Grants

The Rainbow NZ Charitable Trust empowers and supports the development of education, health, welfare, cultural and support services for the benefit of the LGBTTQIA+ community of New Zealand.

The Trust donates money where it is most needed, and where it will have the greatest impact, including rainbow lead organisations that provide a broad range of services to the community, through to lesser known, but equally vital, organisations and projects that support and empower the wider LGBTTQIA+ communities.

The Rainbow NZ Charitable Trust supports all Rainbow Communities of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Funding criteria for support includes:

· being a rainbow oriented organisation or individual

· alignment with the Trust's purpose and objectives

· applications that benefit wider NZ Rainbow communities rather than any particular individual

· the ability of the applicant to deliver the proposed project based on their submitted scope and budget

Small or 1-off Grants

Grants are only available to LGBTTQIA+ run or managed not-for-profit organisations. This includes Registered Charities, Incorporated Societies, and other entities with the resources and capability to deliver successfully on their proposal. Grant funding must deliver measurable benefit to the rainbow community and be rainbow-affirming. Grants are available for projects, support services, resources and events including PRIDE parades & festivals.

Applicants requiring larger or continuous annual funding are encouraged to participate in our alternative funding opportunity, GiveOUT Day. Grants recipients are generally not eligible for additional GiveOUT Day funding within the same 12 month period. Refer to the Application document download button below.

Large or continuous annual funding opportunity – GiveOUT Day

GiveOUT Day is a National Day of Awareness raising and giving to LGBTTQIA+ projects, community groups, and not-for-profit organisations.

All LGBTTQIA+ Registered Charities and Incorporated Societies delivering continuous rainbow-affirming projects, support services, resources and events are encouraged to participate in the Trust’s annual GiveOUT Day. This initiative is our primary fundraising event for our rainbow communities. The Trust’s Grants Programme is now only available to small community groups or those delivering 1-off events, projects, limited services or resources.

Learn about GiveOUT Day's success on our Events page.

For general enquiries or if you believe you can demonstrate a good fit with GiveOUT day please contact [email protected] to register your interest.

Community Participation Grants contribute to LGBTTQIA+ projects and initiatives that may be held from time to time that are run by the Rainbow community, for the benefit of our community, encompassing educational, cultural, sporting and other events including those held during Pride Parades and/or Festivals and other rainbow events around the country.

Applications for Community Participation Grants may be submitted at any time. Please apply a minimum of two months before the funds are required.

To complete the Community Participation Application Form, click below.

Community Support Grants contribute to permanent LGBTTQIA+ services and resources that provide education, cultural benefit, health, welfare and support, to ensure their sustainability. This can include funding of some overhead or operational costs.

Applications for Community Participation Grants may be submitted at any time. Please apply a minimum of two months before the funds are required.

To complete the Community Support Application Form, click below.

