How to Apply

The Application Process

Please make sure that you have checked that you are eligible to apply for Otago Community Trust funding before starting the application process.

Step 1: Eligibility

If your organisation has never applied to Otago Community Trust before, first ensure that your organisation is eligible for a grant from the Trust.

Our website has clear information on  Who we Fund, What we Fund and What we do not Fund.

You are always welcome to ring our Grants team to discuss your application on 0800 10 12 40 or email info@oct.org.nz

Step 2: Login to Otago Community Trust Grants Portal 

When you ready to apply for a grant you will be taken to a initial welcome page of our Grants Portal. 

The Grants Portal will give you greater visibility of the funding process. You will be able to view applications in progress, see approved grants and payments and complete accountability reports. 

The process is different for first time applicants and returning applicants, see below for further information.

The Grants Portal will allow you to:

• Log-in to complete a Grant application (returning applicants)

• Take our Eligibility Quiz (for first time applicants)

• Complete our Registration Form (for first time applicants) to gain a login and password

• Reset or create a password

Step 3: Complete your Application

• Once you have logged into the Grants Portal, you can then select the correct application form for the type of grant that best fits your project (i.e., Community Response Grant under $10k or over $10k, Capital Project Grant over $50k, Regional Sport Grant, Social Services Grant etc...)

• You need to answer all the application form questions, remembering to save regularly so that you can come back to it at a later date if need be. If you have started an application form but not completed it, you can find that in Pending Requests.

• We may request you submit some supporting documents with your application, these can be uploaded by clicking on the ‘+’ button. Supporting documents that we may ask you to submit include:
  • Bank verified account details
  • Most recent Annual Financial Statements these must not be more than 18 months old
  • Most recent bank statements for all bank accounts held, including investments

• When you have completed the application form, click on Save then Click Submit. Check that the application is submitted and that no errors have popped up. 

• If there is missing information in the application form, it will not submit and move into the Otago Community Trust portal. Any errors or missing information will appear in red on the application form.

• If the application form has been submitted correctly then the application is moved into the Submitted Requests.

To help you prepare please review the Key Tips for using the Grants Portal below or our more detailed Frequently Asked Questions.

Step 4: Decision Notification

Otago Community Trust generally takes between 6 to 8 weeks to process and approve an application. Generally, we are able to meet this timeframe but sometimes when we have a large number of applications or if we haven’t got all the information trustees require then it may take longer.

Our trustees make the final decisions on all applications.

A decision may be either Approved, Deferred or Declined. 

Approved Applications - If your grant is approved the primary contact person in your application will receive an email letting them know there is correspodence awaiting in the Grants Portal, this will outline the amount we have approved and any funding conditions. Any funding conditions that we have specified will need to be met before your grant can be uplifted (paid out). 

Deferred Applications - If an application is deferred it is generally because our trustees and / or grants team require more information before we can fully consider your application and / or make a decision.

Declined Applications - If your application is not successful, it maybe that you did not meet our criteria. One of our team will ring and give you a reason why your application may have been declined. 

Step 5: Accountability Reporting

If you have received funding from us we will ask for an accountability report to be submitted. In general, this will be 12 months after you have received your grant.

The now you have your grant page provides greater detail on our requirements after your grant has been approved.