Waste Minimisation Grant
We provide waste minimisation grants to individuals, community groups and legal businesses minimising waste in Upper Hutt.
Applications for this years grant will be open from 1 - 30 June 2026.
How much is available?
| Funding tool |
Amount available |
Total pool available per financial year |
Allocation rounds |
Who can apply? |
| Type A: Waste Minimisation Grant - Small funds |
$7,000 and under |
Combined pool of $100,000 |
Assessed every three months |
Individuals, community groups, businesses, and organisations in Upper Hutt |
| Type B: Waste Minimisation Grant - Large funds |
Over $7,000 |
Assessed every six months |
Any legal entity (or organisation operating under one) in Upper Hutt |
Information about funding requirements and priorities
Our priorities
Applications will be assessed with preference given to projects higher in the waste hierarchy, in the following order:
- Waste avoidance and reduction: Prevention of waste generation at the source, such as, redesigning systems, services, or products.
- Reuse, repair, and repurposing: Projects that keep materials in use for longer, such as, repair cafés, tool libraries, reuse hubs, or initiatives that repurpose used materials.
- Resource recovery: Infrastructure or support for composting, recycling, and material recovery.
- Education and behaviour change: Education programmes, events, feasibility studies, and waste audits that support waste minimisation outcomes.
What we can fund
- Feasibility studies and case studies
- Infrastructure design and development
- Materials and equipment
- Skills development and training to support zero waste activities
- Trials and pilot programmes
- Education and behaviour change activities directly related to waste minimisation
- Research, monitoring, and surveys
- Project delivery and implementation costs, including operational and capital costs
- Staff time directly related to delivering the project
What we can't fund
- Business-as-usual operations or ongoing operational costs
- Retrospective costs for projects or events completed before funding approval
- Projects focused primarily on waste disposal or treatment, such as clean-ups or landfill activities
- Activities that duplicate existing demonstration projects or pilot studies
How to apply
Need help?
For further questions about your project, contact sustainability@uhcc.govt.nz.
Download the Waste Minimisation Grant - Guidance for applicants