Boccia is a Paralympic precision ball sport for athletes with significant physical impairments. Players propel leather balls — using their hands, feet, or a ramp — as close as possible to a white target jack. Boccia has been at every Summer Paralympic Games since 1984. Paralympics New Zealand governs boccia. This guide covers the key funding sources for boccia clubs and programmes in New Zealand.
Paralympics New Zealand is the national governing body for boccia:
- National competition events
- Paralympic programme and pathway
- Classification system (BC1–BC4)
- Junior boccia development
Contact Paralympics NZ and the Boccia NZ committee for Sport NZ investment access.
Sport NZ funds boccia through Paralympics NZ:
- Para-sport development investment
- Paralympic programme
RSTs fund community boccia programmes.
RSTs fund boccia clubs and disability sport:
- Equipment grants for balls and ramps
- Disability sport inclusion programmes
- Community access for athletes with physical impairment
Key RSTs:
- Aktive Auckland: Auckland boccia community
- Sport Wellington: Wellington boccia clubs
- Sport Canterbury: Christchurch disability sport
CCS Disability Action and related disability organisations:
- Community grants for disability sport participation
- Equipment funding for boccia programmes
- Inclusive sport development
Gaming trusts fund boccia clubs:
- Four Winds Foundation: Disability sport and community organisations
- Grassroots Trust: Community sport and recreation
- Pub Charity: Equipment and community grants
- Lion Foundation: Community sport
Gaming trust applications for boccia:
- Boccia ball sets — $200–$600 per set
- BC3 ramps — $800–$3,000+ (critical for most severely impaired athletes)
- Eyelet markers and court equipment
- Ball retrieval tools
- Storage equipment
Boccia equipment:
- Boccia balls: Leather balls (red/blue sets) — $200–$600 per set
- Jack: White target ball
- BC3 ramp: For athletes with severe physical impairment — $800–$3,000+
- Court markings: Lane tape and floor markings
- Ball retrieval tools: For athletes with limited mobility
Ramps are the most expensive boccia equipment item — each BC3 athlete needs their own ramp adjusted to their ability.
ACC may fund activity-based rehabilitation:
- Boccia as therapeutic activity for athletes injured in accidents
- Rehabilitation through sport participation
Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People:
- Disability participation support — sport as part of disability plan
- Community participation for people with physical disability
Boccia's Paralympic pathway:
- State competitions → National Championships → Paralympic Games selection
- New Zealand has sent boccia athletes to multiple Paralympic Games
- High performance pathway: Sport NZ and Paralympics NZ investment
Strong applications demonstrate:
- Participant numbers: Athletes by classification (BC1–BC4), age, and gender
- Equipment: Balls and ramps — justified per classification and athlete
- Paralympic pathway: Connection to national competition and team
- Disability inclusion: Accessible programme for athletes with severe impairments
- Support staff: Trained coaches and ramp operators
- Community access: Open programmes for people with relevant conditions
- Organisation governance: Affiliation to Paralympics NZ
Tahua's grants management platform helps boccia clubs manage grant applications across Paralympics NZ, Sport NZ, disability funders, and gaming trusts, tracking equipment, Paralympic pathway, and disability inclusion outcomes.