One month to go for outdoor access funding applications

4 February 2013

One month to go for outdoor access funding applications

Clubs and organisations undertaking projects to improve access to the outdoors have one month left to apply for funding through the 2013 round of the Enhanced Access Fund.

The New Zealand Walking Access Commission has made up to $138,000 (including GST) available in this year’s funding round, with a maximum allocation of $25,000 possible to any one organisation.

New Zealand Walking Access Commission Chief Executive Mark Neeson said the contestable fund helped to create new opportunities for people to access the New Zealand outdoors.

“Ready access to beaches, lakes, rivers and mountains is a wonderful part of New Zealand’s culture and the fund helps groups around the country to continue making meaningful access contributions for future generations,” Mr Neeson said.

This year, funding will be prioritised towards projects designed to obtain certain and enduring access to the outdoors, such as negotiations to secure access agreements, or support for the legal or survey costs of obtaining access.

Other eligible projects include those that provide information about access, such as installation of signs, and projects that develop and improve walking opportunities by installing gates, stiles and fences. The fund is also available to groups seeking a contribution to the cost of obtaining professional reports, such as engineering reports, and groups undertaking community walking access projects, including construction of new infrastructure.

The deadline for applications is 16 March 2013 and application forms are available on the Commission’s website, at www.walkingaccess.govt.nz.

Fifty-three projects have received funding through the Enhanced Access Fund since its first funding round in 2010.

ENDS

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