NPDC Zero Waste Fund

The purpose of the Zero Waste Fund is to boost the district’s performance in waste minimisation – stopping or reducing the amount of valuable material that ends up in landfills.

Anyone can apply. Applicants can be individuals, businesses, schools or community groups but they must be based in the New Plymouth District.  

Projects must promote or achieve new waste minimisation activities within New Plymouth District:

• must fall on the upper four levels of the waste hierarchy by rethinking, reducing, reusing, repurposing, recycling, or composting resources. Educational or research projects that align with these categories are also eligible.

_{Waste Hierarchy. Source: Ministry for the Environment}

• Projects must promote or achieve a new waste minimisation activity, either by implementing new initiatives within New Plymouth District, or by significantly expanding the scope or coverage of existing activities*.
• Projects should provide benefits to the wider community or a specific target group, e.g. school community, multiple businesses, community organisation, if possible.
• Projects should be for a discrete timeframe, with results achieved within one year. In some cases multi-year funding may be awarded, with milestones and reporting requirements throughout the funded period.

*Funding will not be awarded for existing activities or the running costs of existing activities of organisations, individuals or groups but will be considered for the costs associated with the significant expansion or scaling-up of an existing project.

Examples of projects include but are not limited to: 

• Educational or behaviour change projects that promote waste minimisation activity to the public or a particular target audience.
• Construction or procurement of infrastructure that helps divert resources from landfill.
• Projects focused on understanding existing waste quantities and composition, or behaviour or economic incentives, as a precursor to effectively reducing waste and/or increasing reuse, recycling and recovery of waste materials.
• Design of product stewardship schemes or other circular economy solutions that promote and achieve waste minimisation.
• Other initiatives that contribute to the actions and strategic priorities of New Plymouth District Council and the NPDC Waste Management and Minimisation Plan.

Some examples of past recipients of the NPDC Zero Waste Fund:

• KAItiaki Composting: food scraps diversion trial working with local business and community groups to collect food scraps and produce compost.
• My Walk-in Wardrobe Sustainable Fashion events: start-up costs to expand the events to New Plymouth.
• The Salvation Army: infrastructure to improve waste diversion in its community hub.
• Kinderen Preschool: cloth nappy initiative to divert single-use nappies from landfill.
• Spotswood Primary School: recycling hub to improve waste diversion for its school community.
• Oakura Primary School: deconstruction of classrooms trial, and case study to promote reuse and reduction in demolition waste.
• Waste minimisation workshops for farmers and rural residents

• Funding can be for operational or capital expenditure necessary to deliver a successful project.
• Applications for all projects should be for a maximum of $15,000. For projects that may exceed this limit, please contact the NPDC Resource Recovery Team before applying.
• Applicants must secure funding and/or resources from other sources such as other grants or through in-kind contributions, as we will not cover the entire cost of the project.
  • Note: An in-kind contribution is a contribution of goods or a service other than money. Some examples include: voluntary labour (e.g. painting work or installation), donated goods (e.g. wood or printing) or donated services (e.g. professional advice, graphic design).
• Please note that further evidence to support your applications may be requested throughout the Zero Waste funding process.

The level of reporting required will depend on the amount of funding NPDC approves. For project proposals greater than $3,000, reporting will be required at key milestones, as well as a final outcomes report. For projects seeking less than $3,000, a final one-off report will be required

When you apply through Smarty Grants (the link will be available only during the application period), you will be required to provide the following:

• A project plan, including an outline of the project and how it meets the funding and assessment criteria.
• Project timeline.
• Evaluation plan, including your proposed key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Budget, including a breakdown of estimated costs and secondary funding (such as in-kind funding).

Please do not hesitate to reach out to the NPDC Resource Recovery Team at any time before or during your application if you have any questions about how to complete your proposal.

