Question 1

What's happening with the Whakahiko Fund this year?

Accepted Answer

This year, 2025, the Whakahiko Fund is on hold. We look forward to continuing to share the sun's goodness with our Ōtaki community.

Question 2

What do you mean by 'energising'?

Accepted Answer

It's pretty broad. 
Funded projects reflect Energise Ōtaki’s focus areas. They help Ōtaki/Te Horo thrive by:
 • contributing to reducing Ōtaki/Te Horo’s climate emissions, or
 • contributing to reducing Ōtaki/Te Horo’s energy consumption, or 
 • turning local ‘waste’ into energy, or 
 • exploring renewable energy systems, or
 • encouraging interest in energy subjects or issues, particularly for young people, or
 • supporting our people by ‘doing good’ in the Ōtaki/Te Horo community.

All funded projects benefit our community, contribute in some way to a circular economy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_economy)or sustainable energy-related future… and involve solutions that don’t make further problems!

Question 3

Do you have a copy of the application questions?

Accepted Answer

For future reference, here's last year's application form. The Whakahiko Fund is on hold for 2025.

Question 4

Who can apply?

Accepted Answer

Anyone can apply! E.g:

• individuals or whānau
 • businesses
 • community organisations
 • schools or kura
 • marae
 • other institutions!

And applicants can be based anywhere in the world!
 …as long as the project is based in, or directly benefits, Ōtaki or Te Horo.

Question 5

What kind of project does it need to be?

Accepted Answer

One that's energy-related (see above) and directly benefit Ōtaki or Te Horo.

Here are some forms that great ideas might (or might not!) take:

• artworks
 • inventions
 • educational content
 • events 
 • study support for energy-related courses (e.g. at university, wānanga, polytechnic, or shorter courses or workshops)
 • prototype development
 • transitions to make existing businesses more energy efficient (e.g. energy audits)
 • new enterprise development
 • new and ongoing projects
 • equipment or materials for new or ongoing projects 
 • projects and applicants who have previously received Whakahiko funding.

Question 6

Got any suggestions?

Accepted Answer

We're especially excited by:

• Innovative projects that help produce renewable or recovered energy for using locally – e.g. wind energy,  waste to energy/ circular economy projects 
 • Energy initiatives that focus on climate action and wider environmental issues, including carbon sequestration – e.g. tree planting
 • Projects that reduce energy demand – e.g. bike projects; local food production projects (which reduce transport needs) 
 • Projects that reduce energy wastage – e.g. energy conservation in homes; avoiding making food waste  
 • Projects that tackle energy poverty in Ōtaki and its impact on health and wellbeing –  e.g. sewing projects which help keep a house or people warm 
 • Projects that help Ōtaki families, households and businesses reduce their energy costs
 • Education and learning projects around energy or energy use – including initiatives that might lead to work for young people in energy-related fields 
 • ‘Transitional’ projects that help us along the way to a low carbon future.

...but don't let that stop you from applying with your brilliant but unlisted idea.

Question 7

Who decides?

Accepted Answer

The Whakahiko ŌtakI–Energise Ōtaki Fund committee is:

• Tanira Cooper (Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki)
 • Horiana Irwin-Easthope (Wellington Community Fund)
 • Councillor Shelley Warwick (Kāpiti Coast District Council)
 • Leigh Ramsey (Energise Ōtaki chair)
 • and  David Rumsey (Energise Ōtaki trustee)

Question 8

What sorts of projects have been funded in previous rounds?

Accepted Answer

We’ve been delighted to support a variety of projects. 
The ‘sun fund’ has paid for or contributed to (amongst other things):

• gardening equipment for three kura and a school
 • composting kit for a business and a charity
 • solar teaching toys and a workshop on developing a ‘sustainable’ play space for two pre-schools
 • a feasibility study on energy storage
 • a pilot workshop to teach people how to build domestic solar panels
 • parts for a prototype solar-powered school caretaker’s cart…which won a national cart racing competition! 
 • on site portaloo and water tank for volunteers at a wood waste and climate emissions-reducing initiative
 • a series of talks (and follow up actions) with local heroes on local solutions to big issues.

But what’s gone before doesn’t necessarily define what’s to come. We are open projects in any format, including creative, that fit the criteria.

Question 9

Why is there an option to present / do a verbal application?

Accepted Answer

We appreciate that doing funding applications can take a lot of time. So we've aimed to make ours pretty short.

If you would rather present your application in person than write in detail, you are welcome to! 
Each verbal application can be up to five minutes long.

Please 
 • fill out the application form so that we have your contact details, and write in BASIC information about your project idea
 • select 'Yes' to 'Would you like to present your application as well'
 • and we will contact you to arrange a time for you to present to the Whakahiko Fund committee.

We're careful to not advantage verbal over written applications, and vice versa.  So please don't feel obliged to do both.

Whakahiko Ōtaki–Energise Ōtaki Fund
Te Tahua Whakahiko Ōtaki

The sun fund for local ‘empowerment’ projects.

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- ENOUGH GOOD ENERGY FOR EVERYONE | KA NUI TE HIKO PAI MŌ TATOU KATOA -