New Zealand has one of the world's highest rates of melanoma — nearly twice the global average. The combination of high UV exposure, fair skin population, and outdoor culture creates significant melanoma burden. Grants fund prevention, research, patient support, and access to new treatments. This guide covers the key funding sources.
Melanoma NZ is the national melanoma organisation:
- Research grants: Melanoma science and clinical research
- Prevention: Sun safety education and awareness
- Patient support: Information and peer support
- Advocacy: Access to new melanoma treatments through Pharmac
Cancer Society NZ:
- Regional support for melanoma patients
- SunSmart sun safety programme
- Research contribution
Health system melanoma treatment:
- Dermatology: Excision biopsy and wide local excision
- Surgical oncology: Lymph node dissection and sentinel node biopsy
- Medical oncology: Immunotherapy (checkpoint inhibitors) and targeted therapy (BRAF/MEK inhibitors)
- Radiation oncology: Palliative and adjuvant radiation
Pharmac funds melanoma immunotherapy:
- Pembrolizumab (Keytruda): Funded for stage III/IV melanoma
- Nivolumab: Funded for some indications
- BRAF/MEK inhibitors: Targeted therapy for BRAF-mutant melanoma
Access to Pharmac-funded immunotherapy has transformed advanced melanoma outcomes.
HRC funds melanoma research:
- Clinical trials in immunotherapy
- Translational research
- Epidemiology and prevention
Gaming trusts fund skin cancer prevention:
- Four Winds Foundation: Community health including prevention
- Grassroots Trust: Community health
- Pub Charity: Community health events
- Lion Foundation: Community health
Gaming trust melanoma applications:
- SunSmart resources for schools and sport clubs
- Skin checks at community events
- Patient support during immunotherapy
- Financial hardship assistance
SunSmart is the national sun safety programme:
- Cancer Society: SunSmart education for schools and communities
- Slip, Slop, Slap, Wrap: Sun protection messaging
- UV monitoring: MetService UV index for sun protection planning
- Outdoor workers: Workplace sun safety
Sun safety in sport:
- Sport NZ: Sun safe sport environments
- Swimming NZ: Outdoor swimming sun safety
- Cricket, rugby, football: Sun safety equipment (hats, sunscreen)
- Schools: Sun safe school environments
Equity considerations:
- Māori: Lower melanoma incidence but more advanced presentation
- Pacific: Darker skin but melanoma does occur — awareness needed
- Acral lentiginous melanoma: Melanoma on palms and soles more common in darker skin
Strong applications demonstrate:
- Sun safety reach: Schools, sport clubs, outdoor workers reached
- Skin checks: Early detection of suspicious lesions
- Research quality: Clinical trial and scientific outcomes
- Immunotherapy access: Patients accessing life-saving treatment
- Equity: Māori and Pacific communities
- Patient support: During complex immunotherapy treatment
- Prevention impact: Reduced sunburn and tanning behaviour
Tahua's grants management platform helps melanoma organisations manage grant applications across Melanoma NZ, Cancer Society NZ, gaming trusts, and health foundations, tracking sun safety, early detection, treatment access, and research outcomes.