Mental Health Foundation offers $280,000 for community-led wellbeing projects

Community groups across Aotearoa can apply for $10,000 to $40,000 for projects that support wellbeing in their communities.

Applications close at 11:59 pm on Sunday 18 October 2026. A total of $280,000 is available this year.

“Wellbeing looks different for every community,” said the Mental Health Foundation, which is backing community-led ways to top up wellbeing.

The grants support projects grounded in the Five Ways to Wellbeing: Connect, Give, Take Notice, Be Active and Keep Learning. Examples include a wānanga at the marae, a dance class at the local hall or starting a community garden.

Community organisations, non-profits, charitable trusts, iwi, hapū, marae, schools and clubs can apply. Informal community collectives with a wellbeing focus can apply too.

Each project must directly support at least one of these communities: Māori, Pasifika, rangatahi / youth, Rainbow / LGBTIQ+, disabled people, rural communities or Asian communities.

Funding can cover venue hire, facilitator or coordinator costs, materials and resources, and communications and marketing. It can also pay for training or workshops, and for evaluation and reporting. Project-related overheads are capped at 20%.

Successful projects must start in February 2027 and be finished by September 2027. Funding is released in phases, linked to agreed project milestones.

Applicants will be notified on Monday 9 November and Tuesday 10 November 2026.

The application link will be on the Top Up Community Grants page. Questions can go to [email protected].