This grant fund supports the development of sport and recreation facilities that create opportunities for Aucklanders to get active.
It recognises the important role that non-council facilities play in serving Auckland's sport and recreation sector.
The fund allows us to:
The contestable process ensures all eligible organisations can be considered for a grant. There is one contestable funding round each year.
To date, allocations of funding through the contestable process have been from around $100,000 and up to $4 million.
The fund will help provide facilities for community sport and active recreation.
This mostly contributes to 'Objective 9' in the Manaaki Tāmaki Makaurau: Auckland Open Space, Sport and Recreation Strategy - "Deliver a fit for purpose, future proofed facility network that makes the most of what we have".
We recommend you read the 'Sport and Recreation Facilities Investment Fund guidelines' before you apply.
The guide explains:
Applications are open from 25 May to 19 June 2026.
You can preview the application form before the round opens to see what you need to include in your application.
| Applications open | Decision due | Activity to start after |
|---|---|---|
25 May - 19 June 2026 | December 2026 | 1 February 2027 |
Allocation of funds for the next two years include:
These will be distributed across both the targeted and contestable process.
We will assess all applications and let you know if yours will progress to the shortlist. Shortlisted applications may need to:
They will then be reviewed and sent to an independent assessment panel to consider.
The Community Committee will make final funding decisions in December 2026.
If your application is successful, we will ask you to sign a funding agreement. This contract sets out the terms and conditions you must meet before Auckland Council will release the funds.
Email sportandrecreation@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz if you have any questions about the fund or your application.
This framework guides how we administer both the contestable and targeted process. The framework explains:
