Mahi mō te Taiao/Working for Nature Grant

About the grant

In September 2020, Marlborough District Council made it easier for the community to restore and protect native habitats through the creation of a new grant scheme: Working for Nature/Mahi mō te Taiao. This $138,000 annual scheme will consider projects that protect and restore native habitats, and promote positive environmental outcomes.

This grant scheme is just one of the many biodiversity and environmental programmes run by the Council to celebrate the wide range of flora and fauna that is found in the region. Marlborough has been identified as one of five centres of biodiversity in New Zealand due to the concentration of endemic species (found only within New Zealand). The southern part of Marlborough is home to species that have evolved in the dry, rocky conditions whereas the northern region offers a spectacular collection of forests, wetlands, and coastal habitats.

Find out more about our biodiversity and environmental programmes

Applications open for the month of April – from the 1st to midnight on the 30th of April. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their grant by July.

The contestable grant scheme is administered by a sub-committee of the Environment Committee, and operates using a reimbursement model. Once appropriate milestones of the project have been met, applicants can seek reimbursement for purchases up to the agreed funding amount.

This grant scheme encourages community-led participation and collaboration. By working together, we can create enduring outcomes to restore and protect native biodiversity in our region.