About the fund
The Regional Events Promotion Fund (REPF) provides $5 million over 2 years to support the promotion of regional events to the domestic market. The aim of the fund is to encourage regional dispersal and increase visitor spend in the regions with an additional focus on encouraging seasonal dispersal by promoting events outside of the peak summer season.
In Southland, the fund is being administered by Great South on behalf of Ministry of Business Innovation & Employment, and is for events to be held in the Southland and Fiordland Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO) areas.
Event organisers are not eligible to apply directly to the fund and should engage with Great South, who will assess applications before submitting them.
Co-funding can be used to promote the event or to provide to an event organiser (through a third-party contract) for promotional activity relating to that event.
How to apply
A separate application form must be completed for each event, which must be forwarded to Great South for submission to MBIE.
There are two funding rounds:
- Round One – for events taking place between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025. Applications are now open!
Decisions are expected to be announced in mid-June 2024
- Round Two – for events taking place between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026.
A maximum of $237,500 is available per round.
Applications for Round 1 open Monday 8 April 2024.
Application forms must be submitted to Great South by Friday 10 May 2024, allowing Great South time to collate all applications for submission to MBIE by close of business day Friday 17 May 2024. No late applications will be accepted.
Note: If applications total more than $237,500, Great South will email individual event organisers about reducing the amount requested ahead of the submission date.
Fund criteria:
- Funding is for event promotion costs only
- Events can be either new events or established, recurring events (the event must be able to measure return on investment where possible)
- Events must be ticketed/paid, and/or registration events
- All application forms for funding must be submitted via the RTO (Great South).
Co-funding requirements
- Applicants must co-fund at least 50% of promotion costs
- In-kind contributions are not permitted
- REPF funding should not be used to substitute existing promotional budget but to enhance the amount available for promotional purposes.
Funding will not be available for:
- Events which take place in the New Year summer period between 25 December and 7 January
- Events which will take place in Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, Hamilton & Waikato Tourism, WellingtonNZ, ChristchurchNZ and Destination Queenstown
- Events already receiving funding from the Major Events Fund, Creative and Cultural Events Incubator, Regional Events Fund, Ministry of Culture & Heritage or other government agencies (between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025)
- Free events and events which do not drive out-of-region visitation (e.g. annual Santa Parades, community farmers markets).
Additional notes/ FAQ:
- Funding is for domestic promotion only, no request for international marketing will be approved
- Applications should demonstrate increased economic gain through increased attendance
- Application forms submitted to Great South must be returned as word document (PDF’s will not be accepted)
- All information must be included within the application form, applications should not include any additional attachments
- Applicants must co-fund at least 50% of promotion costs. Co-funding can be either existing or planned spend. Favourable consideration will be given if the organiser proposes to invest additional promotional funding.
- All funding granted will be paid by MBIE to Great South. You will be required to enter into a third-party agreement with Great South as per the terms of MBIE. Great South will require an invoice to be submitted with the third-party agreement for funding to be transferred.
- Events that are successful with their application will be required to complete a post event report which will includes total attendees, bed nights achieved.
If you would like to discuss your application to the fund prior to completing your application form, please contact:
Great South Conference and Events Manager Karen Witham karen@greatsouth.nz