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What is Lottery Community?

Please note that for the 2023/24 financial year the Lottery National Community Committee has 46% less funding available compared with the previous year. Unfortunately, this means the committee will not be able to fund as many requests as last year and is unlikely to make grants to the same levels it has previously.

This is for the Lottery National Community only and does not affect the Lottery Community regional committees.

For more information about the funding allocations to lottery distribution committees for the 2023/24 financial year, visit Te Puna Tahua Lottery Grants Board allocations for 2023/24.

If you have any questions, please contact your local advisor or email us at community.matters@dia.govt.nz.


Lottery Community grants are available for not-for-profit organisations with a community or social service focus for ongoing operating costs or projects which help improve the quality of people’s lives in their communities.

What does Lottery Community fund?

Lottery Community grants may be one-off contributions or multi-year grant investments for up to three years, for:

  • ongoing operating costs for existing or expanded services and activities
  • projects beyond an organisation’s day-to-day operations
  • helping to top-up an organisation’s existing funding
  • minor capital works projects where the total project cost is $50,000 or less.