Marae are the heart of many Māori communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. As venues for tangihanga, hui, kapa haka, cultural education, and increasingly as community services hubs, marae serve functions that no other community infrastructure can replicate. Funding for marae comes from a mix of government programmes, community trusts, and gaming trusts — and designing grant programmes that genuinely serve marae requires understanding what makes marae distinctive as both cultural taonga and community infrastructure.
Marae are not simply buildings. They are expressions of whakapapa, tipuna, and cultural identity. The wharenui (meeting house), whare kai, and associated structures represent generations of investment by whānau and hapū. The tikanga governing how marae operate — from karakia to manākitanga — reflects values and practices that predate colonisation.
At the same time, marae increasingly serve practical community functions: hosting health services, early childhood programmes, social services, and emergency response. During COVID-19, marae were among the most effective community infrastructure for reaching Māori communities with health services and essential support. Funders who understand marae as both cultural and community infrastructure make better decisions about how to support them.
Te Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections) Māori Responsive Fund and other government programmes support marae development in specific contexts.
He Oranga Poutama (Sport New Zealand's Māori physical activity programme) has funded marae sports and recreation infrastructure.
Te Māngai Pāho funds Māori language and broadcasting initiatives that may be based at or connected to marae.
Community trusts and gaming trusts are among the most significant funders of marae development and maintenance. Most community trusts in regions with significant Māori populations have funded marae whānau houses, kitchen upgrades, accessibility improvements, and cultural facilities.
Foundation North, Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum Trust, and regional philanthropic foundations have programmes specifically addressing Māori cultural infrastructure.
Government capital grants through the Ministry of Māori Development (Te Puni Kōkiri) have historically funded marae construction and major maintenance.
Lottery Community and Marae Heritage and Facilities grants have provided significant capital funding for marae.
Marae funding needs span a wide range:
Capital and infrastructure:
- Wharenui construction, renovation, and maintenance
- Whare kai upgrades (commercial kitchen certification, ventilation, modern facilities)
- Toilet and ablution block upgrades (accessibility, modern plumbing)
- Whānau house (accommodation) construction or renovation
- Accessibility improvements (ramps, accessible toilets, paved pathways)
- Energy efficiency (solar, insulation, heat pumps)
- Water supply and wastewater infrastructure
Cultural and programme:
- Kapa haka facilities and equipment
- Cultural education programmes (whakapapa, raranga, tāonga pūoro)
- Marae-based kōhanga reo and ECE programmes
- Cultural heritage documentation and preservation
Community services:
- Marae-based health clinics and mobile health services
- Social services delivered through the marae
- Emergency response capability and welfare equipment
- Digital infrastructure enabling community connectivity
Tikanga-informed process. Grant processes that require marae to present in English, use Western governance documentation only, or assess applications through a purely Western lens will disadvantage marae that operate according to tikanga Māori. Funders should consider:
- Accepting applications in te reo Māori with translation support
- Recognising traditional governance structures (kaumātua authority, hapū decision-making)
- Using Māori assessors with cultural competence
Understanding marae governance. Marae are governed under the Incorporated Societies Act or Te Ture Whenua Māori Act. Governance structures may include marae committees, trustees, and relationships with hapū and iwi authorities. This is legitimate governance, but it may look unfamiliar to assessors expecting company board structures.
Long-term relationship. Many funders with strong marae relationships are those who have invested in understanding the marae over time — visiting, attending hui, and building trust rather than assessing applications at arm's length. This is particularly important for funders operating in communities where they have no existing relationships.
Proportionate requirements. Marae committees are typically led by volunteers. Application requirements should be proportionate to the grant size and to the administrative capacity of volunteer committees.
Building not just maintaining. Capital grants for construction and major renovation are among the highest-impact investments a funder can make in a marae. A new whare kai enables tangihanga, hui, and community services for generations. Funders should be willing to contribute to capital costs, not just operating programmes.
Cultural significance. The cultural significance of specific projects — a wharenui restoration, a taonga tuku iho preservation project — may not be apparent from an application form. Funders should create space for marae to explain the cultural context and significance of their applications.
Deferred maintenance reality. Many marae have significant deferred maintenance — buildings that have been managed carefully but are now at the end of their serviceable life. Applications for major maintenance should be assessed with understanding of the infrastructure context, not held to the same standards as new construction.
Community use evidence. Evidence of marae use — tangihanga, hui, kapa haka, health clinics — demonstrates the community value of the infrastructure investment. This doesn't require extensive documentation; community knowledge and straightforward records of use are sufficient.
Reporting requirements should be proportionate and culturally appropriate:
Infrastructure outcomes: What was built or repaired? What is the condition of facilities now compared to before?
Community use: How is the marae being used? How many hui, tangihanga, and community events were hosted? How many people?
Cultural outcomes: What cultural activities and programmes are enabled by the grant? How is whakapapa, reo, and tikanga being maintained and transmitted?
Relationship building: For funders in relationship with marae over time, reporting can be a conversation — a hui, a site visit, a community event — rather than a written document.
Tahua supports funders working with marae and Māori communities, with configurable application forms and reporting frameworks that recognise tikanga and accommodate the distinctive governance structures of marae.