Field hockey has a passionate and well-organised community in New Zealand, from junior club programmes to the Black Sticks. Community clubs, associations, and schools rely on grants to fund grounds, equipment, and development programmes. This guide covers the key funding sources for hockey organisations in New Zealand.
Hockey New Zealand (HNZ) is the national governing body and the primary conduit for government sport investment in hockey.
Key programmes:
- Junior hockey and Youth Futures: Introductory and pathway programmes for young players
- Club and centre development: Grants flowing through regional hockey associations
- Women's hockey: Investment in women's participation and the Black Sticks Women pathway
- Coaching development: Subsidies for coaching courses and accreditation
- Māori and Pasifika hockey: Community and participation-focused programmes
Access: HNZ funding flows primarily through regional hockey associations (e.g., Hockey Auckland, Hockey Waikato, Hockey Canterbury). Contact your regional association for direct funding access.
Sport NZ provides investment to Hockey New Zealand and to regional sport trusts that support community sport.
Relevant to hockey:
- Sport NZ's Women in Sport investment supports women's hockey at all levels
- Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa: A community-led physical activity fund accessible to sports clubs
- Regional sport trusts distribute Sport NZ funding locally
Gaming machine trusts are one of the most accessible and practical funding sources for community hockey clubs.
Key gaming trusts:
- New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT)
- The Lion Foundation
- Pub Charity
- Pelorus Trust
- Regional trusts: Trust Waikato, Southern Trust, Grassroots Trust, etc.
What gaming trusts fund for hockey:
- Sticks, balls, pads, goalkeeper gear, and other equipment
- Artificial turf time or turf maintenance contributions
- Goal purchases or repairs
- Uniform and kit
- Junior development programmes
- Transport for teams
Note: Hockey clubs competing in New Zealand often need access to artificial turf, which can be expensive. Gaming trusts can contribute to artificial turf facility costs, though large capital projects usually require multiple funding sources.
The Lottery Grants Board funds sport facilities and programmes nationwide.
For hockey:
- Artificial turf construction or resurfacing (major capital projects)
- Facility improvements
- Equipment grants
- Programme development
Large turf projects typically require multi-funder approaches (combining Lottery, Sport NZ, local council, and other sources).
Regional sport trusts (RSTs) serve as community sport advocates and funders in each region:
- Aktive — Auckland Sport and Recreation
- Sport Waikato
- Sport BOP
- Sport Wellington
- Sport Canterbury
- Sport Otago
RSTs can help clubs understand what funding is available locally, provide capability support, and in some cases administer grant programmes directly.
Local and regional councils in New Zealand often contribute to sport facility development, particularly for shared facilities like artificial turf hockey grounds:
- Capital contributions to turf construction
- Maintenance subsidies for community sports facilities
- Sport development grants through council community funding programmes
If your club is planning a major facility project, engaging your local council early is essential.
Community trusts and philanthropic foundations may fund hockey as part of sport and recreation priorities:
- Community Trust South
- Foundation North (Auckland)
- Toi Foundation (Bay of Plenty)
- Acorn Foundation (Waikato)
New Zealand hockey at competitive levels requires artificial turf. Turf projects typically cost $800,000 to $2M+ and require:
- Multi-funder collaboration (Lottery, Sport NZ, local council, gaming trusts, commercial partners)
- Significant lead time for applications and approvals
- Strong community use case demonstrating multiple sports sharing the facility
Hockey clubs planning turf projects should contact Hockey New Zealand and their regional association early for guidance.
Tahua's grants management platform helps sport organisations track complex multi-funder projects, manage reporting requirements, and build the evidence base that funders expect.