Te Pūtea o Whenua Māori

The Whenua Māori Fund supports whenua Māori based economic, cultural, social and environmental projects which help strengthen whānau, communities, regions and the New Zealand economy.

It assists Trustees and owners of whenua Māori to explore the potential of their whenua and to investigate the means of lifting productivity, either through improving and growing existing operations, diversification, or preparing for new ventures. 

We will advise when applications open for 2024-25.

Last updated: Rātū, 15 Whiringa ā-nuku, 2024 | Tuesday, 15 October 2024

Te Ataarangi Parata, Te Kaha Nursery 2IC, nurturing the young plants in Te Heriko, the plant nursery owned and operated by Te Kaha Landowners Group (TKG). TKG are supporting aspirations for whānau, including to whenua and employment. Photo credit: Josie McClutchie.

 

Criteria for applications

To be eligible to apply for funding from the Whenua Māori Fund:

  • Your whenua must be Māori freehold land. To check, enter your block details on the Tupu.NZ website, Find your whenua https://www.tupu.nz/
  • Your whenua must have a governing entity, i.e. Trust, Incorporation or other entity established under Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 unless there are seven or fewer owners
  • If there are seven or fewer owners, each owner must be supportive of an application to the Fund.

How to apply

Applications can be made at any time throughout the year. If you think the Whenua Māori Fund could support you and your whānau, please contact your nearest Te Puni Kōkiri regional office, so our staff can help determine your eligibility and discuss your ideas for developing your whenua.

You can find the details of our regional offices here.

Our whenua resources and services

Whenua Māori Services

Whānau development through whenua is an ongoing aspiration for Māori Freehold Landowners. For more information on how Te Puni Kōkiri could support you to achieve your whenua aspirations, click here.

Tupu.nz

Tupu is a one-stop shop for information about whenua Māori. The website provides access to tools, resources and reports about Māori land blocks. The website also explores ways you can better connect, look after and develop your whenua.

Māori Housing Network

Te Puni Kōkiri provides advice and funding information on the housing/ papakāinga needs of Māori land owners

 

 

Further whenua information and support

Māori Land Online

This resource from the Māori Land Court assists you to locate your land and neighbouring Māori land blocks that have the potential to be part of your application. It also presents information about the governance structure for your land and owner information.

Ministry of Primary Industries

Ministry of Primary Industries offers a range of funding and programmes, including Māori Agri-business, Sustainable Farming Fund and One Billion Trees Programme.

Department of Conservation

Department of Conservation offers the Ngā Whenua Rāhui/Mātauranga Kura Taiao Funds.

 

Project Overviews

To give you an idea of the types of projects the Whenua Māori Fund can support, we have provided overviews of some of the projects we have supported. You can view the Project Overviews of the Whenua Māori Fund recipients here.

Related News and Stories

Read our latest news and stories for this kaupapa.

Whenua Māori: Landowners come together in Waihōpai

  • Date: 02 February 2024

Our regional advisors in the Whenua Māori Service support Māori landowners all over Aotearoa to develop their whenua.

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Nurturing whenua and whānau through māra kai

  • Date: 15 November 2023

Te Puna Reo o Raparapaririki and Mahora School are using mātauranga Māori and spaces of peace to nurture whenua and nurture whānau through māra kai.

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Whenua Development: Tupoki Takarangi Trust

  • Date: 10 November 2023

Driving along the scenic coastal road through Eastbourne in Lower Hutt, the furthest point south sees you stop at the carpark at Burdan’s Gate.

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Whenua Māori clinics kick off in Te Tai Hauāuru

  • Date: 07 November 2023

Māori landowners in Te Tai Hauāuru have the opportunity to engage kanohi ki te kanohi with Te Puni Kōkiri about their whenua.

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Developing the aspirations of Te Maungarongo Ahu Whenua Trust

  • Date: 31 October 2023

Te Maungarongo Ahu Whenua Trust administers 16 hectares of whenua in the Waima Valley in Te Tai Tokerau.

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Award-winning Wi Pere farm recovering from Cyclone Gabrielle

  • Date: 29 September 2023

An award-winning whenua Māori farm slammed by four-meter-high waves of cyclone debris will recover in a third of the time thanks to Government support.

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