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One week to go for Major Event Fund applications

One week to go for Major Event Fund applications


Applications are now being accepted for sponsorship in round two of the major event fund and a total of $45,000 has been made available.

The Major Events Fund is for events that have potential to become iconic Coromandel events.

Last year's recipients included illume, the Coromandel Winter Festival of Light, which received $50,000. The event team purchased $27,018 worth of lights, fittings and projectors to guarantee longevity of future festivals. A survey of the Coromandel Business Association showed an average of 58.33% increase in turnover compared to the previous July - even though the festival was held during one of the worst winter storms we’ve experienced. Accommodation providers including Bookabach and Bachcare had increased bach rentals in Coromandel, Matarangi, Kuaotunu and Whangapoua. Publicity was high with two promotional stories in the NZ Herald Saturday features magazine, reaching over 100,000 readers nation-wide. With local media support as well, attendees came from Whitianga, Thames, Whangamata, Auckland, and Hamilton.

Another success from the first round was the Thames Mind Sports Festival, which received $12,500 in the first round. That event also received a high national profile and forward bookings from national groups ahead of the Queen's Birthday weekend event next year.

This year's funding round resulted in allocations to the Leadfoot Festival, Thunderbeach, Thames Festival of Mind Sports and Tairua Wet n Wild, all unique local events.

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We're looking for events that will attract international, national and regional media profile and will attract people to the Coromandel to visit. Our new Economic Development head Garry Towler says Leadfoot Festival is a good example of this. "We are investing in an event that will promote the Coromandel on the world stage, not because of the fame of the organisers," he added.

"Major event funding is just that, funding for events that are big enough to get that level of exposure and whose organisers are also attracting external partnership funding," Mr Towler explains. "If there is an opportunity we can provide initial seed funding to assist we will certainly look at it, but definitely not to bank roll."

"Event Fund recipients are required to provide a full report proving their return on our investment."

There are, however, other opportunities for event funding from Council. "We are no longer the one stop soft touch," says Mr Towler, "but at a local level and through Area Office staff and their Community Boards we will help any organisation as partners to make their event as successful as possible. For example, from local community and event grants last month, the Steam Punk Circus event received $5,000 with another thousand going to the Arts Society for workshops during the Steam Punk festival, Thames Fast 25s received $2,500, Surf 2 Firth received $3,000, Tairua Wet n' Wild received $2,500, $8,000 was given toward the Tairua and Pauanui fireworks display - and there were many more."

The Major Event fund is the fund for projects that can take the Coromandel to new heights in unique ways. Events do not need to be run on council property - for example, the Thames Mind Sports Festival includes private venues such as local businesses. Funding is also not given to cover wages or honorariums (payments for professional services that are offered for nominal charge). This means that the Major Event fund is not the one you apply to if you simply want to offset the cost of volunteer services.

Applications for round two close on 15 October, so you have one last week to get one ready.

Application period: 15 September 2014 - 15 October 2014

How to apply

Please download the application form, complete it and return it with supporting information to:

Major Events Sponsorship
Thames-Coromandel District Council
Private Bag Thames 3540

The Economic Development Committee will make funding decisions at its meeting in November 2014. $45,000 has been allocated for the round two fund. This is a committee made up of elected members and three members of the business community with major economic and tourism experience.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the application form and process.

Criteria for major events sponsorship

Assistance will only be available for events held within the Thames-Coromandel District
Preference will be given to annual events or one-off events with a proven track record of success in other districts
Will attract a strong national and regional media profile
Will attract holiday-home owners back to the Coromandel
Will attract domestic tourists (and internationals if they are already in NZ)
The event must be unique to the Coromandel or align well with the district's brand
The Major Events fund is not for the payment of wages or honorariums
Support from Destination Coromandel
Funding is not available to individuals
Maximum of three years funding (within Ten Year Plan cycles subject to the availability of the Major Events fund)
Applicants must submit a strong business and marketing plan (with economic impact assessments)
Applicants will adhere to all legal requirements for the provision of the event
All applications must be accompanied by the most current statement of financial position available and a budget projection for the event
All successful applicants must acknowledge the support of the Thames-Coromandel District Council on any correspondence, advertising or other publicity material and co-brand events with the "Good for Your Soul" positioning (Destination Coromandel)
Applications must be made on the form available (Major Events Application Form)
Any Major Event funds not spent on the project for which the funds were applied for by the close of the Council’s financial year must be returned to the Thames-Coromandel District Council unless written approval to retain the funds is obtained from Council
A report on the success of the event and clarification/evidence (i.e. tax invoice) that the fund was spent appropriately to be provided to the Council within three months of the event finishing
All decisions on applications will be made by the full Council, or delegated Committee, as per Standing Orders
Preference will be given to events that provide the best potential for economic benefit including:

Potential to attract at least 5000 visitor days to the Coromandel (or equivalent economic impact)
Strong support from RTO and private sector
Potential to become an icon event

Additional event funding and support

In the last financial year, Council and Community Boards made $144,000 available through the local social development activity for contestable community grants. The Thames, Mercury Bay and Whangamata Community Boards also set aside an additional $45,500 for community events.

While some of these are relatively recent funding opportunities, Council has long been a supporter of events that have since become iconic, such as the Scallop Festival (which Council financially contributed to for most of the last decade) and the K2, which received thousands of dollars over the last half decade from Council's Communications budget.

Council has also been supporting local events by offering the experience of its Communications department, whose team members have spent many hours outside normal hours helping even events that do not receive funding from the major event fund. We have also absorbed permit and/or concession costs for some events as well as putting on additional rubbish collection days without charging extra.

Thames Community Board Event Sponsorship

The purpose of the Thames Community Board Events Sponsorship Fund is to support and encourage new and existing not-for-profit and community events that provide economic benefit to the Thames Community Board area.

Community Grants

Community grants encourage and support local solutions to community services and activities, support not for profit community organisations which have a positive impact on the community and recognise, support and enhance volunteer effort in the community.

Economic Development Committee Membership

His Worship, the Mayor Glenn Leach (Chairperson)

Councillor, Peter French

Community Board Chairperson, Bob Renton (Tairua-Pauanui Community Board).

External members who have now been appointed are:

Mr Brent Page
A resident of the Coromandel, Mr Page is a director and part-owner of a nationally recognised computer and IT services company. Mr Page is currently the Chair of Destination Coromandel (our Regional Tourism Organisation) and was instrumental in the successful restructure of the RTO over the past few years. Mr Page brings to the committee extensive commercial and governance experience.

Mr. Leigh Hopper
A well-known and successful businessman on the Coromandel, Mr. Hopper has extensive experience in property development, marketing, contracting and entrepreneurship. As the principal shareholder and managing director of Hopper Developments, Mr. Hopper is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Hopper Construction company and the strategic planning and direction of the organisation.

Mr. Grahame Christian
Mr Christian is a property-owner at Whangapoua, and managing director and single shareholder of Smart Environmental - a large national refuse and recycling firm. Mr Christian has extensive commercial and governance experience and is very also experienced in the local government sector. He is Chairman of the Pare Hauraki Asset Holdings Limited, a significant commercial entity in the region, managing fisheries assets for the Hauraki Maori Trust Board.

ends

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