Expressions of Interest for the Fiordland Regional Events Fund are now being welcomed.
This is a contestable fund. Please refer to the following table for the key funding round dates:
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Expressions of Interest |
2023 Application Round 5 |
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Received all year round.
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Great South reserves the right to alter or amend this timeframe as required.
Fiordland Regional Event Fund - Expressions of Interest Form
About the Fiordland Regional Event Fund
The purpose of the Regional Event Fund is to stimulate inter and intra-regional visitation through funding events that will encourage expenditure missed by international visitor markets.
As part of the Government’s Tourism Recovery package, in late 2020 a $47.75 million Regional Events Fund (REF) was established and allocated to the nine International Marketing Alliance (IMA) groupings of the Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs). As Southland has two RTOs, Destination Fiordland RTO was allocated $850,000 through the Southern Lakes IMA and Southland RTO was allocated $442,444 through the Pure Southern Land IMA.
On behalf of both Southland RTOs, Great South has developed the investment plans that set out how the funding allocations for how the Southland and Fiordland funds will be spent. These plans align with the recently developed Southland Murihiku Events Strategy and have been approved by the REF’s administrating agency, MBIE. A high-level summary of both investment plans is below:
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Southland RTO |
Destination Fiordland RTO |
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Event Capability, Advice & Workshops |
$202,444 |
$240,000 |
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Business Events Development and Promotion |
$60,000 |
$60,000 |
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New and Existing Events |
$180,000 |
$550,000 |
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TOTAL |
$442,444 |
$850,000 |
As outlined in the investment plans, a component of the funding is to be made available to support eligible new and existing events via two contestable funds:
Southland Regional Event Fund - Fund closed as $180,000 in funding was allocated via two funding rounds
- $180,000 to be distributed over a 2-4 year timeframe
- Available for events held in the Southland RTO area
Fiordland Regional Event Fund
- $580,000 to be distributed over a 2-4 year timeframe
- Available for events held in the Fiordland RTO area
Both funds are administered by Great South who will be responsible for accountability back to MBIE.
Fiordland Regional Event Fund's Executive Summary
The key focus of the Southland and Fiordland Regional Event Investment Panels will be to ensure that those events funded from the Regional Events Fund maximise economic benefit to the region, optimise the region's assets and venues and drive out-of-region, non-competing domestic visitation to help compensate for some of the shortfall created by the lack of international visitors. This supports the immediate goal of assisting the wider business community in the region, while supporting local event operators and suppliers that have felt the full impact of border closures during 2020 and beyond.
Success will be measured via economic and social measures with higher weighting towards the economic benefit that events bring.
Fund Foundation Principles
The Foundation Principles of the fund include prioritising events that:
- Drive ‘out of region’ visitation
- Bring measurable economic benefit to the region
- Collaborate with, but do not compete with other regional or large national events
- Complement a regional calendar of events that is well-balanced to create year-round stimulation
- Offer leverage opportunities to local businesses
- Engage the local workforce
- Demonstrate community and social licence
- Utilise current regional infrastructure
- Use 50% local suppliers
- Demonstrate strategies to mitigate, reduce and offset carbon footprints.
Application Expectations
All applications will be considered based on:
- Strength of the funding proposition according to the principles and criteria of the Regional Event Funds (and as outlined in these guidelines)
- Implications and consideration of investment against the pool of funds remaining in the total fund for allocation
- Previous funding and funding from other sources
The Fund Criteria
The aim of the Fiordland Regional Event Fund is to primarily support commercial events that maximise economic benefit to the region, optimise the region’s assets and venues and drive ‘out of region’ visitation.
To be eligible for investment from either Fund, the event must be held within the Fiordland region.
Some events, depending on if the event is new, it’s size and the expected investment, may be subject to a pre-economic and social impact evaluation. All events will be subject to post-economic and social impact evaluation. This relates to the ability of an event to drive and stimulate benefits to the region in the form of new expenditure and or future investment to the region.
Before applying for investment support from the Fiordland Regional Event Fund, applicants should fully understand the eligibility and assessment criteria as follows.
Eligibility and Assessment Criteria
Foundation Principles and a robust set of criteria have been created to focus the investment of the Southland and Fiordland Event Funds.
Criteria will be updated as required and will apply to all investment decisions made within the 2022 period.
The Foundation Principles of the fund include prioritising events that:
- Drive ‘out of region’ visitation
- Bring measurable economic benefit to the region
- Collaborate with, but do not compete with other regional or large national events
- Complement a regional calendar of events that is well-balanced to create year-round stimulation
- Offer leverage opportunities to local businesses
- Engage the local workforce
- Demonstrate community and social licence
- Utilise current regional infrastructure
- Use 50% local suppliers
- Demonstrate strategies to mitigate, reduce and offset carbon footprints.
