A free new online tool to help local people and groups access funding has been launched by the Waitaki District Council.

The Waitaki Grant Finder provides access to $3.4 billion in available grants nationwide, in an effort to make it easier for businesses, community groups, not-for-profits and individuals to find funding opportunities.

Leanne Kingan, who has been appointed to the newly created role of Grants and Funding officer, is also available to support people with advice and application development.

“We’re here to make it easier to access funding and maximise the benefit to our district,” she says.

“The feedback from early test users has been great - it’s easy to navigate, saves time, and helps people get grant-ready.”

Locals interested in exploring funding opportunities are encouraged to visit the council website and take a look at the Waitaki Grant Finder.

People can search for funding by keyword or topic – whether for a startup, project, business expansion or community initiative, Community and Economic Development manager Melanie Jones says.

“This is about helping our district thrive.

“We know the funding landscape is tougher than ever. This tool saves time, simplifies the process, and ensures no opportunity is missed.”

The Grant Finder is part of the council’s wider transformation journey to make services more accessible, proactive and community-focused, council chief executive Alex Parmley says.

“Instead of community groups approaching council for funding, we can support them to find funding elsewhere. This transformational change also opens up funding opportunities for businesses, growing our local economy,” he says.

For more information, or for help accessing with using the Grant Finder, people can contact Leanne Kingan on email: [email protected]