All applications for funding will be assessed by a panel to ensure they align with the purpose of the NPDC Zero Waste Fund and meet the funding requirements as outlined above.  Your project proposal should also demonstrate how the project meets the following criteria:

Alignment with the waste hierarchy, NPDC Waste Management and Minimisation Plan strategic priorities, and wider environmental benefits:

• Proposals must outline where they fall on the upper four levels of the waste hierarchy and demonstrate how they lead to either: 1) the elimination or measureable reduction of waste being disposed of to landfills; 2) new research about waste minimisation; or 3) waste-related education within the district.  
• Proposals should demonstrate how the projects aligns with one or more of the priorities set out in the NPDC Waste Management and Minimisation Plan.

New Waste Minimisation Activity:

• Proposals must demonstrate how the project will promote or achieve a new* waste minimisation activity, either by implementing new initiatives within New Plymouth District, or a significant expansion in the scope or coverage of existing activities within New Plymouth District.

*NB: funding will not be awarded for existing activities or the running costs of existing activities of organisations, individuals or groups.

Benefits within New Plymouth District 

• Proposals must demonstrate that the project will be delivered within New Plymouth District.
• Project proposals should outline the environmental, social, economic, and/or cultural benefits the project will provide to the wider New Plymouth District community and/or specific target group, e.g., school community, multiple businesses, community organisation. Examples of benefits include but are not limited to:
• The long-term behaviour change of the target group as it applies to waste minimisation.
• The upgrade or creation of new infrastructure or processes that will help divert waste from landfills.
• Socioeconomic benefits including considerations for how the project can benefit or include minority groups.
• Any benefits this project will achieve for Māori, or iwi, hapū or Māori organisations you are involved with or plan to involve in the project. For example, your proposal could outline how your project will you honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi.

Project Planning and Evaluation

• Proposals should outline how the project will be completed within a discrete timeframe, with results achieved within one year* and include a project timeline listing key activities milestones.
• Proposals should outline how the effectiveness of the project will be monitored, evaluated and reported. Please include how you will measure all planned benefits by suggesting your key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Proposals should outline how the project will be sustained in the long term, especially if the funding is for the establishment phase of a longer-term project.

*NB: In some cases multi-year funding may be awarded, with milestones and reporting requirements throughout the funded period.

Budget Requirements

• The proposal must include a comprehensive and accurate budget that outlines all estimated project costs (e.g., materials, labour, promotion, etc.) and must include any in-kind contributions* or funding from other sources required to successfully carry out the project.
• Proposals must show that the funding requested is not for ongoing financial support of existing activities or running costs and does not cover the entire cost of the project.

*NB: An in-kind contribution is a contribution of goods or a service other than money. Some examples include: voluntary labour (e.g. painting work or installation), donated goods (e.g. wood or printing) or donated services (e.g. professional advice, graphic design).

Ability to Deliver

• Proposals should provide a clear outline of you or your organisation’s ability to successfully deliver the project including an explanation outlining the individual or project team’s relevant skills and experience required to successfully deliver the project.

• 100 Days of Beach Cleans Exhibition: Local artist Lorella Doherty received funding to raise awareness of single use plastic waste and litter through her exhibition held during school holidays for Plastic Free July. Find out more.
• House of Science: Funding to create ‘A Load of Rubbish’ loanable science kits. Find out more.
• Pregnancy Help Taranaki: Funding to support a cloth nappy bank/ loan-out service and textile recycling initiative. 
• On the House: Funding to support the opening of a centralised hub for food rescue. Find out more.
• KAItiaki Composting: The Zero Waste Fund helped support a food scraps diversion trial working with local business and community groups to collect food scraps and produce compost. Find out more.
• The Salvation Army: Bin infrastructure to improve waste diversion in its community hub.
• Kinderen Preschool: Cloth nappy initiative to divert single-use nappies from landfill. Find out more.
• Spotswood Primary School: Recycling hub to improve waste diversion for its school community.
• Oakura Primary School: Deconstruction of classrooms trial, and case study to promote reuse and reduction in demolition waste.