Proud Ruapehu townships fund open to projects

A $50,000 Pride of Place Fund (PPF) has been set up by the Ruapehu District Council to help small Ruapehu townships and community groups with small scale revitalisation projects.

The fund was developed out of recognition that there were many smaller scale community projects that often just need a relatively small amount of funding support to enable them to make the most of community input.

Group manager customer services Pauline Welch said that when council started discussing township revitalisation with local communities it became apparent that many smaller towns did not have or want large scale capital projects.

"For these communities we wanted a way, a simple and effective way, in which council could support the people with the ideas, energy and passion who wanted to undertake beautification and enhancement projects for their town," she said.

"The type of projects that council envisages being supported by the PPF include such things as township beautification, new community assets, entranceways, cycle and walkways, river and streamside clean-up and landscaping, picnic tables and seats, signs and artworks."

It also provides funding support to help community projects with materials, equipment and other project expenditure for projects of public, long-term benefit to the community.

The average level of financial support will be about $5000 per project, however groups can apply for more or less than this with the maximum allocation to any one group being $20,000 per year for no more than two consecutive years, Welch said.

PPF applicants need to be a legally constituted and registered community group or organisation such as a not for profit, charitable trust or incorporated society with community development and capability building as a core function of the organisation, she said

"They will also be required to report to their community board or ward committee on their project each year they receive funding.

"If anyone is involved with a group that has a township beautification or enhancement project in mind needing a little bit of financial support we would encourage them to put in an application.

"It is all about having ongoing conversations and seeing where council and communities can work together in support of their aspirations."

Applications for this round of Pride of Place funding close on October 31.