Jensen-Loach said the scope of scholarships had broadened to reflect the great work of officials in our sporting communities.
"With two scholarship rounds each year in March and October, more athletes, coaches and now officials have a great opportunity to further their own development with the support of BayTrust scholarship funds – just as the likes of Peter Burling, Amy Robinson and Luuka Jones have done in past years."
The BayTrust Athlete and newly titled Coach and Officials Scholarships are funded by the Trust's annual contribution to Sport Bay of Plenty's CoachForce programme.
The programme sees 27 CoachForce Officers from 18 codes supporting the development of coaches across the region, who are in turn aiding the development of thousands of athletes and volunteers every week.
Applications are now open until 5pm Wednesday, March 7.
For more information, application criteria and application forms, visit
www.sportbop.co.nz/funding/baytrust-scholarships/