Landowners, iwi, community groups and environmental organisations are invited to learn more about Otago Regional Council’s (ORC) ECO Fund and how to submit a strong application, with two free webinars taking place on March 3 and 10.

ORC councillor Chanel Gardner said the 2026 ECO Fund will open for applications on March 16, with a total $919,800 available - a similar amount to last year.

“The ECO Fund information webinar on March 3 is about clarity. We want potential applicants, including those who have applied before, to understand what the fund is designed to achieve in 2026, what’s changed, and how to position their project well before applications open,” she said.

The following week, ORC will host a Preparing a Strong Funding Application webinar at 7pm on Tuesday March 10, designed to help applicants strengthen their submissions and maximise their impact.

“The second webinar is practical. Good environmental projects deserve strong applications. Whether you’re new to funding or experienced, this session will walk through what makes a proposal clear, credible and aligned with Council priorities. We encourage all applicants to take part.”

Two ECO Fund categories have been updated this year: Hill country erosion management, replacing Critical Source Area Management on private land, focuses on reducing sediment and soil loss through erosion control measures. 

This includes stock-exclusion fencing and tree planting for erosion control.

Total funding available: $51,100

Scaling up for biodiversity replaces Large-scale Biodiversity Projects and supports projects that protect and enhance native biodiversity at a larger scale.

 It also aims to help community groups build delivery experience and transition towards the Large-Scale Environmental (LSE) Fund or other long-term funding sources.

Total funding available: $306,600

Four existing ECO Fund categories will continue unchanged:

• General — total funding up to $306,600
• Sustained rabbit management incentives — up to $102,200
• Biodiversity enhancement on protected private land — up to $102,200
• Weed removal and revegetation — up to $51,100

The ORC said there are some new requirements when applicants apply for funding.

“We’ve introduced a quote requirement this year. It’s a straightforward step that strengthens accountability and helps ensure ratepayer money is used carefully, while still keeping the process accessible for community groups and landowners,” Chanel said.

The ECO Fund is one of the largest regional council environmental funds of its kind in New Zealand. Every dollar allocated comes from an Otago home or business. 

“That means we have a responsibility to continually demonstrate value and maintain public confidence in how the fund operates.”

More information about the webinars and the ECO Fund is available at orc.govt.nz/ecofundwebinar

Established in July 2018, ORC’s ECO Fund supports work that protects, enhances and promotes Otago’s environment to enable iwi, communities’ and private landowners’ environmental activities. An annual review process occurs, to set up the funding categories for each year which align with Council’s strategic directions.

Since 2018, the ECO fund has supported 194 projects from 420 applications, distributing just over $3.64 million (out of $10.45 million requested) across 11 application rounds. Each round has averaged 38 applications and has been oversubscribed by an average of 300%.