Cosy Homes Charitable Trust, the Dunedin Civic Orchestra and Wānaka’s Kahu Youth were the recipients of the largest amount of funding awarded by the Otago Community Trust in its first round of grants for 2025.
Cosy Homes received $350,000, the Dunedin Civic Orchestra $283,500 and Wānaka’s Kahu Youth $184,000 from a total funding pot of $1,585,875.45.
Otago Trust CEO Jemma Adams said the trust had used its funding in this round to support community initiatives across the region, focusing on youth development and community infrastructure.
Wānaka’s Kahu Youth will use the funding to continue its support of local youth in need in the Upper Clutha region — Wānaka and Hawea — aged from 11 to 24.
"It’s wonderful news. I think three years of funding is very comforting," Kahu Youth director Anna Sutherland said.
The funding will allow Kāhu Youth to deliver its youth development free and make it accessible for local families.
The youth development programme includes drop-in sessions, one-to-one mentoring, the Upper Clutha Youth Council, a Rainbow Youth support group and community events.
"This funding ensures that every young person in our community has the opportunity to get involved, connect with others, develop skills, and feel supported," Ms Sutherland said.
Otago Community Trust grants
• Balclutha Clutha Community Health Company Ltd $75,000
• Clutha Parks Trust $32,000
• Our Hut Heritage Hub Cromwell $3,000
• Cromwell Resource Centre Trust $20,000
• Dunedin The Theatre in Health Education Trust $8,000
• Dunedin Choral Society $8,000
• SenseRugby NZ Trust $1,000
• Dunedin City Council – Puaka Matariki Celebrations $15,000
• Otago University Sports Inc $3,000
• Arthur Street School $85,0000
• Macandrew Bay School $25,000
• Liberton Christian School $30,000
• Dunedin Grass Kart Club Inc $8,000
• Otago Tertiary Chaplaincy Trust Board $2,000
• Logan Park High School $10,000
• First Presbyterian Church of Otago $23,500
• Moana House - Downie Stewart Foundation $75,000
• Dunedin Public Libraries Association (Friends of the Library) $2,500
• Dunedin Civic Orchestra Inc - T/a Dunedin Symphony Orchestra $283,500
• Dunedin Tai Chi Club Inc $3,840
• Dunedin Returned Services Choir $500
• Wakari Kindergarten $977
• Te Whanau Arohanui Trust $30,000
• New Zealand Opera Limited $2,500
• Milton Milton Community Health Trust $4,000
• Mosgiel Silver Peaks Country Music Club Inc $2,500
• Ōamaru Harbour Street Jazz Inc $15,000
• Oamaru Tongan Methodist Parish $6,589
• House of Breakthrough Trust Oamaru $30,000
• North Otago Sports Bodies Assn Inc $1,500
• Otago Eduk8 Otago $15,000
• Volunteer South/Kaituao o te Taitonga $20,000
• Lions Club of Taieri $6,000
• Cancer Society of NZ Otago & Southland Inc $15,000
• Cosy Homes Charitable Trust $350,000
• Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand $5,000
• New Zealand Endometriosis Foundation Charitable Trust $3,500
• The Footnote Dance Trust Board $6,000
• Stroke Foundation of NZ $27,000
• Road Safety Education Limited $9,000
• Tourette's Association of New Zealand $4,795
• The Boys' Brigade in NZ Inc $15,000
• Daily Encourager Trust $2,250
• Diabetes New Zealand $5,000
• TalkLink Trust $5,000
• Blue Light Ventures Inc $2,424
• Ranfurly Maniototo Rodeo Club Inc $4,000
• Wānaka Disc Golf Wanaka Inc $10,000
• Aspiring Beginnings Early Learning Centre Inc $9,500
• Mt Aspiring College $4,000
• Wānaka Squash Rackets Club Inc $10,000
• Wānaka & District Lions Club Inc $35,000
• Hāwea Domain Board Inc $31,500
• Kahu Youth Trust $184,000 — APL
