Curling — the Olympic precision ice sport — has a small but dedicated following in New Zealand, concentrated in cities with ice rink access. New Zealand competes internationally in curling. The sport is notable for its Olympic and Paralympic (wheelchair curling) status and its accessible, strategic nature. This guide covers the key funding sources.
Curling New Zealand is the national governing body:
- National championship events
- Club affiliation and standards
- International competition — World Curling Federation affiliate
Contact Curling NZ for access to Sport NZ investment and national programme guidance.
Sport NZ funds curling through Curling NZ:
- National programme investment for Olympic winter sports
- Winter sport development
RSTs can fund community curling development.
RSTs in regions with ice rinks fund curling:
- Equipment grants for curling clubs
- Junior curling development
- Women's sport participation
Key RSTs:
- Aktive Auckland: Auckland curling at Paradice or other rinks
- Sport Canterbury: Christchurch curling community (The Hub)
Gaming trusts fund curling clubs:
- Four Winds Foundation: Community sport organisations
- Grassroots Trust: Winter sport development
- Pub Charity: Equipment and programme grants
- Lion Foundation: Club sport
Gaming trust applications for curling typically cover:
- Brooms, sliders, and personal equipment for members
- Ice time subsidies
- Curling stone maintenance (stones are typically rink-owned)
- Scoreboard and training aids
Curling in New Zealand faces the same infrastructure challenge as all ice sports:
- Paradice Auckland: Primary Auckland ice facility
- The Hub Christchurch: Primary South Island ice venue
- Curling requires specific ice conditions — dedicated curling sheets or adaptation of existing hockey ice
- Ice time costs are the primary ongoing expense
Gaming trusts and RSTs can fund ice time as a direct programme cost.
Equipment needs:
- Curling stones: Granite — expensive, long-lasting; typically rink-owned or shared
- Brooms: Personal equipment for sweeping
- Sliders and grippers: Shoe devices for delivery
- Helmets: Optional but increasingly recommended
Most NZ clubs access rink-owned stones and focus grant applications on personal equipment (brooms, sliders) and ice time.
Wheelchair curling is played by teams of wheelchair users:
- No sweeping — stones delivered with a curling stick
- Paralympics NZ: Para sport investment
- Disability sport organisations: Adaptive sport development
- Wheelchair curling makes the sport accessible for many disability classifications
Junior curling:
- School programmes: Introduction through ice sports education
- Junior competitions: Age-grade events
- Scottish heritage schools: Schools with Scottish heritage connections
Curling has deep Scottish cultural roots:
- Scottish community organisations in NZ: Cultural sport funding
- Caledonian societies: New Zealand Scottish societies sometimes support curling
Curling's Olympic status (since Nagano 1998) raises its profile:
- Sport NZ Olympic pathway investment: Elevated for Olympic-recognised sports
- Curling NZ high performance: National team development
Lottery Sport funds community sport:
- Curling clubs with active community programmes can apply
Strong applications demonstrate:
- Participant numbers: Curlers by age, gender, and programme level
- Ice access: Confirmed rink relationship and dedicated ice time allocation
- Equipment: Stone access (rink partnership or club-owned), brooms, sliders
- Junior development: Young players in the sport
- Wheelchair curling: Paralympic discipline if applicable
- Scottish/cultural heritage: Community cultural connection if relevant
- Club governance: Financial health, affiliation to Curling NZ
- Competition calendar: Bonspiels and national events
Tahua's grants management platform helps winter sport clubs manage grant applications across Sport NZ, gaming trusts, and RSTs, tracking participation and programme outcomes that funders value.