More Māori-led events celebrating the stories, traditions and identity of Tauranga Moana and the Western Bay of Plenty are receiving support through an expanded regional funding programme.

The Kaupapa Māori Event Fund, established in 2019 by Tauranga City Council and TECT Community Trust, has broadened its reach after a 2025 review opened eligibility to first-time events and attracted additional funding partners.

A Tauranga City Council release said the fund supports events that celebrate Te Ao Māori, strengthen connections to Tauranga Moana Tangata Whenua and provide opportunities for communities to engage with local culture, history and tikanga.

Bay Trust joined the partnership in 2022, while Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Acorn Foundation have since come on board, extending support across the wider district.

Paula Hudson, community impact manager at TECT Community Trust, said the collaborative approach was helping more Māori-led events succeed.

“The Kaupapa Māori Event Fund demonstrates the impact that can be achieved when funding partners and local councils come together with a shared commitment to supporting kaupapa Māori,” she said.

“We’re now able to provide more support and a greater reach for Māori-led events, helping them thrive and support the people and communities who bring them to life.”

This financial year, funding has been approved for 13 events, many of which feature in the Matariki Te Tauranga o Ngā Waka 2026 programme.

The month-long celebration runs from June 16 to July 16 and includes community-led events across Tauranga and the Western Bay.

Funded events include Matariki Katikati, Matariki ki Tauranga Moana, Matariki Light Up the Waterways and the Waihī Beach Matariki Dawn Viewing and Breakfast.

Past recipients of the fund include the Tauranga Moana Tauranga Tangata Festival, which brings together the 23 marae and hapū of Tauranga Moana through cultural, sporting and whānau-focused activities, and Te Haka a Toi, the Bay of Plenty secondary schools kapa haka regional competition.

In 2025, Te Haka a Toi featured 13 kapa haka rōpū from across Tauranga Moana, Whakatāne and the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

Keren Pakau, Head of Strategic Māori Engagement at Tauranga City Council, said the fund was helping Māori-led events flourish throughout the region.

“We’re seeing this come to life through the many Matariki events taking place this year. Together with mana whenua and our funding partners, we’re supporting events that ensure te ao Māori is visible, valued, and enriching our communities,” she said.

Applications for the Kaupapa Māori Event Fund remain open year-round, with organisers encouraged to discuss proposals before applying.