Three Rotorua community groups will receive almost $700,000 between them after successfully applying for BayTrust grants.
BayTrust today announced at its Annual Public Meeting it had granted a total of $4.3m to community groups across the region in the past financial year - an increase of 50 per cent - and further increases are likely in the next 12 months.
The successful Rotorua organisations were Rotorua Hospice, W.I.S.E Better Homes Charitable Trust, and NZ Blue Light Ventures.
Rotorua Hospice will receive $300,000 towards their new building, W.I.S.E Better Homes Charitable Trust $116,000 to help subsidise home insulation for low income households, and $279,475 over three years to NZ Blue Light Ventures for a new driver navigation programme in the Bay of Plenty.
NZ Blue Light national manager Brendon Crompton said the ground-breaking pilot programme would help Rotorua youth aged 16-24 progress through the graduated driver's license system.
"This programme will help make them safer drivers, reduce road trauma, and open up employment and training opportunities for them."