The Mackenzie District Council was offered the opportunity to apply for $1.55m in funding in the first tranche of the Better Off Funding program through the Department of Internal Affairs. Given staff shortages, the Council engaged Xyst to piece together the application.
Funding was to be given to projects with strong cultural ties. Prior work with iwi on Te Manahuna Ki Uta had been completed, a Destination Management Plan identifying and ranking a large list of projects with our three Rūnanga. Using this plan, six projects were identified, scoped out, and put into the funding application in detail. Application forms were then pieced together and submitted to the DIA, resulting in a successful $1.55m in funding to the Council.