Youth sport participation is one of the highest priorities across New Zealand's funding landscape — from Sport NZ to gaming trusts to community foundations. Getting young people active, building sporting skills, and developing confidence through sport are outcomes that virtually every funder supports. This guide brings together the key funding sources specifically for youth sport in New Zealand.
Youth sport attracts disproportionate funder attention because:
- Physical activity habits established in childhood last a lifetime
- Sport develops teamwork, resilience, leadership, and confidence
- Youth participation is declining in some sports — funders want to reverse this
- Sport is an effective vehicle for Māori and Pasifika youth development
- School engagement and youth wellbeing are improved by sport participation
This means youth sport programmes are well-positioned across almost all sport and community funders in New Zealand.
Sport NZ is the primary government funder of sport in New Zealand and prioritises youth participation.
Key youth sport funding:
- Investment in National Sport Organisations: Flows through to junior and youth programmes
- Regional Sport Trusts: Distribute Sport NZ funding for community sport activation
- Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa Fund: Direct grants for community-led physical activity programmes, including youth sport
Contact your regional sport trust to understand what funding is available for youth sport in your region.
New Zealand's 17 regional sport trusts are the most practical access point for youth sport funding at the local level.
RSTs active in youth sport:
- Aktive — Auckland Sport and Recreation: Auckland's youth sport and physical activity funder
- Sport Waikato
- Sport BOP (Bay of Plenty)
- Sport Hawke's Bay
- Sport Taranaki
- Sport Manawatū
- Sport Wellington
- Sport Nelson
- Sport Marlborough
- Sport Canterbury
- Sport Otago
- Sport Southland
RSTs often run direct grant programmes for youth sport, connect clubs with other funders, and deliver Sport NZ-funded activation in communities.
Gaming trusts are the most accessible and widely used source of youth sport grants in New Zealand. Most gaming trusts explicitly prioritise youth and junior sport.
Key gaming trusts for youth sport:
- New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT)
- The Lion Foundation
- Pub Charity
- Pelorus Trust
- Grassroots Trust
- Regional gaming trusts
What gaming trusts fund for youth sport:
- Sports equipment for junior teams
- Junior uniforms and kits
- Junior development programmes and holiday clinics
- Competition entry fees and transport for youth teams
- Coaching for youth athletes
- Safety equipment for junior participants
The Lottery Grants Board funds sport and recreation including youth programmes:
- Equipment grants for junior sport clubs
- Programme development for youth sport
- Facility improvements that benefit youth
Ministry for Youth Development (MYD) funds youth development programmes, including sport-based programmes for young people at risk.
What MYD funds in sport:
- Sport-based youth development for disengaged or at-risk youth
- Mentoring through sport
- Sport programmes that build life skills alongside athletic skills
MYD grants are best suited for clubs running explicit social development programmes through sport (not mainstream competitive sport).
Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Children) may partner with sport organisations for youth-at-risk programmes, particularly for youth in care or youth justice settings.
KidsCan provides shoes, sports equipment, and wet-weather gear to children in need. Sport clubs can partner with KidsCan to ensure all youth participants have appropriate equipment.
Community foundations often prioritise youth and children's wellbeing:
- Foundation North (Auckland): Youth sport and development
- Community Trust South: Regional youth sport
- Nikau Foundation (Wellington): Youth wellbeing including sport
- Acorn Foundation (Waikato): Youth development through sport
School sport is adjacent to youth sport clubs. Schools can access:
- Ministry of Education: PE and sport facilities
- Sport NZ school sport programmes: Via RSTs
- Gaming trusts: Equipment for school sport
- Regional sport trusts: School sport activation
Club-school partnerships — where clubs deliver coaching or programmes at schools — are particularly attractive to both Sport NZ and gaming trusts.
Some funders have explicit youth sport grant streams:
- Halberg Foundation: Youth sport for physically disabled young people
- Hillary Commission legacy programmes: Various youth sport initiatives
- National sport organisations: Many NSOs have junior development grant programmes for clubs
Strong youth sport applications demonstrate:
- Age range: Specify which age groups the programme serves
- Participation numbers: How many young people will be reached?
- Inclusivity: Māori, Pasifika, girls, youth with disability — diverse youth participation
- Development focus: Not just competition, but skill development and personal growth
- Safety: Age-appropriate, well-supervised programmes with qualified coaches
- School and community links: Partnerships with schools or community organisations
- Sustainability: How will the programme continue beyond the grant?
Tahua's grants management platform helps sport organisations manage their grant applications, track reporting requirements, and demonstrate the youth outcomes that New Zealand funders value.