Applications for Otago Regional Council’s annual ECO Fund is again almost three times oversubscribed – with 28 projects having been shortlisted from a total 69 applications.

Of a total $1.05 million available this year the 69 applicants were seeking a combined $2.87 million for environmental projects around Otago. The 28 shortlisted applications to Council seek a total of $1,059,178 – just under the $1,059,500 available.

ORC’s Environmental Funding Lead, Elodie Letendre, says with $1,059,500 available and initial requests for $2,872,157, the fund was about 2.7 times oversubscribed; similar to the past two years.

“The oversubscription again this year reflects increasing community awareness, and that people are very keen to help protect the environment. Every year we wish we could fund more applicants,” she says.

The 28* shortlisted applications will go before a full Council meeting this week for consideration, on Wednesday 21 May.

“Again, there were a large number of very good applications this year,” Ms Letendre says.

The successful applicants will be announced following Wednesday’s meeting. Further information is now online in the Agenda (10.1) for the Council meeting on the 21st.

“It’s the communities who know what matters most locally and these funding programmes can empower them to turn great ideas into action,” she says.

The ECO Fund underpins the ORC’s partnership with local communities throughout Otago to improve and enhance the environment, Ms Letendre says.

Included in the total 69 applications, were 28 from the wider Dunedin district area, 17 from around Queenstown Lakes, 10 from Central Otago, seven from the Clutha district and six from around Waitaki – North Otago.

*The 28 shortlisted applications could be reduced to 26.

On Wednesday Council will consider endorsing a budget reallocation from two of the ECO Fund funding categories to another ECO Fund funding category, which would allow funding of two additional projects in the General funding category.

The ECO Fund Assessment Panel met on 15 April 2025 to assess the applications, ultimately recommending 28 applications to Council for funding to a total value of $1,059,178. This includes the reallocation of $3502 and $35,000 from the categories of weed removal and revegetation (Biodiversity operations budget) and critical source area management on private land (Land and Water operations budget) respectively, to other specific ECO Fund funding categories due to undersubscription.

The process

ECO Fund applications closed on 31 March. A staff panel then reviewed eligibility and scored the applications before the Assessment Panel, made up of three ORC Councillors and one mana whenua representative, undertook their review and scoring. This panel will next recommend a list of shortlisted applicants at a full Council meeting, on Wednesday, 21 May, which Councillors will vote on.

Successful applicants will then be notified, and an announcement made, outlining each project’s objectives and the amount of funding secured.

Last year there was $918,000 available, with a total 65 applicants initially seeking $2.7 million, with ultimately 33 successful applicants sharing a total $854,733.

To date, $2.58 million distributed since 2018.

Over the past 10 rounds of ECO Fund since mid-2018, a total $7.58 million was applied for, with a total 166 applicant (from 351) successful, with a total $2.58 million distributed into the community to achieve environmental outcomes.

On average, each of the nine rounds was oversubscribed by 300%.

Notes:

The successful applicants will be announced following Wednesday’s meeting. Further information is now online in the Agenda (10.1) for the Council meeting on the 21st.

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