2026 Scholarships, Awards and Grants Summary
Please read ‘Full Criteria’ to ensure eligibility before submitting an application.
Dates and Values are subject to change.
We are delighted to manage the following scholarships, awards and grants on behalf of a growing number of generous local people.
Name of Award | Purpose | Total Annual Value | Who can Apply | Opening Date | Closing Date |
Andrew & Sharon Welch Fund | To support people pursuing opportunities in drama, music, and the visual arts. | $8,500 | NZ Citizens or residents who live in the Rotorua and Taupō districts, with preference given to applicants from the Taupō District. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Arts Fund | To support or create opportunities for the Rotorua and Taupō communities to engage with and participate in the arts. This includes: · Creative Art · Language Arts and Literature · Music · Performing Arts · Visual Arts · Other forms of Art including bringing artists, exhibitions and performances to the Rotorua and/or Taupō districts. | $4,550 | Applicants can be an organisation or an individual but must reside in the Rotorua or Taupō Districts. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Bannan Science Fund | Provides an annual award to support the education of students, including adults, who live in or have family ties to the Central Plateau region to continue their studies. The award supports study in Pure or Applied Science. | $5,000 | New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Applicants must have completed their secondary school education or be in their final year of secondary school | 1 Sept 2026 | 31 Jan 2027 |
Colin Cockburn Award | To provide Individuals with chronic long-term disability or illness help to purchase equipment to assist with their day to day living and/or work, including vehicle or home modifications. | $1,450 | New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Individuals living in the Taupō District with a chronic long-term disability, whose disability-related costs are not covered by the Ministry of Health or ACC. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Colin & Jenny McDonald Award | This annual award is equally divided between two key purposes: · Supporting disabled individuals of any age with the purchase of specialist equipment to improve daily living, education, or employment opportunities. · Assisting classical musicians (with preference, though not exclusively) to pursue advanced study towards tertiary, diploma, or internationally recognised qualifications, or to help with the cost of instruments, music, and study materials required for their progress. | $1,250 | Applicants must be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents and reside within the area served by the Geyser Community Foundation, which currently includes the Rotorua and Taupō Districts and the Central Volcanic Region. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Dr W Stanley Wallis Fund | To benefit students from Rotorua studying nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy or a related degree or course in Aotearoa New Zealand. | $1,400 | New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Applicants must have lived or have connections to Rotorua. | 1 Sept 2026 | 31 Jan 2027 |
Environment Fund | To support organisations and projects that protect, promote or preserve the natural environment, and flora and fauna of the Rotorua and Taupō District communities. | $4,750 | New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Organisations/groups must be an incorporated society, registered charity or school/Kura in the Rotorua or Taupō districts. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
John Chadwick Rangatahi Fund | A scholarship is available to young people from the Rotorua District pursuing legal studies, with particular recognition given to those who also demonstrate musical aptitude. Priority will be given to individuals who show commitment, potential, and a desire to grow their skills and contribute positively to their community. | $1,700 | New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Applicants must reside or have a family connection to the Rotorua District. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Kaingaroa Roading | To provide financial assistance for study at a university, polytechnic, or private training provider in New Zealand, or to support the costs associated with an apprenticeship. | $1,250 | New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Must be in last year of secondary school. Applicants must be current residents of Kaingaroa, Minginui, Ruatahuna, Te Whaiti, Murupara and the immediate surrounding areas. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Margriet Theron Speech NZ Scholarships | To provide financial assistance toward examination costs for completing Speech NZ’s Associate Diploma in Speech and Drama. | TBC Up to four scholarships. | Applicants must live in the Rotorua or Taupō Districts. | 1 Sept 2026 | 30 Sept 2026 |
Michael Pilaar Memorial Music Scholarships | To support the skill development of young musicians. Up to six $500 Scholarships available. | $3,000 | New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Applicants must be between 10 and 18 years old and currently reside in the Rotorua or Taupō Districts. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Ngatuku Farms Fund | Children and adults who have special needs or are physically or intellectually disabled, or an organisation which supports special needs or disabled clients. | $2,600 | Applicants must live within the Rotorua District. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Norman Steele Memorial Scholarship | To support students who whakapapa to Te Arawa and are enrolled full-time in a registered medical school in New Zealand. | TBC | New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Applicants must have completed one year of full-time study at a registered NZ Medical School. | 1 Sept 2026 | 31 January 2027 |
