Cyclone & Flood Response Funding

Hawke’s Bay’s Cyclone and Flood Recovery Grant process is well underway, and we are pleased to report that significant progress has been made towards helping affected businesses. At the time of writing, over 1,200 applications have been received.

Of these, 500 have undergone pre-screening, where thorough checks were conducted to provide the panel with all the necessary information to determine the outcome of each application. The next stage involves assessment by an Independent Panel, where 180 grant applications have been assessed.

We are happy to report that approved grants amount to over $2M, which is a significant amount of financial support to boost the continued recovery efforts for affected businesses.

We fully recognise that businesses affected by this extreme weather event are still struggling, and we want to offer reassurance that we are working hard to process all applications as quickly as possible. We urge all eligible businesses to apply for the grant and seek financial support during these trying times.

Due to the limited nature of the funding provided by Government, not all businesses who apply will receive the funding. Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce are triaging by greatest need, prioritising those businesses who were seriously impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle and consequent flooding. The demand for funding is greater than supply however all applications provide strong evidence for Government to be aware of the need in our region.

For many businesses, this grant has been a lifeline enabling them to move into a recovery phase following the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle. It is heartening to see the government stepping in to provide targeted support for those affected by the storm, helping to ensure the local economy can recover and rebuild.

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