Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and Olympic sport with a strong New Zealand community. Known for spectacular kicking techniques and competing at Olympic level, taekwondo clubs (dojangs) across New Zealand provide martial arts training for children and adults. This guide covers the key funding sources for taekwondo in New Zealand.
Taekwondo New Zealand (TKD NZ) is the national governing body for taekwondo in New Zealand, affiliated with World Taekwondo (WT).
Key investment areas:
- Olympic pathway (taekwondo is Olympic)
- Para taekwondo (Paralympic, introduced at Tokyo 2020)
- Junior development (poomsae and kyorugi)
- Club and coaching development
- National competitions
Contact TKD NZ and your regional body for guidance on Sport NZ investment and national programme access.
Sport NZ funds taekwondo through TKD NZ as a national body. Access:
- Sport NZ investment for Olympic pathway development
- RSTs fund community taekwondo clubs with active junior and community programmes
RSTs fund community taekwondo:
- Club development grants
- Junior programme support
- Equipment grants (protective gear, mats, uniforms)
- Competition access
RSTs vary — contact your local RST for current grant rounds.
New Zealand gaming trusts fund community taekwondo clubs:
- Four Winds Foundation
- Grassroots Trust
- Pub Charity
- Lion Foundation
- Southern Trust
Gaming trusts fund:
- Protective equipment (hogu, helmets, pads)
- Doboks (uniforms) for beginners
- Mats for training and competition
- Junior programme development
Taekwondo sparring requires specialised protective gear:
- Hogu (trunk protector): Essential for Olympic-style kyorugi
- Helmet: Mandatory for sparring
- Electronic protectors and helmets: Required at competition level
- Foot protectors, shin guards, forearm pads: Sparring protection
- Dobok (training uniform) for beginners
- Mats: Foam mats for training and competition
Electronic scoring equipment (e-hogu systems) is expensive — gaming trusts are a key source for this upgrade.
Junior taekwondo is the sport's community strength:
- Tiny Tigers / Little Dragons: Entry programmes for very young children (4-6 years)
- Junior belt programmes: Structured development through belt grades
- Junior competitions: Poomsae (forms) and kyorugi (sparring) by age group
- Youth Olympic pathway: Development squads for talented juniors
Taekwondo's structured progression system (belts and poomsae patterns) is well-aligned with junior programme funding requirements.
Para taekwondo joined the Paralympic programme at Tokyo 2020 (K44 category for athletes with limb impairment):
- Paralympics NZ: Para sport development
- Sport NZ: Disability sport inclusion
- Gaming trusts: Adaptive sport programmes
Women's taekwondo has equal Olympic weight categories and strong participation:
- TKD NZ women's development: National programme
- Sport NZ: Women in sport participation
- RSTs: Female participation grants
Taekwondo has strong connections to Korean and Asian communities in New Zealand. Clubs with multicultural participation can access:
- Multicultural funders: Sport for community integration
- Korean community organisations: Cultural connections through taekwondo
Lottery Sport funds community sport. Taekwondo clubs with active community programmes can apply.
Strong taekwondo applications demonstrate:
- Participation numbers: Total members by age, gender, and belt level
- Olympic and Paralympic alignment: Clear pathway to elite competition
- Junior development: Age-appropriate programmes with structured progression
- Para taekwondo: Disability inclusion (growing since Tokyo 2020)
- Women's participation: Strong female participation at all levels
- Equipment specifics: Electronic protectors, helmets, mats justified by participant numbers
- Safety culture: Appropriate sparring protocols, protective equipment standards
- Club governance: Accredited instructors, financial health
Tahua's grants management platform helps martial arts organisations manage grant applications, track equipment and programme funding, and demonstrate the participation outcomes that taekwondo funders value.