Sports grants worth $1m  

Almost a million dollar’s went to recreation and sports organisations throughout Auckland and Northland in the latest ASB Community Trust grants round.

NEWS RELEASE - 24/3/10

The biggest grant was $137,000 to Sport Waitakere. The grant will help with a range of community projects which aim to get people in Waitakere more active.

“We support organisations that focus on community participation and engagement in recreation,” says ASB Community Trust CEO Jennifer Gill. “We want to see increased participation by younger and older people and we were encouraged by the way Sport Waitakere has taken on board research, such as Active NZ and Obstacles to Action, and talked to their community to find projects that will deal with and remove barriers.”

In South Auckland, Counties Manukau  Sport was granted $76,000 for its Club Smart programme, which helps sports clubs develop their management, facilities and equipment.

The No1 District Federation of NZ Soccer was granted $88,000 to help with the cost of coaching programmes in North Harbour, Waitakere and Northland schools, while Special Olympics New Zealand was granted $65,000 for sports programmes, uniforms, specialist transport and equipments for its clubs in Auckland and Northland.

Other sport and recreation grants included: Counties Manukau Gymnastics, $40,000; North Harbour Table Tennis, $26,200; Squash Auckland, $24,800; Auckland Ice Hockey Association, $20,000; Eventing Auckland, $20,800; Tennis New Zealand, $16,800.

“As well as supporting sporting infrastructure, we make grants of up to $10,000 for requests that will encourage participation,” says Ms Gill. “These are applications that will overcome barriers to participation by younger and older members of the community.”

In March the Trust made a number of these smaller grants, ranging from $1600-$10,000, to help clubs with costs such as uniforms, equipment, venue hire, sports equipment and lane hire. The full list of grants is on the Trust’s website: http://www.asbcommunitytrust.org.nz/funding/latest-grants

About ASB Community Trust
ASB Community Trust decides on grants for groups and projects in Auckland and Northland each month. Using funds from the sale of its shareholding in the Auckland Savings Bank, the Trust has granted almost $700m since being formed in 1988.

Any incorporated or charitable trust in Auckland and Northland can apply for funds, provided they are a not-for-profit organisation. For more details about applying, visit the Trust’s website: www.ASBCommunityTrust.org.nz