA portal, uploading the required documents and reviewing the information you provide. Allow us at least one week before the deadline to do this properly - deadline to get founding applications to us is TUESDAY 22 SEPTEMBER - for this round. - Be prepared for a bit of back and forth.
We may come back to you with questions, suggestions or recommended edits. Please take this advice on board and make any requested changes as promptly as you can. We are reviewing your application because we want the best possible outcome for you and your Collective.
📅 There is another round of Lotteries funding OPENING on Wednesday 2 September and CLOSING on Tuesday 29 September - decision will be known mid to late December 2026. Get your draft application to us by TUESDAY 22 SEPTEMBER.
Important dates for DIA funding (Lotteries and COGS etc) can all be found here. Please add these to your funding calendar.
Other Funding
🌈 Rule Foundation
The Rule Foundation provides grants for activities that seek to advance the health, wellbeing and visibility of rainbow, takatāpui and MVPFAFF+ communities across Aotearoa.
If you think this funding may align with your kaupapa, we encourage you to have a look through the funding criteria. As with any funder, if you are unsure whether your project or activities are a good fit, we recommend getting in touch with the Rule Foundation directly before applying.
📅 Current funding round closes: 5pm, Friday 28 August 2026. (Get your application to us by FRIDAY 21 AUGUST).
🎰 Working with Gaming Trusts
Gaming trusts can be a little more complicated for groups working through a fundholder. Some will accept applications using a fundholder, while others won’t, or may require applicants to have their own legal or charitable entity.
Important dates for DIA funding (Lotteries and COGS etc) can all be found here. Please add these to your funding calendar.
Other Funding
🌈 Rule Foundation
The Rule Foundation provides grants for activities that seek to advance the health, wellbeing and visibility of rainbow, takatāpui and MVPFAFF+ communities across Aotearoa.
If you think this funding may align with your kaupapa, we encourage you to have a look through the funding criteria. As with any funder, if you are unsure whether your project or activities are a good fit, we recommend getting in touch with the Rule Foundation directly before applying.
📅 Current funding round closes: 5pm, Friday 28 August 2026. (Get your application to us by FRIDAY 21 AUGUST).
🎰 Working with Gaming Trusts
Gaming trusts can be a little more complicated for groups working through a fundholder. Some will accept applications using a fundholder, while others won’t, or may require applicants to have their own legal or charitable entity.
It is also important to be aware that gaming trusts generally have very detailed and strict accountability requirements, particularly around financial documentation and evidence of how funding has been spent.
Before starting an application to a gaming trust, you need to check the funder’s eligibility criteria and contact them directly to confirm that they will accept an application using Gift Collective as your fundholder.
This can save a lot of work before you begin an application.
💰Working with ANY Funder
One of our biggest pieces of advice is: build a relationship with your funder.
If you are considering applying for a grant, contact the funder or funding advisor before you start. Tell them a little about your kaupapa, explain that you are part of Gift Collective and that The Gift Trust will act as your fundholder, and ask whether your project and funding arrangement are eligible.
Gift Collective has relationships with a growing number of funders, but we don't have relationships with everyone. We are very happy to work alongside you and speak with funders where additional information about our fundholding model is needed.
🤝Attend Funders Forums in Your Community
Keep an eye out for funders forums, funding expos and community funding events happening in your area.
These are fantastic opportunities to meet funders face-to-face, learn about upcoming funding rounds and, importantly, start building relationships before you need to submit an application.
Your local council, DIA Community Advisor or community networks are good places to find out when these events are happening.
Gift Collective will be attending the Manawatū Funders Forum on Friday 18 September - Details to follow.
Find Funding with Fundsorter
Gift Collective has a relationship with Fundsorter, an AI-powered funding platform designed to help you identify funding opportunities that align with your kaupapa.
You can sign up for a free trial to explore potential funders and start developing a funding application. After the trial, Gift Collectives can continue using Fundsorter for a discounted monthly fee of $14.39 - please get in touch if you want to find out more.
