What funding is available
Trust funding is available to Approved Clients who are participating in a Waitangi Tribunal District Inquiry, a Waitangi Tribunal Remedies Inquiry or in settlement negotiations with the Crown. This funding is available to assist Approved Clients to prepare, present and negotiate their Wai claims which involve or could involve Crown Forest Licenced Land.
The Trust provides funding contributions for specified activities (known as fundable activities). It does not fund the full costs of these fundable activities, only funding contributions up to a maximum limit set by the Trust’s funding benchmarks. Benchmarks are only given to Approved Clients.
The fundable activities and funding contributions available for these activities differ according to whether an Approved Client is participating in a Waitangi Tribunal District Inquiry, a Waitangi Tribunal Remedies Inquiry, or in settlement negotiations. At a general level however, funding contributions are available for:
- operations;
- hearing hosting costs;
- specialist advice;
- research, and
- mapping.
More detail about fundable activities and funding benchmarks are in the claimant guide.
Applying for Trust funds
An Approved Client seeking Trust funds must apply to the Trust by completing a funding request and providing supporting documents. A funding request must include:
- a letter from the Approved Client submitting the funding request;
- a completed funding application form;
- a business plan setting out the rationale for the funding request; and
- a complete and detailed budget.
Note that funding application forms are not available online. Please contact Trust staff.
Relevant funding benchmarks may be made available to help Approved Clients complete funding requests. Trust staff will provide these as well as templates for business plans and budgets.
The Trust must receive funding requests, including supporting documents, by a specific date (i.e. typically one month before a Trustee meeting). Trustees meet in the third week of every month. Trust staff can advise the most appropriate date to submit funding requests.
Funding requests must be complete and final. An incomplete funding request or a funding request with significant errors could affect the outcome.
Upon receiving a funding request, Trust staff will assess this against Trust funding polices and then submit to Trustees at the next available Trustee meeting. Only Trustees can decide about funding requests.
For more detail about how to apply for Trust funds, ask for the claimant guide.
Contact Trust staff
A claimant group or an Approved Client wishing to apply for Trust funding should contact the Trust before completing their funding request. This will ensure that unnecessary issues and delays are avoided.
