Football community projects receive grants from New Zealand Football Foundation

With the start of the Football season getting underway, the NZ Football Foundation is delighted to announce that a number of community projects will receive grants for the 2022 season.  This year, the Foundation is providing grants for nine innovative projects, with funding valued at over $80,000 covering a wide range of initiatives. 

Grants Manager, Holly Nixon says it was exciting to receive so many high caliber applications in this round, and in particular, see a number of initiatives specifically focusing on providing access to football for women and girls in light of the upcoming 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.  “As New Zealand prepares to host the most prestigious tournament in women’s football in less than two years’ time, it was great to see the number of applications that are looking to grow the women’s game at the grassroots level here.  We are very pleased to be able to offer these projects support through our funding round”, Nixon says. 

Capital Football says the Federation is grateful for the Foundation’s support of their initiative “Football For All”, which has a focus on increasing access to the game for young people regardless of their background, including the refugee community in Aotearoa, says a spokesperson for Capital Football.   “Capital Football appreciates the support given from NZFF for our Football for All programme.  Without such funding this programme wouldn’t be possible.  We are excited to grow this programme alongside NZFF to continue breaking down barriers to football.”  

The other eight recipients of support from the Foundation in 2022 include:  

• Whangamata Junior Football Club – funding for shelters
• HMS Trust in Hamilton – supporting an Ethnic Football Festival 
• Football South – Fun Football Centres for young girls to enter Football 
• Better Football – referee development programme (with a focus on female refereeing talent and pathways)  
• Māori Football Foundation – player and coach hardship funds in Northland 
• Mainland Football – cross-funding a Diversity and Inclusion Officer 
• Auckland United Football Club – Takaro Programme (focus on Māori and Pasifika youth)  
• Central Football Federation – Futsal programme for students with special needs schools in their region

For more information on the New Zealand Football Foundation grants process please visit footballfoundation.org.nz