It's another useful tool to add to your funding kete.
⏰ Funding Application Deadlines - Please Give Us Time
We love supporting our Collectives with funding applications and want to give every application the time and attention it deserves. Please give us at least one week before a funding deadline to review and process your application.
This gives us time to review your answers, check your budget and supporting documents, complete the fundholder sections, upload everything to the funding portal, and come back to you with any questions or suggested changes.
There may be a bit of back and forth along the way. If we suggest changes or ask for additional information, please get this back to us as soon as you can. Our aim is the same as yours – to submit the strongest application possible and give your Collective the best chance of a successful outcome.
One of our biggest pieces of advice is: build a relationship with your funder.
If you are considering applying for a grant, contact the funder or funding advisor before you start. Tell them a little about your kaupapa, explain that you are part of Gift Collective and that The Gift Trust will act as your fundholder, and ask whether your project and funding arrangement are eligible.
Gift Collective has relationships with a growing number of funders, but we don't have relationships with everyone. We are very happy to work alongside you and speak with funders where additional information about our fundholding model is needed.
🤝Attend Funders Forums in Your Community
Keep an eye out for funders forums, funding expos and community funding events happening in your area.
These are fantastic opportunities to meet funders face-to-face, learn about upcoming funding rounds and, importantly, start building relationships before you need to submit an application.
Your local council, DIA Community Advisor or community networks are good places to find out when these events are happening.
Gift Collective will be attending the Manawatū Funders Forum on Friday 18 September - Details to follow.
Find Funding with Fundsorter
Gift Collective has a relationship with Fundsorter, an AI-powered funding platform designed to help you identify funding opportunities that align with your kaupapa.
You can sign up for a free trial to explore potential funders and start developing a funding application. After the trial, Gift Collectives can continue using Fundsorter for a discounted monthly fee of $14.39 - please get in touch if you want to find out more.
It's another useful tool to add to your funding kete.
⏰ Funding Application Deadlines - Please Give Us Time
We love supporting our Collectives with funding applications and want to give every application the time and attention it deserves. Please give us at least one week before a funding deadline to review and process your application.
This gives us time to review your answers, check your budget and supporting documents, complete the fundholder sections, upload everything to the funding portal, and come back to you with any questions or suggested changes.
There may be a bit of back and forth along the way. If we suggest changes or ask for additional information, please get this back to us as soon as you can. Our aim is the same as yours – to submit the strongest application possible and give your Collective the best chance of a successful outcome.
🎗️A little reminder about our team🎗️
Gift Collective is a small team, we all work part-time, and we are currently supporting almost 170 Collectives across Aotearoa. Funding deadlines can be particularly busy times for us.
While we will always do our best to help, we can't guarantee that we will be able to accommodate a late application. If you don't hear back from us immediately, please be patient - we will get back to you as soon as we can.
We care about your kaupapa and want to give your application the attention it deserves. We won't forget about you, and we'll do everything we reasonably can to support you through the process.
Our biggest piece of advice: involve us early. If you're thinking about applying for funding, have spotted an opportunity, or aren't sure whether a particular funder will work with Gift Collective, get in touch.
We'd much rather hear from you early and work alongside you than meet you at the deadline!
Ngā mihi nui
Chloe, Trish and Katie
While we will always do our best to help, we can't guarantee that we will be able to accommodate a late application. If you don't hear back from us immediately, please be patient - we will get back to you as soon as we can.
We care about your kaupapa and want to give your application the attention it deserves. We won't forget about you, and we'll do everything we reasonably can to support you through the process.
Our biggest piece of advice: involve us early. If you're thinking about applying for funding, have spotted an opportunity, or aren't sure whether a particular funder will work with Gift Collective, get in touch.
We'd much rather hear from you early and work alongside you than meet you at the deadline!
Ngā mihi nui
Chloe, Trish and Katie
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