Previous Grants

Body Positive - $2000 towards retreat
Tauranga Moana Pride - $2000 towards Pride Picnic Day
Wellington Pride Festival Inc - $2000 towards Opening Gala and Pride Youth Ball
Nelson Pride Inc - $1000 towards Community planning for Pride
Pride Whanganui Trust - $2000 towards Pride Whanganui's 5th annual Pride week
OUT & PROUD Taranaki Charitable Trust - $2000 towards Pride events
Rainbow Parade Auckland - $2000 towards putting on the Auckland Rainbow Pride Parade 2023
Qtopia - $2000 towards Pride month activities
Hobsonville Point Secondary School – $2,000 – To support the Little Gay Out event
InsideOUT Kōaro – $2,000 – Event Sponsorship for Schools Pride Week and Out of the Shelves
Chrissy Witoko Memorial Trust – $2,500 – To support a memorial service for Georgina Beyer held in Wellington
Out and About Wānaka - $2000 - To support the creation of a new pride event in Wānaka
OUT & PROUD Taranaki Charitable Trust – $3,000 – Event Sponsorship
Same Same but Different festival – $2,000 – Event Sponsorship
Overcommunicate Magazine – $1,000 – To support the seventh issue of the magazine in February 2022
Ahakoa Te aha he tangata he tangata – $2,000 – To support the purchase of the costumes Puipui for the members of the team
Hobsonville Point Secondary School – $2,000 – To support the Little Gay Out event
Tauranga Moana Pride – $2,000 – Event Sponsorship
Nelson Pride ­Inc – $1,000 – Event Sponsorship
Queer Arts Festival – $2,800 – Event Sponsorship
InsideOUT Kōaro – $2,000 – Event Sponsorship for Schools Pride Week and Out of the Shelves
Pride of the South – $740 – Event Sponsorship
Indian Origin Pride New Zealand (IOPNZ) – $1,500 – Support establishment of organisation
The Alphabet Mafia - $1500 - Towards production costs for event
Tauranga Moana Pride – $2,000 – Event Sponsorship
Introspect Theatre – $500 – Event Sponsorship
Rainbow Pride Auckland – $5,000 – Parade Sponsorship
TAPAC / Night of the Queer – $2,360 – Event Sponsorship
OUTLine – $2,500 – Purchase of Computer
Ace and Isaac – $1,000 – Event/Theatre Sponsorship
Wellington Pride Festival – $3,000 – Event Sponsorship
Charlotte Museum – $3,000 – Video/Archive Sponsorship
Wellington Indian Pride – $1,500 – Event Participation Sponsorship
Inside Out – $2,500 – Education Resource Sponsorship
UniQ Victoria University – $1,000 – Funding for GALA Ball and a range of events during Victoria Uni PRIDE week
Rainbow Eastern BOP – $1,000 – Funding to develop first ever PRIDE event in Whakatane
Dust Palace Charitable Trust – $2,000 – Circus theatre all–LGBTIQ+ cast production’ Into The Bush’
Finding the Lighthouse Film – $2,000 – Video Sponsorship
CHROMA: The LGBTQI+ Initiative for Southland – $2,000 – Event Sponsorship
The Ara Collective – $1,000 – The LGBTQI+ initiative to support internet safety education for queer kids
Lincoln University Student Association – $1,000 – The LGBTQI+ initiative for Lincoln – Event Sponsorship
Rainbow Pride Auckland – $7,500 – Parade Sponsorship
Manawatu Lesbian & Gay Rights Assn Inc – $1,000 – Record the LGBTQI+ History of the Manawatu – Event Sponsorship
Same Same But Different LGBTQI+ literary festival & writing contest - $2,200. Event sponsorship
Rainbow Pasefika at Wellington Museum - $2,000. Event sponsorship
Auckland Pride Festival 'Our Gala' event - $3,000. Event sponsorship
Orchestra Wellington - $1,250. Wellington International Pride Parade participation sponsorship
Wellington Pride Festival - Out in the Park - $4,000. Main stage construction costs
Rainbow Pride Auckland Parade- $4,000. Event sponsorship
TAPAC/Night of the Queer - $2,360. Event sponsorship
Auckland Pride Festival Tennis Tournament - $800. Event Sponsorship
Wellington International Pride Parade - $3,000. Event sponsorship
Dunedin Pride - $1,657. Event sponsorship
Charlotte Museum - $2,350. Policy reviews & museum status recertification
Inside Out, Wellington - $4,000. Development of Pride week event framework for High Schools nationwide
Rainbow Wellington - $1,500. Event sound system
Falcons Gay Rugby Team - $2,850. Player jerseys
The Rainbow New Zealand Charitable Trust was proud to distribute $11,800 in grant funding to support the staging of events during the 2019 Auckland Pride Festival and other events not part of the Festival. In addition we made our first grant for an event in the Wellington International Pride Parade (WIPP)
Charlotte Museum - $1,640 to set up an audio description system of the collection for visitors
Chroma Queens Go South - Invercargill Performance
RainbowYOUTH - Mental health professional resource
Dance Therapy NZ - Dance Movement Therapy drop in for LGBTQI+ youth
Rainbow Pride Auckland - $2,000. New organisation establishment seed
Auckland Community Participation Grants
Body Positive Big Gay Out stand
Doc Edge Pride 2019 Film Screenings
Legacy Project 6
Night of the Queer
Pride Tennis Tournament
Same Same But Different Literary Festival
Woof! The Auckland Rainbow Dog Show
Wellington International Pride Parade
Orchestra Wellington
The GABA Charitable Trust was proud to distribute $9,900 in grant funding to support the staging of events during the 2017 Auckland Pride Festival and to encourage participation in the Auckland Pride Parade.

Festival Production Grants
Dykes on Mikes
EquAsian
Impostar: Who Does He Think He Is?
The New Normal
We Don’t Have To Be The Building
Whati Te Waka
Woof!
Theta Project
Ze: Queer as F*ck!
Parade Participation Grants
Body Positive
Brass Bandits
CarribeaNZ Southern Stars Steel Band
EquAsian
Marching Boys
NZ Prostitutes Collective
OUTLine NZ
Rainbow Families
Whanau Uenuku
Whati Te Waka
YouthLine
Hamilton Pride
The Trust distributed $10,350 in grant funding to support the staging of events during February’s Auckland Pride Festival and to encourage participation in the Auckland Pride Parade 2016.