Peter, Joan and Kay Dean Reporoa Educational Past Pupils Scholarships | To support former Reporoa College students who are looking to retrain or upskill, and take the next step in their professional career. | TBC | New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Applicants must be aged between 16 and 25 as at 1 January and currently living in the Rotorua or Taupō Districts. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Putaruru Veterinary Club Education Scholarships | To support full-time students from the South Waikato District who are studying veterinary science, agriculture, or other fields that contribute to the farming sector. | TBC *The value of each scholarship will be based upon the cost of the successful applicant/s course of study. | New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Applicants must currently live or have lived for at least five of the past ten years, in the South Waikato District or the surrounding areas served by the Putāruru Veterinary Club. | 1 Sept 2026 | 31 Jan 2027 |
Robert & Jacqueline Mowbray Scholarship | Educational opportunities to assist local students of any age who are in greatest need to get the most out of their education. | $1,400 | New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Applicants must live within the Rotorua District and surrounding rural areas and be attending or have attended schools in the Rotorua District. Applicants must not have opportunities to access funding from other grants. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Ross Bohm Award | To help disabled sportspeople in the Rotorua and Taupō Districts to develop their potential. | $1,750 | New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Applicants must hold amateur status; that is, they are not paid to compete or participate in their chosen sport. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Rotorua Fund | To support charitable organisations or projects that benefit the Rotorua community, including Murupara and Kaingaroa. | $42,700 | Must be a resident incorporated society, registered charity or school/Kura in the Rotorua district including Murupara and Kaingaroa. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Rotorua Women’s Club Awards | To support women or women’s group make a difference in one of the following areas: • Arts – visual, literary or performing • Education – tertiary, technical or vocational • Family Welfare including women’s shelter and safety • Health – social, physical and mental wellbeing • Sport – costs associated with amateur sports. | $7,300 | New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Individual women and women’s groups based in the Rotorua District who are dedicated to creating positive change for local women and girls. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Taupō Fund | To support charitable organisations or projects that benefit the Taupō community including Tūrangi and Mangakino. | $7,300 | Must be a resident incorporated society, registered charity or school/Kura in the Taupō district including Tūrangi and Mangakino. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
The Bushman’s Son Award | To help talented, emerging artists and writers to study, engage with or participate in visual or written arts (drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, graphics, architecture, writing and poetry). | $1,550 | New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Applicants must be amateurs and not receive payment for work in their chosen art field. They must also reside in, or have family ties to, the Bay of Plenty region. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Geyser Vocal Development Fund | To help support classical singers aged 13 to 21. Up to FIVE Scholarships available. | $4,000 | NZ Citizens or residents who live in the Geyser Catchment aged 13 to 21. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Ynys Fraser Poetry Fund | To help local poets publish, find their voice, and meet their audience | $1,450 | New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Emerging or established poets residing or having family links in the Rotorua District aiming to publish their poetry. | 1 June 2026 | 30 June 2026 |
Please read ‘Full Criteria’ to ensure eligibility before submitting an application.
GIFTS/AWARDS/SCHOLARSHIPS BY NOMINATION
Name of Award | Purpose | Total Annual Value | Nominations Received By | Opening Date | Closing Date |
Peter O’Flaherty Scholarship | Students who may be considered ‘middle of the road’ but show promise and would benefit from support to further their education or build confidence. This scholarship could be used for opportunities such as career guidance, apprenticeships, private training, personal development programmes, or tertiary study. | TBC | Nominations received by the Principal of a secondary school, Kura, Polytech, or Wānanga within the Rotorua District. They should be aged between 15 and 25 and currently living in the Rotorua District. | Beginning of school year | 30 Sept 2026 |
Grumitt Sisters’ Scholarship | A Year 12 or 13 student from Rotorua Boys’ High School. | $1,600 | Annual award nominated by the Principal of Rotorua Boys’ High School. | Beginning of school year | 30 Sept 2026 |
Harold Holmes Student Grant | A Year 13 student who shows strong potential to make a positive difference in their community in the years ahead. | $2,500 | Each Rotorua high school Principal may nominate one Year 13 student for consideration. | Beginning of school year | 30 Sept 2026 |
Karen & Greg Hunt Scholarship | Year 13 student/s nominated by the Principal of Western Heights High School. | TBC | Annual award nominated by the Principal of Western Heights High School. | Beginning of the school year | 30 Sept 2026 |