Apply for a Zero Waste Events Grant

Thanks to Auckland Council and EcoMatters, our Zero Waste Events Grant is designed to help you make your event zero waste. Any free community event in Auckland (minimum 250 people) is eligible to apply and can use the funding for expenses like:

• Renting reusable crockery and cutlery or bins to separate out event waste 
• Buying vouchers for volunteers, e.g. bin station educators or volunteers washing dishes (wages/contractor fees are not eligible) 
• Paying for recycling and food waste collections (landfill waste costs are not eligible)

How to apply

Fill in our online application form. Applications are open until 30 June 2025 and will be processed on a weekly basis, so you’ll hear back within 7 business days if your funding is approved. 

Provide as much information as you can about your event and specific costs when you apply. We want to make sure your event is adequately funded if your application is successful.

Please note, you can only apply for events happening in the future. Events that have already taken place at time of application will not be approved.

Once you have submitted your application form, you will receive a confirmation email within 15 minutes. Please check your junk and spam folders if you can’t see it in your main inbox, and contact [email protected] if you don’t receive it.

Once your event is finished, you’ll need to complete an accountability report which outlines how much waste was diverted. Send that to us with your receipts, and photos of the waste minimisation activities of your project, and we’ll reimburse you the agreed amount of funding.  

Application requirements

• Funding is available for free community events in Auckland only 
• You must work with/get advice from one of our Zero Waste Event Advisors before making a grant application 
• You must have completed a Waste Management Plan for your event
• You must be able to measure the amount of waste your event has generated and avoided sending to landfill (in kilograms) – this is required for your accountability report. Please let your advisor know if you need help with auditing your waste
• Events must have a minimum of 250 people 
• Event is at a future date – it has not already taken place at time of application. 
• We give preference to: 
  • first time grant applications. Returning applicants who can demonstrate how they will use the grant to improve their waste diversion rate will be considered 
  • Events that use the council loan gear 
  • Events that provide an opportunity to educate attendees around sorting and reducing waste e.g. events that have bin station educators 
• Event organisers may apply for a maximum of one event per year

If you have any questions about our funding, please get in touch with [email protected]