Festival Production Grants
Artspace – The Bill
Legacy Project
Pride Tennis Tournament
Proud To Play
RainbowYOUTH
Same Same But Different
Woof! The Auckland Pride Dog Show
Parade Participation Grants
Body Positive
CaribbeaNZ Southern Stars Steel Band
OUTLine NZ
Rainbow Family Te Whanau Uenuku
RainbowYOUTH
Gifting of $10,000 to community groups was celebrated on Wednesday 6 April, 2016 at Marcello’s Café in College Hill.

Auckland Women’s Centre received $1,000 to assist in the buying of books for two additional library units – Trans Women of colour and LGBTQI+ Youth. Prominent lesbian community member Cissy Rock accepted the gift on behalf of the organisation.

LowDown’s Cissy Rock, accepted a gifting of $500 for important replacements for sound gear for the lesbians out west and will also be available for other events throughout the community.

The Charlotte Museum Trust, receiving $2,000 from the trust to invest in a badge maker, a digital photo frame, and an LP to CD converter. These items will help to transplant the vast history of lesbian culture onto modern platforms and increase accessibility to these resources.

The Legacy Project received $2,000 to continue to support and co-ordinate community theatre projects from within the LGBTQI+ community to develop and stage eighteen short, theatrical works from the queer community.

Queer Aesthetic workshops of community group Breaking Boundaries were also supported this month by the trust with $1,000. “It is a really excited year for us at Breaking Boundaries”, says Joni Nelson, “we are stepping away from just being an online support service to actually being able to give back, start working with the community to create our own histories.”

OUTLine NZ was gifted the largest sum at $3,600 to fund clinical supervision and risk management training for the OUTLine team who work tirelessly with volunteers on the front line.
The GABA Charitable Trust distributed $10,075 in grant funding to support the staging of events during February’s Auckland Pride Festival and to encourage participation in the Auckland Pride Parade 2015.

Festival Production Grants
Alternative Bindings, literature programme
Breaking Boundaries, discussion programme
PulseArt, A Space for a Story exhibition
Rainbow Community Church, Worthy! musical
Rainbow Youth, Masquerade Ball
TAPAC, Night of the Queer cabaret
Parade Participation Grants
Aotea Drag Kings float
Aztec Gods float
Body Positive float
Brass Bandits float
Charlotte Museum float
Mika Haka Foundation float
OUTLine NZ float
Pasefika LGBTQI Youth float
Rainbow Families float
Rotorua Chamber of Pride float
UniQ float

Scholarships

These are available annually through the Rainbow New Zealand Charitable Trust to assist students who identify as LGBTTQIA+. Successful applicants would be able to demonstrate leadership qualities and a positive role model influence for Rainbow-affirming peer and community support, and have a good academic record.

Tertiary Scholarships are open to any LGBTTQIA+ high school student enrolling in a full-time degree course of at least three years duration, at any tertiary level institution recognised by the NZQA. See below to read our Conditions.

Conditions

Overview:

Scholarships are offered annually to students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or intersex (LGBTTQIA+); seen as good role models by peers and teachers; and who have excelled in effort and achievement in their secondary education.

Candidates will apply by completing all parts of the application form. Applications close 31 October. A shortlist will be finalised in November, and interviews with those candidates will be scheduled for early December. Interviews are held in Auckland but can be facilitated by video conference for out-of-town candidates. Successful recipients should be available to accept the award in person at a nominated time and place in Auckland.

Recipients will be asked to report to the Trust during and at the end of their Scholarship and to provide the Trust with updates on their progress in future years.

Tertiary Scholarship Conditions:

The Award is open to any LGBTTQIA+ student who is enrolling in a full time degree course, of at least three years duration, at any tertiary level institution recognised as such by the NZQA. The degree must be on the New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications. The recipient must be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident and have lived in New Zealand for at least the previous two years.

The recipients will be entering the first semester of year one, having successfully completed secondary school and having achieved university entrance in either of the previous two academic years prior to the year of intended tertiary study. (This allows for students taking a gap year.)

