Why the Rural Wellbeing Fund is needed
People living in rural communities face unique challenges which can take a toll. They include:
- adverse weather, such as dry conditions and floods
- difficult economic conditions
- isolation
- distance to health services.
There are recognised wellbeing benefits in supporting farmers, especially during tough times. Providing advice, resources, and practical programmes to help farmers get through is important.
How the fund will help support rural people
The Rural Wellbeing Fund supports organisations to deliver wellbeing initiatives in rural communities.
The Government has committed $4 million over the next 4 years to the contestable fund.
The initiative is jointly funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and Health New Zealand.
Funding will be allocated through a competitive process.
New fund to back rural wellbeing programmes – Beehive
Government backing rural resilience and wellbeing – Beehive
Primary Sector-Government partnership to boost rural health and resilience – Beehive
Purpose of the fund
The fund backs wellbeing programmes that:
- boost support for existing initiatives
- broaden access to existing initiatives
- improve consolidation of existing initiatives
- improve the viability of organisations delivering wellbeing initiatives
- deliver new initiatives where gaps exist.
How the wellbeing fund will operate
The fund is administered by MPI. There is a 2-stage application process.
Expressions of interest (EOI) opened on 11 June 2025 and closed on 18 August 2025.
EOIs will be assessed by a panel that includes industry representatives.
Successful expressions of interest will then be invited to submit a funding application.
All applications will be required to demonstrate industry funding.
