What this funding is for

The Waste Minimisation Fund helps New Zealand businesses and other entities with initiatives to reduce waste and recover resources.

Investment is currently focused on infrastructure projects that divert organic waste from landfill.

You can use funding for:

  • infrastructure to sort, process, or recover organic waste, including timber
  • resource recovery systems and facilities
  • projects that reduce commercial or household organic waste
  • feasibility studies and business cases that support any of the above.
Type
Grant
Amount
$100,000 for business cases, feasibility studies and pilots. $250,000 for all other project types
Co-funding
Yes. MCERT funds up to 40% of project costs for commercial projects, up to 50% for projects with strong public benefits, and up to 75% in exceptional cases with significant public benefits
How it's allocated
You compete for limited available funding
Availability
Open
Application effort
Light effort, less than an hour to four hours, to start the process. Moderate effort, four to 12 hours, to prepare a full application. Significant effort, several days to several weeks, to prepare a business case. You need a business case for an application for more than $1 million

Who this funding is for

This fund helps organisations in many sectors and industries with initiatives that reduce harm to the environment by minimising waste.

Business type
New Zealand organisations, including businesses and councils
Business size
Any
Business stage
Businesses ready to start a waste reduction project
Business goal
Reduce waste and make better use of resources

What to know before you apply

This fund does not support:

  • projects you can self-fund
  • projects you have already started or completed
  • projects outside New Zealand
  • research projects without a clear plan to put the findings into practice
  • business-as-usual activities or ongoing operating costs
  • administration or fundraising costs

For projects seeking more than $1 million in funding, you must provide a business case, emissions calculations and financial information.

Apply to MCERT for the Waste Minimisation Fund , Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport

Find out if your project is eligible and apply on the MCERT website.

Learn more about

Funding options