The recipient will have shown a good level of academic achievement during their secondary studies. Involvement in extra-curricular/co-curricular activities will be of particular interest. The recipient's personal history, financial needs, academic record (particularly in terms of effort and achievement), and plans will be taken into account.

The Scholarship will be paid upon proof of registration and payment of course fees. Recipients who hold other grants or awards may be awarded a sum up to the value stipulated by the regulations (if any) relating to those grants or awards.

For further information, please contact

[email protected]

The purpose of the Scholarship programme is to support, encourage and nurture our rainbow community leaders of the future.

Every year the Trust receives applications from dozens of outstanding LGBTTQIA+ school leavers who have demonstrated the most extraordinary achievements including community contribution beyond their years.

We welcome interest from tertiary institutions, corporates and benefactors in a position to contribute to this important programme to co-brand or fully fund additional LGBTTQIA+ scholarships.

Rainbow NZ Trust General Tertiary Scholarships

The Trust offers two scholarships of $4,000 for study at any University, Polytechnic or Wānanga in New Zealand.

AUT University/Rainbow NZ Trust Tertiary Scholarships

In 2014, GABA formed an alliance with AUT University, and now jointly offer two $4,000 scholarships for study at AUT, under the same conditions as our standard scholarships.

Countdown/Rainbow NZ Trust Tertiary Scholarship

Countdown offers two scholarships of $4,000 for study at any University, Polytechnic or Wānanga in New Zealand.

Aurecon Scholarships

Aurecon is offering two scholarships of $4,000 for study at any University, Polytechnic or Wānanga in New Zealand.

Southern Cross Health Society Scholarship

Southern Cross Health Society is offering a scholarship of $4,000 for study at any University, Polytechnic or Wānanga in New Zealand.

ISS Scholarship

The Rainbow NZ Trust offers 1xTertiary scholarship of $4,000, sponsored by ISS. This is open to any LGBTTQIA+ high school student aged 16-18 years old.

Scholarship Recipients 2023

Scholarship Recipients 2022

Scholarship Recipients 2021

Scholarship Recipients 2016-2020

  • June 9, 2023

    Rowan Button


    Rowan, our aspiring science student from Sacred Heart Girls' College in Hamilton. Rowan is one of the Trust’s five Tertiary Scholarship winners this year, and is one of our two AUT co-funded scholars. He has been accepted to AUT’s School of Applied Sciences for a Bachelors in Medical Laboratory Studies where he’ll thrive in his passion for biology.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Lillian McArthur


    Lillian tells us she’s been part of the rainbow community since she was 11 years old. She joined Wellington East Girls' College Gay Straight Alliance group RECOGNITION in her first year, has led the group since Year 10 & this year was also a Wellbeing Prefect.

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  • June 9, 2023

    John-Vincent Maxwell


    John-Vincent was Head Boy at Papamoa College, and has a passion for fashion! He has also achieved excellence in drama, and won the Gold Award for Community Service this year.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Joel Armstrong


    Joel’s an amazing young man on a mission. He’s passionate about media & has enrolled in the AUT Bachelor of Communications. He wants to use his skills to represent the LGBTQI+ community & make positive change.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Azaria Howell


    Azaria’s already an established leader at Cashmere High School & in the wider community. She’s involved in UN Youth events, serves on the Christchurch Youth Council AND is a Youth MP at Parliament this year. She’s also a strong advocate for LGBTQI+ issues at community & national level, writes LGBTQI+ focused articles for NZ youth magazine TearAway, and Rainbow YOUTH online.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Lawson Brownie – RNZCT Scholarship


    LAWSON is from St Peters College in Auckland, and will be studying Arts and Commerce at Victoria University in Wellington. Lawson was involved in EVERYTHING at school including many leadership roles, is an active Rainbow Youth member, and a Facilitator for Generation Queer. He intends pursuing a career in mental health with a focus on youth and young people.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Ruby Cadman – RNZCT Scholarship


    RUBY from St Cuthberts College. Ruby will also be studying Law as well as Arts, at Auckland University. Ruby launched the first LGBTI+ support group in her school and is also a Rainbow Youth leader. Ruby is passionate about making a difference and has a keen interest in Government policy and Foreign Affairs.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Liam Kennedy – RNZCT Scholarship


    LIAM from Westlake Boys High School in Auckland. Liam will be studying Law at Victoria University in Wellington. Liam was a Prefect at school and involved in many leadership initiatives including their rainbow support group. He's also an active Rainbow Youth member and was involved in the Youth Declaration last year.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Gabriel Mulder – Richard James Memorial Scholarship


