Hon Rick Barker
Minister of Internal Affairs

22 June 2006
Media Release

Lottery Grants for Community, Arts and Sports To Receive Big Boost

The New Zealand Lottery Grants Board will distribute over $124 million to the community and statutory bodies this year. This is a significant increase on last year’s amount of $110.12 million.

Announcing the allocations today the Minister of Internal Affairs and Lottery Grants Board Presiding Member, Hon Rick Barker, said that this was a truly great result for the year.

“Lottery profits have exceeded our expectations and will allow a significant funding boost in all our allocation areas, with far reaching effects on our communities,” Minister Barker said.

Lottery Grants Board funding is generated wholly by the New Zealand Lotteries Commission. The Commission’s profits are transferred to the Board and flow on to directly benefit the community.

The Board allocates funds to three statutory bodies (Sport and Recreation New Zealand, Creative New Zealand, and the New Zealand Film Commission) and to 19 Lottery distribution committees and subcommittees, each with a specific funding focus.

A total of $62.667 million will be allocated to Lottery distribution committees for grants to community groups. This is an increase of over $8 million (15%) on the funding provided in 2005-06.

A total of $24.464 million, an increase of $2.224 million, is allocated to the specialist distribution committees (Environment and Heritage, Health Research, Marae Heritage and Facilities, Outdoor Safety and the Minister’s Discretionary Fund).

An increase of $5.853 million takes the amount allocated to the regional and national community committees to over $38.213 million for the year to June 2007.

Creative New Zealand, the New Zealand Film Commission (including funding for the New Zealand Film Archive), and Sport and Recreation New Zealand will together receive $61,651,000, an increase of over $6million on 200/06 Lotteries allocations.

A detailed breakdown of Lottery Grants Board allocations for 2006-07 is attached. For more information on Lottery grants see www.dia.govt.nz or www.cdgo.govt.nz.

ENDS

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