Skateboarding joined the Olympic programme in Tokyo 2020 and has grown rapidly in New Zealand, with new skate parks and youth programmes appearing across the country. As both sport and youth culture, skateboarding attracts funding from sport, youth development, and urban design funders. This guide covers the key funding sources for skateboarding in New Zealand.
Skateboarding New Zealand (SBNZ) is the national governing body and receives Sport NZ investment.
Key areas:
- Club and community development: Resources for skateboarding clubs
- Youth pathways: Development for competitive skateboarders
- Olympic pathways: Street and park discipline pathways
- Women's skateboarding: Growing female participation
- Coaching and judging development: Accreditation programmes
Access: SBNZ works through affiliated clubs and organisations. Contact SBNZ for guidance on Sport NZ investment and available support.
Sport NZ funds Skateboarding New Zealand and regional sport trusts.
Community access:
- Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa Fund: Community-led physical activity — skateboarding organisations and youth sport providers can apply
- Regional sport trusts may support skateboarding through community sport development
Skate parks are public infrastructure primarily funded by local and regional councils:
- Capital works budgets: Major skate park construction (typically $200,000 to $2M+ for significant parks)
- Asset renewal budgets: Maintenance, ramps, and equipment replacement
- Community development grants: For programmes in existing skate parks
The most direct route for a community group wanting a new skate park is to advocate to their local council and engage with the council's parks, reserves, and community development teams.
The Lottery Grants Board funds sport facilities and equipment.
For skateboarding:
- Skate park equipment (ramps, rails, boxes, ledges)
- Minor skate park additions or improvements
- Programme development
Gaming trusts fund community skateboarding programmes and equipment.
Key trusts:
- New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT)
- The Lion Foundation
- Pub Charity
- Pelorus Trust
- Regional gaming trusts
What gaming trusts fund for skateboarding:
- Skateboards, helmets, and protective gear for youth programmes
- Skate park equipment and portable ramps
- Youth development programmes in skateboarding
- Competition and event costs
- Coaching clinics
Skateboarding is particularly powerful as a youth engagement tool — reaching young people (especially disengaged youth) through culture and creativity. This opens funding from:
Ministry for Youth Development (MYD): Sport-based youth development grants.
Community trusts and foundations: Funders interested in creative youth engagement, at-risk youth, and urban community development.
Sport NZ's Tū Manawa fund: For community-led youth physical activity.
Skateboarding programmes that explicitly include mentoring, life skills, and social development alongside skating attract broader funding than purely competitive programmes.
Skate parks sit at the intersection of sport, youth culture, and urban design. Additional funding sources for skate park development:
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Development: Urban community infrastructure grants
- Creative NZ: For programmes that combine skateboarding with art and creative expression
- Infrastructure NZ and regional development funders: For community infrastructure projects
Strong skateboarding applications demonstrate:
- Youth reach: Who are the young people using the facility or programme?
- At-risk youth engagement: Skateboarding's ability to reach disengaged youth is a significant funder asset
- Safety: Helmets, protective gear policies, supervision for youth programmes
- Community support: Evidence of community demand for a new skate park or programme
- Gender inclusion: Women's and girls' skateboarding is a growing area
- Cultural inclusivity: Skateboarding's diverse, non-hierarchical culture is appealing to equity-focused funders
Tahua's grants management platform helps sport and youth organisations manage their grant applications, track reporting requirements, and demonstrate community impact to funders.