2026 Round 1 Rabo Community Fund recipients:
Upper North Island
• Te Kohanga Community Hall
• Manawaru Hall
Lower North Island
• Takapau Community Health Charitable Trust
• Western Institute of Technology at TaranakiSentiment remains elevated and at net positive levels for the seventh consecutive survey.
Upper South Island
• Mount Hutt College
Lower South Island
• Kaitangi Community Pool
• Flecks Hall
Õpuke Innovation Hub, working towards completion.
Seven organisations serving rural communities across New Zealand have received funding from the Rabo Community Fund to help advance projects that strengthen and support their local areas.
The selected recipients include three community halls, two agri sector industry training providers, one community health services centre and a community pool.
The Rabobank Community Fund was set up in 2021 to improve the vibrancy of rural communities and is backed by an annual contribution from the Rabobank Group. A total of $60,000 will be distributed as part of the latest funding round, bringing the total amount committed to rural communities since the Fund’s inception to $4.1 million.
Rabobank CEO Todd Charteris said final decisions on the recipients had been made by the bank’s Client Council network.
“Our Client Council network is made up of some of our most engaged clients who meet regularly to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the food and agri sector,” he said.
“We have four regional Client Councils – two in the North Island and two in the South – and they’ve identified five key themes impacting the sector they want to help address – long-term industry capacity and agri education, environmental sustainability, natural disaster resilience, rural/urban connection and rural wellbeing.
“All funding applications must align with at least one of these themes and our Council’s final funding decisions are then guided by the anticipated impact each project is expected to have in addressing one or more of these themes.”
Amy Honeywell from Mount Hutt College – one of the funding recipients – said the newly acquired funds would go towards the agricultural classroom being built as part of the Õpuke Innovation Hub.
“The Õpuke Innovation Hub (OIH) is a community-led initiative based at Mount Hutt College, specifically designed to bridge the gap between secondary education and the thriving agricultural and trades sectors of Mid Canterbury,” she said.
“This funding will be used to complete the essential interior fit-out of our purpose-built agricultural classroom, transitioning the space from a structural shell into a high-functioning, professional learning environment.
“We will install Autex wall coverings for superior soundproofing and a heat pump for year-round thermal regulation. Additionally, we will install high-quality carpet tiles to provide a comfortable, quiet, and durable floor surface suitable for a modern educational hub.
“By providing funding towards these specific elements, Rabobank will be directly responsible for the final ‘finishing touches’ that allow our students to thrive in a space that is quiet, warm, and fit-for-purpose as they train to become the next generation of primary industry leaders.”
In addition to the regional initiatives receiving support as part of the latest funding round, Mr Charteris said, the Rabo Community Fund was also supporting a range of national initiatives linked to the Council’s themes.
“This includes our free one-day financial planning and farm succession workshops for farmers and growers, our annual Good Deeds Community Hub competition which provides $100,000 of funding to help rural community hubs improve their facilities, and our support for industry organisations like Surfing for Farmers, Catchment Communities Aotearoa and Meet the Need,” he said.
Mr Charteris said applications to the Rabo Community Fund for the second round of funding this year were now open and could be submitted via the Rabobank website until 3 August, 2026.