An event is unlikely to receive investment if it:
- Is a community focused event, that does not appeal to attendees outside of the region
- Is looking to support infrastructure or capital works costs
- Is seeking investment to underwrite an event
- Will adversely affect an existing event due to timing or any other reason
- Does not allow sufficient time to apply for and attain council consent – e.g. resource consent or permits
- Does not procure 50% of local suppliers
- Engages out of region human resource at the expense of local resource
- Is not supported by an experienced event management team or person
- Does not provide a complete and up-to-date health and safety plan that incorporates a risk management plan
- Is generating a large profit or surplus, suggesting that investment is not required
- Does not meet minimum criteria via mandatory economic impact pre event reporting
- Cannot be supported by regional infrastructure
- Fails to prove that the event has the social licence to take place within the region
- Primary purpose is to promote religious, ministry or political objectives.
- Is for rent or accommodation costs
- is for staff salaries or wages
How to Apply for Funding Support
The Fiordland Regional Events Fund is a contestable fund with two funding rounds each year held in September. There can only be one application per event each year to either Fund.
Before applying, applicants must read the terms and conditions.
Expressions of Interest (EOI)
Applicants MUST complete the appropriate Expression of Interest registration form Fiordland Regional Events Fund Expression of Interest Registration Form in the first instance.
Expressions of Interest (EOIs) can be digitally submitted year round and applicant support can be sought via the Southland Regional Development Agency Great South office 03 211 1400 or by emailing Karen Witham karen@greatsouth.nz.
Applications
Once an EOI is submitted, Great South will review and assess eligibility. Successful applicants will then be invited to complete and submit a full application form which will be considered in one of the two funding rounds in March or September. Please note that being invited to submit an application does not guarantee Fund investment. Events will undergo a rigorous due diligence assessment prior to any referral to the relevant Investment Panel, who allocate the Fund at their sole discretion.
Full Application Process
Great South will facilitate the process to allocate funds which is as follows:
Timeframes for Applications
The Fiordland Regional Events Fund are allocated bi-annually. Applications for each round will be open 4-6 weeks prior to allocation of the fund. Applications must complete an Expression of Interest in the first instance and submit the additional document as per the EOI.
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Expressions of Interest |
2023 Application Round 5 |
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Received all year round.
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Expression of Interest Stage
Applicants can register Expression of Interests all year round.
Application support is provided as appropriate, via the Southland Regional Development Agency Great South office by emailing Karen Witham karen@greatsouth.nz.
Applications
Once an EOI is submitted and additional documents have been received, Great South will review and assess eligibility. Successful applicants will then be invited to complete and submit a full application which will be considered in one of the two funding rounds in March or September. Please note that being invited to submit an application does not guarantee Fund investment. Events will undergo a rigorous due diligence assessment prior to any referral to the Panel, who allocate the fund at their sole discretion.
Eligible applications will be assessed using the information given in the application form. Applications that do not address each question adequately may not be considered.
Once you have completed the EOI form, please email the following documents to karen@greatsouth.nz:
- Events Business Plan and Budget
- Communications Plan
- Health and Safety / Risk Management Plan
- List of key suppliers
After a submitted application has undergone due diligence, successful applications will be referred to the Investment Panel for consideration and a final decision will be full and final.
The Fiordland Regional Events Fund Panel will consist of the following:
- Southland District Council Ward Councillor – Cr Ebel Kremer
- Fiordland Community Board Chair – Sarah Greaney
- GM Tourism and Events, Great South – Bobbi Brown
- Events and Conference Manager, Great South – Karen Witham
Successful Applicants
Once funding has been approved, all successful applicants will receive a Funding Agreement. This is a formal contract which outlines what is expected of event organisers and the amount of funding being granted from the Fiordland Regional Events Fund.
The funding agreement will also outline the post-event reporting requirements for event organisers.
Issuing Funding
Funding will be paid out subject to the terms within the Funding Agreement but it is expected that this would be no earlier than 3 months before the commencement of an existing event.
Post Event Requirements
After the event and as per their Funding Agreements, all successful applicants will be required to formally report to Great South on the following:
- An overall summary of the event addressing how the conditions outlined in the funding agreement have been met including proof of delivery/success of the event for all measures stated in the application form;
- A description of the overall success/failure of the event via a post event economic/social impact evaluation;
- Copies of receipts showing the expenditure of the funding or verified event P&L Audited attendance figures including an outline of the methodology used and a breakdown of confirmed figures and estimated totals;
- An analysis of how the Funding has enabled the applicant to achieve the expected outcomes of investment.
Fiordland Regional Events Fund - Expressions of Interest Form
Fiordland Regional Events Fund - Terms & Conditions
Download - Regional Events Fund Guidelines