Acrobatic gymnastics (acro) is a partner gymnastics discipline where athletes perform balances, dynamic throws, and pyramids in pairs or groups. Gymnastics New Zealand governs acrobatic gymnastics. New Zealand has acro clubs in Auckland, Wellington, and other centres, with an active junior and cadet competition pathway. This guide covers the key funding sources for NZ acrobatic gymnastics clubs.
Gymnastics NZ governs acrobatic gymnastics:
- Men's pair, women's pair, mixed pair
- Women's group (4 athletes) and men's group (4 athletes)
- National championship events
- World Acrobatics pathway
- Junior and cadet development
Contact Gymnastics NZ and your regional gymnastics body for Sport NZ investment access.
Sport NZ funds acrobatic gymnastics through Gymnastics NZ:
- National programme investment
- Participation development
RSTs fund community acro clubs.
RSTs fund acrobatic gymnastics clubs:
- Equipment grants for mats and safety infrastructure
- Junior development
- Women's participation
Key RSTs:
- Aktive Auckland: Auckland acro clubs
- Sport Wellington: Wellington acrobatic gymnastics
- Sport Canterbury: Christchurch acro community
- Sport Waikato: Hamilton gymnastics clubs
Gaming trusts fund acrobatic gymnastics clubs:
- Four Winds Foundation: Community sport organisations
- Grassroots Trust: Youth sport and recreation
- Pub Charity: Equipment and community grants
- Lion Foundation: Junior sport
Gaming trust applications for acrobatic gymnastics:
- Crash mats (for dynamic element landings) — $500–$3,000 each
- Sprung floor sections — $5,000–$20,000+
- Foam pit blocks
- Music system for choreography
- Junior programme development costs
Acrobatic gymnastics requires safety-critical equipment:
- Crash mats: Thick landing mats — essential for tosses and catches — $500–$3,000 each
- Sprung floor: For tumbling and balances — $5,000–$20,000
- Foam pit: For learning new dynamic elements safely — $5,000–$15,000
- Block mats: Foam building blocks for support and progression
- Sound system: For choreography and competition preparation
Safety infrastructure is the primary capital need — crash mats protect athletes learning dynamic elements.
Junior development:
- Cadet (U16) and junior (U18): National pathways
- Junior nationals: Competitive pathway events
- Youth acro: Foundation skills for young athletes
- After-school clubs: Structured acro training programmes
Junior acro applications are strong — the discipline develops strength, flexibility, trust, and teamwork in equal measure.
Women predominate in acrobatic gymnastics:
- Women's pair and group: Primary categories
- Sport NZ women in sport: Female participation investment
- Women's acro community is significantly larger than men's in most clubs
Acrobatic gymnastics and performing arts:
- Circus arts in NZ: Acrobatic skills cross into circus disciplines
- Physical performance: Partner acrobatics used in contemporary performance
- Creative NZ: Arts grants if performance-oriented
Clubs with performance programmes can access both sport and arts funding streams.
Lottery Sport: Community acrobatic gymnastics clubs with active competition programmes.
Strong applications demonstrate:
- Participant numbers: Athletes by role (base, top, middle), age, gender, and partnership type
- Safety equipment: Crash mats, foam pit — primary safety items
- Junior development: Cadet and junior pathway to national competition
- Women's participation: Female athletes — acro's dominant demographic
- Training infrastructure: Floor and mat resources justified per club size
- Competition pathway: Affiliation to Gymnastics NZ and national events
- Organisation governance: Financial health and club structure
Tahua's grants management platform helps acrobatic gymnastics clubs manage grant applications across Gymnastics NZ, Sport NZ, RSTs, and gaming trusts, tracking safety equipment, junior development, and participation outcomes.