Casey Dixon, who is convener of the Southern Country Music Awards (SCMA), said the competition was "desperately seeking funding".
Ms Dixon won last year’s New Zealand Country Music Association (NZCMA) Entertainer of the Year award and has since organised the southern competition as a qualifier for the national award.
The SCMA is the only one of its kind south of Levin that qualifies the winner for contention as Entertainer of the Year.
Southern singers would otherwise have to travel north to pursue qualification.
But her plan to help southern singers’ careers was in danger due to a lack of funds, she said.
Last year, the SCMA was able to generate small amounts of money from section sponsors, local businesses and fundraisers, but had consistently missed out on larger grants.
The committee had done everything asked of it, and more, yet still remained unsuccessful in its bid for grants.
"As a brand new competition entity, you have to jump through hoops. No-one makes it easy, especially when you think you’ve done everything," she said.
The competition was registered as a charitable trust, had increased its committee by 10 members and was listed as an incorporated society.
With one successful competition under the SCMA’s belt, she had hoped for better success with funders.
"We’re not in competition with anyone else because there’s no-one like us."
No other competition in the region was affiliated with the NZCMA, qualified its winner for Entertainer of the Year or was backed by the six-piece Entertainer of the Year band.
Ms Dixon said the competition was "such an incredible thing to offer the South".
Many of the South’s other country music competitions had been canned, including those in Timaru, Westport and Balclutha.
All she wanted was to nurture musical passion and bring something to the community. She hoped someone would step forward who was keen to attach their name to the competition.
