Stratford District Council (SDC) is calling for individuals, community organisations, and not-for-profits with waste-busting ideas to apply for help from the Waste Levy Fund and get their project off the ground.

The $25,000 annual Waste Levy Fund was set up by SDC to support new initiatives that can measurably avoid, reduce, recycle, recover, or reuse waste in the Stratford district.

Victoria Araba, SDC Director – Assets, says the fund is one way the council can empower the local community to tackle waste head-on.

“Stratford’s Waste Levy Fund is a win-win. Being able to give a financial boost to projects in our community that can reduce waste to landfill is great for our local economy and environment,” says Victoria.

Successful projects from the 2022/23 round of funding include the development of composting systems at local schools and a community garden, reusable nappy education and recycling, and the establishment of a regular free repair café. A report on the amount of waste diverted through the first year of funding will be available on Stratford.govt.nz later this year.

Victoria says, “Be bold. If you’ve got an idea or educational programme to reduce waste but you need some financial support to make it a reality, please apply. You don’t need to do it by yourself, either. There may be opportunities for you to collaborate and partner with other organisations and put in a joint application.”

The Waste Levy Fund was created using money allocated to SDC through the Government’s national waste disposal levy. The national levy raises funds for waste minimisation in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Stratford District’s Waste Levy Fund opens for applications on Wednesday 1 November and closes on 31 January 2024. Information about the fund, eligibility criteria, and how to apply, can be found at Stratford.govt.nz/WasteLevyFund

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