Regional Events Promotion Fund

Applications are open from 3 April and close 16 April 2025

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 fund aims 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, with applicants required to engage with Great South, who will assess applications before submitting. The decision to apply for REPF funding will be made by the Great South.

Who and how to apply

Events held with the Invercargill City Council, Southland District Council, and Gore District Council are eligible to apply for funding. A separate application form must be completed for each event, which must be forwarded to Great South for submission to MBIE.

The fund offers two funding rounds:

  • Round One (Fund closed) – for events taking place between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025
  • Round Two (Fund open) – for events taking place between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026. Applications for round are open on Thursday 3 April with documents required to MBIE by Wednesday 16 April 2025
  • Application forms must be submitted to Great South Conference and Events Manager Karen Witham email: karen@greatsouth.nz by 12 noon Tuesday 15 April 2025, allowing time to collate all applications for submission to MBIE by close of business Wednesday 16 April 2025. NO LATE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Applicants can apply for 1 or more events. The minimum amount of funding available for each event is $5,000. The total funding for additional event promotion costs across all approved events for that RTO (Great South) cannot exceed $237,500 per round.

Applications for Round 2 is open Thursday 3 April and closes 16 April 2025. 

Applications forms

Application forms must be submitted to Great South by 12 noon Tuesday 15 April, allowing Great South time to collate all applications for submission to MBIE by close of business day Thursday 16 April 2025. No late applications will be considered. 

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.

Assessment criteria:

Applications will be assessed using the following criteria looking at the likelihood of the event:

  • To attract more out-of-region visitors
  • To attract additional multi-day visitors
  • Will deliver economic impact for visitors in the host region
  • To grow tourism /benefits attendance for the applicant’s region.

 

Fund criteria: 

  • Funding is for event promotion costs only
  • In-kind contributions are not permitted
  • Applicants can apply for up to 50% of their existing promotional budget to undertake additional promotion of an event
  • Events taking place between 25 December and 7 January are excluded from this fund
  • REPF funding should not be used to substitute the existing promotional budget. It is to enhance the amount available for promotional purposes
  • REPF funding will not provide funding for: free events, A&P Shows, craft markets, farmers markets, Santa parades, conference, school events, touring music and international acts, major commercial sporting events
  • 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
  • The minimum amount of funding available for each event is $5,000
  • All application forms for funding must be submitted via the RTO (Great South).

Funding will not be available for: 

  • If a final report has not been received for an event which received funding in round 1, that event will not be considered for round 2 funding
  • 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 (between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026)
  • 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
  • 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