Women's and girls' sport has become a major funding priority in New Zealand. The success of the Black Ferns, White Ferns, Football Ferns, Silver Ferns, and Tall Ferns — alongside growing community interest in women's sport — has driven significant investment from government and philanthropic funders. This guide covers the key funding sources for women's sport in New Zealand.
Sport NZ's Women and Girls strategy is the cornerstone of government investment in female sport participation in New Zealand.
Key investment streams:
- Investment in National Sport Organisations: Women and girls' participation is a required component of all NSO investment plans
- Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa: Community-led physical activity — women's and girls' programmes are strongly encouraged
- Women's coaching and leadership: Investment in female coaches, officials, and sport administrators
Contact Sport NZ or your regional sport trust for guidance on women's sport funding available in your area.
New Zealand's regional sport trusts (RSTs) distribute Sport NZ investment and are the most practical access point for women's sport funding at the local level.
RSTs often have specific women's sport activation programmes — school girls' sport, adult women's re-engagement, and women's coaching development.
Key RSTs: Aktive (Auckland), Sport Waikato, Sport BOP, Sport Hawke's Bay, Sport Wellington, Sport Canterbury, Sport Otago, Sport Southland.
Gaming trusts actively fund women's and girls' sport:
- New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT)
- The Lion Foundation
- Pub Charity
- Pelorus Trust
- Regional gaming trusts
What gaming trusts fund for women's sport:
- Women's and girls' team uniforms and equipment
- Girls' junior development programmes
- Women's coaching accreditation
- Women's competition entry fees and travel
- Women's sport events
The Lottery Grants Board funds sport and community activities including women's sport:
- Equipment grants for women's teams
- Programme development
- Facility improvements that improve women's access (e.g., changing facilities)
Each major NSO has women's sport investment flowing through to regional and community clubs:
- Netball New Zealand: Historically strong women's focus
- New Zealand Rugby: Black Ferns pathway and community women's rugby
- New Zealand Football: Football Ferns pathway and girls' football
- Hockey New Zealand: Black Sticks Women pathway and community hockey
- Swimming NZ: Women's swimming development
- Basketball NZ: Tall Ferns pathway and girls' basketball
- Cricket NZ: White Ferns pathway and women's cricket
Contact your sport's national body or regional association for available women's sport funding.
The most fundable segment is girls' grassroots sport — particularly:
- Programmes getting girls active for the first time
- Programmes in lower-income communities
- Programmes for Māori and Pasifika girls
- Programmes that address specific barriers (cost, safety, transport, role models)
Funders want to know how barriers are being reduced, not just that a girls' programme exists.
Alongside participation, funders invest in women's leadership:
- Female coaches and officials development
- Women on sport boards and in governance
- Female sport administrators and managers
- Mentoring for women in sport leadership
Sport NZ, RSTs, and NSOs all have coaching and leadership development investment streams.
Community trusts in each region may fund women's sport as part of sport, recreation, and gender equity priorities:
- Foundation North (Auckland)
- Community Trust South
- Nikau Foundation (Wellington)
- Acorn Foundation (Waikato)
Women's sport in Māori and Pasifika communities is a growing priority:
- Te Puni Kōkiri: Māori women's sport and wellbeing
- Ministry for Pacific Peoples: Pasifika women in sport
- Sport NZ's Māori and Pasifika strategies: Women-specific investment
Culturally responsive women's sport programmes are well-positioned for both sport and cultural development funding.
Strong women's sport applications demonstrate:
- Participation increase: How many women and girls will be newly active?
- Barrier identification: Specific barriers addressed (cost, safety, cultural, geographic)
- Inclusive design: Reaching women from diverse backgrounds
- Leadership pipeline: Developing female coaches and administrators
- Data: Participation numbers, demographic reach, retention
- Sustainability: How will women's participation continue after the grant?
Tahua's grants management platform helps sport organisations manage their women's sport grant applications, track reporting requirements, and demonstrate the participation outcomes that New Zealand funders prioritise.