Te Kīwai Fund is a two-year pilot partnership with Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu.  

The $850,000 fund will support the wellbeing of around 2,400 tamariki and rangatahi Māori who live in Te Waipounamu (South Island) and who are in financial hardship circumstances and eligible to receive this fund through Te Pūtahitanga funding processes.  

The fund will provide up to $300 per child per year to help pay for new equipment, registration fees, shoes or uniforms, and other costs that could be a barrier to being physically active. 

The project provides an opportunity to have a specific focus that will impact positively on tamariki, rangatahi Māori in the context of whānau in Te Waipounamu. It is a first for Sport NZ Ihi Aotearoa to partner with a Whānau Ora commissioning agency.

Based on Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu knowledge and experience of their whānau, the fund aims to increase the likelihood of tamariki and rangatahi continuing with an activity and gaining real enjoyment from it. Taking the time to get to know the interests of tamariki and rangatahi is vital to supporting a lifelong love of being physically active. 

The pilot will be evaluated by Sport NZ and Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu to assess the viability of the initiative. It will also help inform future policy on how to further reduce participation barriers for tamariki and rangatahi Māori. 

*In April 2023, an additional $850,000 was provided to Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu to extend Te Kīwai for the coming year.

Find out more about Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu and how to apply.

Find out more about Variety and Active Me – Kia Tū.