The Māori Development Fund (the Fund) is aligned to and contributes to the Government’s Māori economic growth plan Going for Growth with Māori | Tōnui Māori.

The Fund is administered by Te Puni Kōkiri and makes grants (also known as investments) to eligible kaitono, subject to specific criteria and funding availability. These grants help the Government support Iwi and Māori businesses and organisations to achieve better outcomes for Māori.

Budget 2025 allocated $40.21m per annum to the Māori Development Fund from 1 July 2025.

The Māori Development Fund FY2025/2026 investment priorities are:

• Investment Priority 1: Improved productivity of Iwi and Māori assets and co-investment in infrastructure.
• Investment Priority 2: Increased Māori export revenues.

The Fund also supports Māori community resilience initiatives that build capability to deliver economic, social and cultural outcomes for Māori. There will be a particular focus on proposals that help build marae resilience, and those that support rangatahi into education, employment, and formal training pathways.

Funding proposals must meet several eligibility and investment criteria.  

What is the Māori Development Fund aiming to achieve?

The Māori Development Fund (the Fund) supports the Government’s Going for Growth with Māori | Tōnui Māori, by focusing on infrastructure investment, unlocking the growth potential of Māori assets, and accelerating exports.

• Intervention Logic: Māori Development Fund
• Māori Development Fund Investment Plan

Who can apply for funding from the Māori Development Fund?

A wide range of legal entities can submit proposals, provided they are based in New Zealand, and the proposal is submitted by a single legal entity, such as a:

• registered incorporated society
• limited liability company
• trust incorporated under the Charitable Trust Act 1957 and registered with the Companies Office
• statutory entity, including a Māori Trust Board (Māori Trust Boards Act 1955) or Māori Association (Māori Community Development Act 1962)
• trusts and incorporations set up under Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993
• other entities with a demonstrated ability to receive and administer Government funds.

Note: Groups can partner with a legal entity, or a legal entity can act as an umbrella organisation for another entity or group of entities, with the documented consent of those groups.

What kinds of projects can be funded?

The Māori Development Fund Investment Plan sets out the investment priorities for the coming year. The Fund can be used to support initiatives and activities that contribute directly to these priorities (please also read the Fund’s eligibility and investment criteria).

Examples of what may be funded include:

• specialist/technical advice, including feasibility studies and business cases that help kaitono become investment-ready. This could, for example, make access to capital to implement a significant, at-scale project easier, by de-risking the project
• resources that lift the productivity, diversity and value of Iwi and Māori assets, and/or accelerate Māori export revenue
• marae development plans, including planning to make marae economically self-sustainable, and those that help marae prepare for natural emergencies
• initiatives to support rangatahi into employment, education and formal training pathways.

We cannot fund:

• activities that will mostly be undertaken outside of New Zealand (there may be some very limited exceptions if the activities are essential for the delivery of a specific initiative)
• international travel and accommodation
• initiatives with options for alternative finance or funding from other sources, and where investment from the Māori Development Fund would not significantly accelerate change
• business-as-usual activities for the kaitono, such as operational costs
• legal advocacy, arbitration/mediation, or litigation costs, including court costs. Legal advice of other kinds may be able to be funded
• purchase of vehicles, buildings, land, businesses, or shares
• retrospective events and activities
• alcohol
• medical bills
• payment of existing debts
• events that have a political component or purpose.

What are the criteria against which funding proposals are assessed?

Proposals will be assessed against the eligibility and investment criteria.  To be prioritised for investment, your proposal will need to describe how it meets each of these criteria.

Māori Development Fund Eligibility Criteria

For a funding proposal to be eligible for investment, it must meet all the eligibility criteria set out below. Funding proposals that do not meet these criteria will be declined on eligibility grounds.

