The Government is providing more support for sport and recreation organisations in the Auckland, Northland and Waikato regions financially affected by the extended COVID alert level restrictions between August and December last year.
“We want to ensure we’re helping a wide range of community organisations to continue to deliver activities and programmes that have a key role in maintaining individual and community health and wellbeing,” Grant Robertson said.
“COVID-19 is continuing to have widespread implications on sport and active recreation, and it’s important that we support the sector as much as possible. These three regions were particularly affected when their regions were in Alert Level 3 for extended periods.”
The financial assistance will support local and regional sport and recreation organisations and providers who are experiencing financial hardship with fixed administration and operating costs.
The new fund, which has been allocated from the $265 million Sport Recovery Package comprises $4 million:
- $2.2 million for Aktive Auckland Sport and Recreation
- $485,000 for Sport Waikato
- $315,000 for Sport Northland.
A contingency of $1 million will also be available across all three regions if required.
The investment follows $5.3 million in funding announced last October to support sport and recreation organisations, outdoor education providers and whānau in Auckland and elsewhere financially affected by last year’s lockdown.