    GABRIEL MULDER - winner of the Richard James Memorial Scholarship! Gabriel is an exceptional academic from Tauhara College in Taupo, and has been accepted for Pre-Med study at Auckland University. This will support Gabriel's ambition to qualify as a Doctor, with an aspiration to specialise in psychiatry.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Ezra Baldwin – RNZCT / AUT Scholarship


    Ezra is from Kelston Girls' College. Ezra has been active through the Peer Sexuality Support Program (PSSP). Through this, Ezra was able to meet people in the LGBTQI+ community and learn more about them and their individualities. Doing this, lead Ezra to be able to be a point of contact in school to people who were curious about the LGBTQI+ community or wanted to know how to handle things going on in their own life that they needed friendly guidance on.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Ruby Wills – RNZCT / AUT Scholarship


    Ruby is from Selwyn College, Ruby has always been passionate about being being proud of who she is (bisexual) mainly due to growing up in a heavily catholic upbringing. She has found that the Selwyn High School was very supportive and allowed her to be who she is, but also helped raise awareness of LGBTQ+ issues via a school play ‘Dusty the Original Pop Diva’ which Ruby was in.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Georgia Purkiss – RNZCT / Aurecon Scholarship


    GEORGIA is an outstanding STEM subject student from Woodford House in Havelock North & has been accepted to the University of Auckland Engineering School. At high school Georgia was into everything! The "short list" includes: manager of the school's Global Committee and Festival of Cultures team, co-head of the Innovation Committee, organiser of the Servant Leadership day, mentor in the Student Wellbeing programme, school librarian, & hospice volunteer.

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Scholarship Recipients 2010-2015

  • June 9, 2023

    Jesse Ung


    Jesse Ung is a New Zealand-born Cambodian from James Cook High School in Manurewa. Since coming out at 13, he has always been involved with his school’s LGBTQI+ groups, generally in leadership positions. He’s also volunteered extensively outside school.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Kate Warburton


    Kate is from Botany Downs Secondary School where she played a major role in establishing a successful and sustainable LGBTQI+ group for which she also prepared much of the material used by the group.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Bryan Law


    Bryan was born in NZ of Malaysian Chinese parents. He has been at Newlands College in Wellington where he is Head Boy, co-chairs the School Council and also fills other leadership positions.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Beth Maynard


    From Long Bay College, Beth is very high-achieving academically and a school leader in many areas. She has been active with Rainbow Youth serving on the Campaigns, and Finance and Culture Committees and is currently the board treasurer.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Vernon James


    Vernon went to Long Bay College where he was the Arts Captain. A person who hates being idle, he has been involved in a myriad of school activities including organising a Straight Gay Alliance at his school.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Jacob Angus


    Jacob went to Rosehill College where he was a House Leader and Māori Leader. He was a co-founder of the school’s Celebrating Diversity Group for which he had pushed for several years.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Courtney Bassett


    Courtney went to Rangitoto College where she was a top scholar. She was extensively involved with the performing arts including writing and acting, and a satirical piece she created about the homophobia of Colin Craig can be seen on Youtube. She is also a published poet and an intern at a radio station.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Daniel Collings


    Daniel went to Mahurangi College where he was Head Boy and was involved with many school activities in both the arts and sporting areas including being the coach for underwater hockey.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Joni Nelson


    Joni studied at Long Bay College where she excelled in Drama, Media Studies and Photography. She organised, ran, performed in, and directed numerous arts events. She was also been very active in the LGBTQI+ affairs at school and in the wider community: writing, creating NZ’s first QSA online forum and starting a QSA group at school, and she has been a facilitator and Volunteer Committee member with Rainbow Youth.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Johann Go


    Johann studied at St Patrick’s Silverstream in Wellington, a conservative catholic college where he consistently challenged the school’s heterosexist attitudes. He is a very active online advocate on LGBTQI+ issues with a large following, and set up a support group for LGBTQI+ students at school and, with the help of the school counsellor, changed the attitudes of the school’s priest and headmaster.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Kiran Foster


    Kiran was born in Singapore and came to New Zealand when they were nine years old. An accomplished musician and photographer, they were a Young Scholar at the University of Auckland studying Maths and Computer science.

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  • June 9, 2023

    Joshua James


    Joshua was a Student Leader and Peer Support Senior at Kaipara College. He set up a QSA at Whangaparaoa College when faced with bullying there and went on to assist with setting up QSAs at other schools.

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