To be eligible for investment, proposals must:

a. Be made by a single legal entity based in New Zealand, including the following:	registered incorporated society limited liability company trust incorporated under the Charitable Trust Act 1957 and registered with the Companies Office statutory entity, including a Māori Trust Board (Māori Trust Boards Act 1955) or Māori Association (Māori Community Development Act 1962), Māori Incorporation trusts and Incorporations set up under Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 other entities with a demonstrated ability to receive and administer Government funds. Note: Groups can partner with a legal entity, or a legal entity can act as an umbrella organisation for another entity or group of entities, with the documented consent of those groups.
b. Meet due diligence requirements for investment, including:	entity can meet their financial obligations if co-funding is required from entities other than the applicant, written confirmation of their commitment to contribute the stated amount must be provided with the proposal any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest are declared, able to reasonably be managed, and a management plan is in place if a decision-making member of the organisation has been declared bankrupt or convicted of offences that could impact the initiative or reasonably be seen to bring it, or Te Puni Kōkiri, into disrepute, a management plan sufficiently addressing the risk must be provided identifies potential risks and has mitigations in place to manage these governance approval is evidenced. For proposals involving joint governance or an umbrella organisation, written confirmation of governance or ownership arrangements must include agreement from all parties, and provisions for conflict resolution and exit providing a Child and Vulnerable Adults Protection Policy if the proposal includes working with children (under 18 years) or vulnerable adults a completed proposal that is signed and endorsed by an authorised signatory.
c. Intend to deliver the Investment Outcomes of at least one of the two Investment Priorities in the Māori Development Fund Investment Plan, or an initiative building capability to deliver economic, social and cultural outcomes for local Māori communities.

Proposals will not be eligible for investment if they are for:

activities that will mostly be undertaken outside of New Zealand (some very limited exceptions may be possible if the activities are essential for the delivery of a specific initiative) international travel and accommodation initiatives with options for alternative finance or funding from other sources and investment from the Māori Development Fund would not significantly accelerate change business-as-usual activities for the kaitono such as operational costs legal advocacy, arbitration/mediation, or litigation costs, including court costs (legal advice of other kinds may be able to be funded) purchase of vehicles, buildings, land, businesses, or shares retrospective events and activities alcohol medical bills payment of existing debts events that have a political component or purpose.

Māori Development Fund Investment Criteria

Eligible proposals will be prioritised for investment if they meet the following investment criteria:

1. Provide data and evidence to demonstrate the achievement of outcomes.	Te Puni Kōkiri is required to report the outcomes the Māori Development Fund is delivering. To enable this, funding proposals need to describe the change the investment support has achieved since the investment. Kaitono agree to provide data and evidence to Te Puni Kōkiri to show that investment outcomes have been achieved.
2. Provide credible evidence to substantiate the expected return on investment.	Kaitono will need to provide credible data and analysis that demonstrates how the expected return on investment will be achieved.
3. Demonstrate a robust, specific and credible plan to secure any further investment that the initiative may need for implementation.	The Māori Development Fund is not intended to provide ongoing funding for programmes and services. Proposals should clearly identify how their initiative will be implemented (including how investment for implementation will be secured), how the initiative will be financially viable once Te Puni Kōkiri funding ceases, and their plan to achieve self-sustainability. An application, or an intention to apply, for further Government funding will not be sufficient unless there are very specific circumstances that make this pathway credible.
4. Avoid duplication of Government investment and support.	Te Puni Kōkiri seeks to make a distinct contribution to Māori wellbeing and development. It is expected that kaitono have been supported to explore whether other agencies are the more appropriate funding or co-funding partner to ensure that Te Puni Kōkiri funds are not invested in activities typically supported by other agencies. Where Te Puni Kōkiri is co-funding a proposal with another Government agency, the activities funded by Te Puni Kōkiri should be distinct from those funded by the other agency and must be independently attributed. If a kaitono has requested funding for multiple proposals, or via multiple Te Puni Kōkiri offices, these proposals will, where possible, be consolidated into a single proposal to ensure there is no duplication.
5. Maintain a balanced portfolio of investment across investment priorities, entities, and regional distribution.	There is an expectation that investments will be distributed in a balanced way across investment priorities, regions and entities. Where an investment of a large value is requested, or repeated investment from a single entity is requested, or a proposal duplicates activities in an existing application or investment, the impact of this on the balance of the investment portfolio will be taken into consideration during investment decisions.
6. Demonstrate reasonable costs and value for money	Proposals should provide sufficient detail around proposal costs to enable analysis of the comparative value of expenditure. Where costs are considered comparatively high, justification for expenses may be requested, or taken into consideration during investment decisions.

