QBE Foundation Local Grants New Zealand

Eligibility for a QBE Foundation NZ local grant is based on the conditions below. Please take note and ensure your application meets all criteria before applying.

Charity eligibility

To be eligible for a QBE Foundation local grant, the organisation:

• Must be a registered charitable entity and qualify for tax-exempt status (“Donee status”) as per the New Zealand Charities Register and Charities Act 2005.
• Must not be affiliated with a political party or union, or take an overtly political stance in the focus of their work
• May have a religious basis, but any program or initiative supported by QBE must not incorporate religious teaching into the delivery of the program or initiative
• Must be based in New Zealand, although initiatives working in New Zealand or the Pacific will be considered.

Note: Australia Pacific QBE Foundation charity partners and 2025 local grant recipients are not eligible to apply.

Application suitability and alignment

• Only applications working to address issues in our local grant categories will be considered. You will need to clearly demonstrate the relevance of your initiative to the category, so please consider this before applying
• You can only apply once per project or initiative. Please do not submit multiple applications for the same project or initiative across different categories
• QBE Foundation NZ local grants are intended for high impact community initiatives. Requests for funding for "business as usual" activities will be considered less favourably than specific initiatives
• We understand that some initiatives require support from multiple funders. If this is the case, please outline clearly in your application where other funding is coming from, any funding expected in the future or due to end in the coming 12 months, and how you plan to report on the QBE Foundation portion of the total funding
• The organisation must be based in New Zealand, but initiatives working in French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Fiji and Solomon Islands will be considered.

Feedback on individual applications or reasons why your organisation was not selected will be limited and shared at the end of the program via email. If an application does not meet initial eligibility criteria for any reason, we are not able to contact you before applications close. Please take the time to ensure you only apply if you meet all the conditions listed above. It is in the discretion of Australia Pacific QBE Foundation whether to make a grant to your organisation and to determine the value of that grant.

In 2026, three grants will be awarded, with funding amounts of $30,000, $25,000 and $20,000.

Please note that it is in the discretion of Australia Pacific QBE Foundation whether to make a grant to your organisation and to determine the value of that grant.

The Expressions of Interest (EOI) application period for 2026 QBE Foundation NZ local grant program has now opened. You can apply from Monday 1 June 2026 until Wednesday 1 July 2026 at 5pm. Successful EOI applicants will then be notified via email.

Apply now

QBE Foundation Local Grant NZ, EOIs will go through multiple rounds of assessment. All EOI applications are initially reviewed to confirm they meet our eligibility criteria and are appropriate for the elected category.

The QBE Foundation and subject matter experts will then assess full applications and determine three grant recipients.

Assessment will focus on:

• Expected outcome and impact of the initiative
• Long-term impacts of the initiative
• Need for the initiative within the community
• Eligibility of the charity
• Reputation of the charity and ability to deliver on the initiative
• Ability to demonstrate planned use of funds
• Ability to measure and report on outcomes
• Alignment with the goals and values of the QBE Foundation
• Alignment with the chosen category
• Potential for success of the initiative
• Innovation.

QBE’s Financial Crime Management team may undertake additional due diligence on shortlisted applicants.

• Shortlisted applicants will be asked record a video speaking to what they do and what they will do with the money and the intended impact. Our people will then be given the opportunity to vote for their favourite applicant. Voting will determine the value of the grant award. The organisation with the most votes will be awarded the largest grant, with second and third taking the subsequent grant amounts. If there is a tie, we will ask employees to revote on the tied organisations.
• If there are any issues with the voting (e.g. if there is a tie), the Australia Pacific QBE Foundation will make the final decision as to who receives the grants.

Notifying applicants

The three community organisations that are successful in their EOI application will be notified via email and once grant amounts have been determined, grant agreements will be issued.

We will work with successful recipients to create content about their work and the QBE Foundation grant. This may be shared externally across QBE’s social media and other communication channels.

Unsuccessful applicants will receive an email notification. Feedback on individual applications will be provided at the end of the program via email.

Successful local grant applicants will need to provide QBE with a completed acquittal report by 31 July 2027 or on the completion of the initiative, whichever is sooner. QBE may also request a progress report or informal update six months post award of the grant, to understand how work is progressing. QBE may choose to use information provided as a case study and/or in reporting at any time after the grant is awarded. Approval will always be sought from the charity prior to publication.

Here’s an example of the data required for our acquittal report. If you believe you may not be able to provide this information, please note this in your application form.