The charitable trust helps fund local projects and groups based on the value they add to the community through things such as art, environmental work and education.
Grants manager Mat Begg said that they received about 180 applications over the last year which the board then looked over to decide the amount they would contribute to each application.
"For them, it’s all about what’s the benefit to the community," he said.
He said the board looked at how each local organisation added to the community’s resilience and cohesion, looking for a broad range projects.
Over the last financial year, the trust donated to 17 local charitable organisations in the region, including $1.1m for the museum inside the new Cromwell Memorial Hall.
The museum is set to include a mini-theatre for showing archival footage and displays showcasing the region’s history.
Mr Begg said this was one of the biggest projects they gave funding to, their contribution being a relatively small chunk of the overall funding for the memorial hall.
More than $20,000 was also contributed to the upcoming YAMI SouNZ Summit, where workshops will be held in Wānaka to help youth and adults entering the music industry.
Director Lynne Christie said the summit’s workshops taught young musicians’ details about working in the industry that were often overlooked, such as how to manage money.
"By giving our upcoming musicians the opportunity to learn and work with industry professionals, we are supporting the music industry to grow and thrive," she said.
One of their other notable contributions was over $300,000 made out to the Queenstown Trails Trust to help build an off-road track between Jack’s Point and Frankton.
The tracks aim to provide a safe route for active commuting and reducing the pressure on already congested roads.
In total, Central Lakes Trust donated more than $1.5m across seven project grants and more than $1m across operational grants.
