Colin & Jenny McDonald Fund
Applications open 1 June and close midnight 30 June.
Total Value for 2026: $1,250
The purpose of the Colin & Jenny McDonald Fund is to support disabled individuals of any age with the purchase of specialist equipment to improve daily living, education, or employment opportunities and assisting classical musicians 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.
Criteria for applicants
- Applicants must be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents.
- The same recipient/s could receive a gift in consecutive years.
The Fund is set up with two different purposes as set out below.
Half the annual award is to assist disabled persons of any age to buy specialist equipment needed to enhance their day to day living, work or education requirements and opportunities.
Half the annual award is to assist classical musicians (as a preference but not limited to) of any age to further their studies to gain tertiary, advanced or diploma level qualifications from nationally or internationally recognised bodies, or to assist with the purchase of instruments, music and texts for individuals who are working towards such qualification. Recipients required to move outside the geographical area covered by the Geyser Community Foundation (currently the Rotorua and Taupō District communities and the Central Volcanic Plateau region) to further or complete their studies can continue to receive support if the original gift was awarded while they were living in the area.
If there are no applications in one area, then those funds in that year may be distributed in the other.
Funds are to be used to support disabled individuals and/or classical musicians. Examples include:
- Equipment Purchase
- Specialised computers and programmes
- Home living aids, work aids and educational aids
- Study/Course fees and/or resources
- Instrument purchase or repair
Urgent or retrospective applications:
Events and costs must not commence or be incurred before funding decisions are made in August/September 2026.
If your event or costs is due to start around the funding decision dates, please contact us before submitting an application.
Before You Apply
Please ensure you have the following information available before starting your application:
- Purpose of your application
- Ensure answers are under 1000 characters. Note, spaces, full stops, commas etc are included in character count.
- Proof or verification of your organisation’s bank account details.
- Any additional supplementary information you would like considered as part of your application.
Applicants will be asked to upload supporting documentation as part of the application process.
To Apply
Applications now go through our new online grants portal, making it easier to save and manage your applications all in one place. You will need to create an account to submit an application, by registering with your email and create a password.
Please click on ‘Apply Now’ to login or create an account. (We recommend bookmarking this page in your browser)
To Create an Account
Once you click ‘Apply Now’ you will go to the Grant Portal Login page. Click ‘Not a member?’ at the bottom right and follow
the prompts.
Applications forms are under the ‘Funding Programs’ Tab – (2026 Scholarship Funding)
Important You must answer every question to be able to save your application. If you do not
have all the information enter placeholder text e.g. 123 or ABC.
Then you can save your application and continue to edit until ready to submit
To access or view your application at any time
- log in to your grant portal account
- go to ‘My Applications’
- click on the application under ‘Funding Request Name’
- Continue with application or view application updates
Other important Information
- Late applications will not be accepted.
- Funds must be used for the charitable purpose for which they were gifted.
- Successful applicants will be selected by the Geyser Community Foundation. The decision will be final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
- Successful recipients may be required to be available for interviews and to participate in promotional activities agreed with the donors. Information about the gifts and the way in which they have been spent may be used by the Geyser Community Foundation for promotional purposes.
- Successful applicants are encouraged to acknowledge the Geyser Community Foundation in their promotional activities and on social media. #geysergifts
- The gift may be revoked if the recipient’s behaviour is inappropriate or the recipient has breached conditions of the gift.
- It is expected that the recipient will use the gift within 12 months of receipt.
Reporting
The successful applicants will be required to provide a written report about how they spent
the grant and outline the impact it has made on their lives. Report must be received by the
Geyser Community Foundation within six months of receiving the grant or otherwise
stated.
Important Dates
Applications open: 1 June 2026
Applications close: Midnight 30 June 2026
Review and decision-making: July / August
Notification of decisions: August / September
Celebration of Giving Awards: Taupō 22 September 2026 & Rotorua 24 September 2026
Grant Payment: 20 September 2026
Round Table Reporting: June 2027 (Date TBC)
Accountability Reports: 31 March 2027
For queries regarding your application please contact our Community Engagement Officer,
Leanne Rankin leanne@geysercf.org.nz