Frequently asked questions

When can I submit a proposal?

The Māori Development Fund does not have funding rounds. You can submit a funding proposal at any time, but please contact the nearest Te Puni Kōkiri regional office first, to check funding availability and to discuss the eligibility and investment criteria.

How do I submit a proposal?

Please contact your nearest Te Puni Kōkiri regional office to discuss your proposal. Our kaimahi will explain how to proceed. You will be asked to complete a proposal template. Please feel free to ask for assistance if anything is unclear or if you would like to talk through your approach. You can email (or post) your funding proposal to the initiating regional office.

We strongly recommend you discuss your proposal with the nearest Te Puni Kōkiri regional office before completing the proposal template. We are aware of the time and effort kaitono put into proposals and our kaimahi are happy to work through the steps with you to make sure your proposal has every opportunity to be fully considered.

A discussion with our regional kaimahi will help you decide whether to proceed and will help you understand the criteria, process and information requirements. Submitting a proposal that does not:

• meet Māori Development Fund criteria; and/or
• use the template provided; and/or
• provide all the requested information

will mean that your proposal will not be able to proceed.

What information will I have to provide in my proposal?

The information you need to provide is outlined in the proposal form. Ensure that your proposal is complete, and clearly demonstrates how it meets the eligibility and investment criteria, and aligns with the scope of the purpose of the Investment Plan.  Please contact your nearest Te Puni Kōkiri regional office if you have any queries.

How will my proposal be assessed?

Your proposal will be assessed against the eligibility and assessment criteria.

Who will decide whether my proposal is funded?

An Investment Committee comprised of senior Te Puni Kōkiri officials reviews and approves proposals for funding. Some investment decisions for Community Resilience proposals are made by Te Puni Kōkiri Regional Directors. 

How long will it take to get a decision on my proposal?

In most cases, you will be advised whether your proposal has been successful within six to eight weeks following receipt of your completed proposal.

If you are not successful, you will be given the reason(s) for declining your proposal.

What happens if my proposal is approved?

Te Puni Kōkiri will be in touch to confirm the approval of your proposal and to explain next steps. An investment agreement will be sent to you for your agreement and signature, along with reporting templates so you are aware of the information required in our outcome reports.

What conditions apply to the funding if my proposal is approved?

The terms and conditions of the Māori Development Fund Investment Agreement are here.  The work programme that you submit in the proposal template will also form part of your Investment Agreement with Te Puni Kōkiri if your proposal is approved. 

Why do I need to provide information throughout the project to show what is being achieved?

Like other government agencies, Te Puni Kōkiri needs to explain to Ministers, the public, and central government agencies (such as the Treasury) how the Māori Development Fund has been used and what has been achieved with the funding.

Therefore, you need to provide information at various stages, including in your proposal, via progress reports and a wrap-up report at the end of the funded initiative. We will also contact you after the funded initiative has been completed, to measure the impact of the investment. You may also be asked to be part of the independent evaluation of the Māori Development Fund that will be commissioned in the future (for completion in 2029).

When will I have to report on my project?

This depends on the size, duration and nature of your project. The dates and frequency of reporting will be set out in your funding agreement, and a reporting template will be provided to help you meet reporting requirements. 

What information do I have to provide in the project reports?

The information you will be asked to provide is here. This will be set out in the report templates provided to you with the Investment Agreement that will be sent to you for your agreement and signature.

Who has been funded previously?

Te Puni Kōkiri publishes annual lists of funding recipients.