“One of the Trust’s key sectors for funding is in the support of projects and organisations that protect and enhance the environment we live,” says Grants Manager, Mat Begg, “it is great to see a strong focus from the Upper Clutha region in this area.”
For a second year running Central Lakes Trust (CLT) has granted support for the Wao Summit, approving over $77,000 at the October board meeting towards the delivery of the 2022 Summit.
Wao has partnered with a number of other groups to continue the development of the Upper Clutha as a sustainability hub and a leader of the Green Economy.
Program Director, Monique Kelly says, “Our six-day Wao Summit is a 360 degree approach to creating and fostering tangible social and environmental change at every level. The Summit has grown into a nationally recognised event to stimulate action at the grassroots level. We are very grateful for the support of CLT, it goes a long way to making our Summit.”
The Wao Summit is comprised of over 45 events with an anticipated 2,500 participants across a number of presentations and workshops designed to inspire, educate and enable the community to build resilience to change and the environmental challenges facing them.
Another group to receive funding was Wanaka Wastebusters with a grant towards a replacement community education vehicle. The group run an education programme through Enviroschools involving over 4,800 students.
“In keeping with their philosophy around protection of the environment and reducing carbon emissions, they have chosen an electric vehicle (EV). CLT has granted as per our funding criteria, but also an additional $7,500 to match the government’s clean car rebate. This is a relatively new policy created by the trustees at the start of 2022, designed to promote the uptake and conversion to EV’s and further remove barriers for some groups to do so,” Mr Begg says.
He adds, “An EV will enable the educators to 'Walk the Talk'.”
Fifteen grants in total were approved by the board, totalling over $300,000, bringing the grants approved for the financial year ending 31 March 2023 to $7.15 million, from a grants budget of $12 million.