New Zealand's Lottery Grants Board (LGB) distributes profits from New Zealand's national lottery — Lotto, Powerball, and other products — to community organisations across New Zealand. This is one of the largest sources of non-government community funding in the country, distributing tens of millions of dollars annually across a wide range of community, cultural, sports, and environment purposes. Understanding how the Lottery Grants Board works — and how it differs from gaming trusts — is fundamental for community organisations seeking funding.
The Lottery Grants Board is established under the Gambling Act 2003. Profits from New Zealand's national lottery products (run by Lotto New Zealand) flow to the LGB after operating costs and government tax. The LGB distributes these funds through a network of distribution committees, each with specific mandates.
Who makes decisions? The Lottery Grants Board itself sets policy and oversees distribution. Actual grant decisions are made by 14 distribution committees, each covering a different purpose or geographic area. Each committee has its own membership, criteria, and processes — meaning there is no single "Lottery application" but rather separate applications to separate committees.
Who administers the process? The Lotteries Commission administers the Lottery Grants Board. Applications are submitted through the Lotteries Commission portal. Staff from the Lotteries Commission support committee decision-making.
The 14 distribution committees cover:
Purpose-based committees:
- Arts, culture and heritage
- Outdoor safety and education
- Environment and heritage
- Sports
- Community (general)
- Individuals in financial hardship (a small, separate fund)
Geographic/purpose-specific committees:
- Marae Heritage and Facilities
- Significant projects (large capital grants)
- Film, television and digital media
- Health research
- Community organisations (general)
- Facilities for sport and recreation
- People's well-being
The committee names and mandates are updated periodically — always check the Lotteries Commission website for current committee structures.
Arts, culture and heritage: Festivals, community arts programmes, cultural events, heritage preservation, creative arts organisations. This committee funds both operational activities and some capital costs for arts organisations.
Sports: Participation programmes, community sports organisations, events that develop sporting participation at the community level. Does not typically fund elite sport or professional organisations.
Environment and heritage: Conservation projects, heritage preservation, environmental education. Some overlap with the environment committee — eligibility depends on project specifics.
Marae Heritage and Facilities: Capital grants for marae development, restoration, and facility upgrades. This committee is specifically for marae infrastructure — not for marae programmes or operating costs.
Significant Projects: Large capital projects (typically $500,000+) that have significant community benefit. This is the route for major community facility developments that exceed what other committees can fund.
Community: General community wellbeing purposes — social services, community development, wellbeing programmes. This is the broadest committee with the most diverse range of funded work.
Applications to the Lottery Grants Board are submitted through the Lotteries Commission online portal (www.communitymatters.govt.nz). Key elements:
Eligibility: Applicants must be a legal entity with charitable purposes — a registered charity, incorporated society, or similar. Individuals generally cannot apply except for the individuals in hardship fund. Local bodies (councils) can apply in some circumstances.
Application process:
1. Create an account on the Community Matters portal
2. Check which committee(s) your project is eligible for — you can apply to only one committee per project
3. Complete the application form for that committee — forms vary by committee
4. Submit supporting documents (financial statements, evidence of support, quotes for capital projects)
5. Wait for the committee's funding round schedule
Funding rounds: Committees meet on different schedules — some have two rounds per year, some four. Application windows open and close before committee meetings. Meeting the deadline is essential — applications submitted after the close of a round are held for the next round.
Grant amounts: Lottery grants range from small project grants (a few thousand dollars) to significant capital grants (hundreds of thousands). Average grant sizes vary significantly by committee.
Many community organisations are confused about the distinction between Lottery Grants Board funding and gaming trust (pub charity) funding. They are completely separate:
| Lottery Grants Board | Gaming Trusts | |
|---|---|---|
| Source of funds | National lottery (Lotto NZ) profits | Gaming machine profits from pubs/clubs |
| Who distributes | Lotteries Commission, 14 committees | Individual trusts (e.g. Lion Foundation, Four Winds, etc.) |
| Geographic scope | Nationwide committees | Often regional focus |
| Application process | Community Matters portal | Each trust has its own process |
| Funding focus | Specific mandates by committee | Varies by trust, often broader |
| Reporting | To Lotteries Commission | To each individual trust |
Gaming trusts are authorised under the Gambling Act to operate gaming machines and distribute proceeds to community organisations. There are approximately 40 gaming trusts in New Zealand, ranging from large national trusts (Lion Foundation, Four Winds Foundation, Pub Charity) to smaller regional trusts. Each has its own grant criteria, application process, and funding focus.
Publicly accountable funds. Lottery proceeds are quasi-public funds — derived from a government-licensed gambling product. LGB grant decisions are subject to OIA requests, and the Lotteries Commission must follow Treasury and government guidelines for grant administration. This creates more formal accountability than private philanthropy.
Strict eligibility requirements. Lottery grants cannot fund certain activities — including anything that would benefit individuals rather than communities, partisan political activities, or activities in conflict with the fund's mandate. Eligibility is checked before applications are assessed.
GST treatment. Lottery grants do not include GST — grant amounts are the amounts to be spent on eligible costs. If your project costs are GST-inclusive, your application should be clear about this.
Reporting requirements. Successful applicants must submit an acquittal report (financial and activity) at the end of the grant. Incomplete acquittals affect future applications. Multi-year or staged grants have milestone reporting requirements.
Read the committee guidelines carefully. Each committee has specific criteria — what it funds, what it doesn't fund, what size of grants it typically makes. Applying to the wrong committee, or for activities outside the committee's mandate, wastes your time and the committee's.
Apply for the right-sized grant. Committees have typical funding ranges. Applying for $250,000 from a committee that typically awards $20,000 grants is unlikely to succeed. Research recent grants (published on the Community Matters portal) to understand typical award levels.
Demonstrate community support. Lottery committees value evidence that your project has community support — letters of support, engagement with the community in project design, and demonstrated need.
Be realistic about timelines. Lottery grants take time — from application to decision to payment can be four to six months for active rounds. Plan your project timeline accordingly.
Strong financial information. Committees want to see that your organisation is well-governed and financially sound. Current financial statements, a clear budget for the project, and evidence of other funding sources all strengthen applications.
Tahua supports community organisations and funders managing Lottery and gaming trust applications — with grant tracking, reporting workflows, and the administration infrastructure to manage multiple funder relationships efficiently.