About the funding

Since the Essential Freshwater reforms were introduced in 2020 we have been putting in place systems and processes to assist freshwater restoration and protection. Now our focus is shifting to providing more people and professionals with knowledge and skills to make the reforms happen

The Ministry identified people and organisations to help develop projects that improve capability and capacity within the freshwater management system. We worked with the Ministry for Primary Industries to seek out projects to fund.

The projects chosen are helping to upskill, train and provide information and tools for:

  • people in community groups
  • tangata whenua
  • regional and unitary councils
  • rural advisory businesses and other organisations.

The Essential Freshwater Fund is part of the $1.219 billion Jobs for Nature funding programme.

Our partnerships

Our partnerships have been both internal and external, with a mix of private and public groups and organisations.

These include:

  • Ministry for Primary Industries
  • Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust
  • National Iwi Chairs Forum Pou Taiao
  • New Zealand Landcare Trust
  • New Zealand Association of Resource Management
  • regional councils.

Funded projects

See a list of funded projects that are contracted or allocated funding from the Essential Freshwater Fund. 

This list will be updated as more projects are announced.