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Three more years of Kiwisport Funding Confirmed
posted: 5 July 2012 Sport Thought with Brent Eastwood
The Northland region received some great news last week when Sport NZ confirmed a further three years Kiwisport funding for the region.
Kiwisport funding was introduced by the government as a way of getting more money to help grassroots sport across the country. It comes in two forms – a ‘direct’ fund to schools based on their school rolls and a ‘regional partnership fund’ via Sport Northland, who are then tasked with distributing this funding across the region.
Kiwisport funding is distributed to achieve the following outcomes:
• More kids playing sport: increase the numbers of school-aged children participating in organised sport – during school, after school and by strengthening links with sports clubs
• More opportunities to play sport: increase the availability and accessibility of sport opportunities for all school-aged children
• Better skills: support children in developing skills that will enable them to participate effectively in sport at both primary and secondary level
Over the last two years Sport Northland has distributed over $885,000 to national and regional sports organisations, clubs and schools to support programmes and initiatives designed to achieve the above outcomes. What’s more, none of that funding has been held back by Sport Northland for administration – the entire Northland Kiwisport allocation from Sport NZ is distributed directly to providers.
Over the past 6 months Sport NZ has required Sport Northland to review how the fund operates, including consultation back with providers. A new investment plan was then presented to Sport NZ, which has now been accepted. With this approval comes a further $954,000 over the next three years for the Northland region.
Sport Northland is hugely excited about this on-going opportunity that exists for local and regional providers of sport. It gives them a fantastic opportunity to create new initiatives to engage more kids in playing sport and to support them in developing the basic sports skills required to participate in sport for life.
A special feature of Northland’s Kiwisport fund going forward will be the opportunity for organisations (particularly smaller ones) to apply for smaller amounts of funding through the new ‘quick start’ fund that Sport NZ has approved in Sport Northland’s new plan – this will give these organisations the opportunity to try new initiatives without the stricter criteria required of a bigger application.
The next funding round opens on 31 August 2012.
Sport Thought with Brent Eastwood :: back :: |
