School-led sustainability projects set to roll out across the Bay
Nearly 40 sustainability projects are set to launch in Bay of Plenty schools, early childhood providers and education institutions, thanks to the School Sustainability and Resilience Fund.
Established in 2022, the fund supports schools and learning providers to raise awareness and deepen understanding of climate change and environmental resilience within their local communities.
It’s one of several community funds that the Regional Council offers to support local activities that are aligned to the outcomes and goals set down in its Long Term Plan.
This year, more than $167,000 was available, thanks to additional funding from Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Rotorua Trust, Trust Horizon, BayTrust and TECT Community Trust.
More than 50 applications were received, with a combined value of approximately $272,000. Of the eligible and successful applications, the funding pool was distributed to 36 successful applicants.
Regional Council community engagement team leader Stephanie Macdonald says the quality and volume of applications highlight a growing commitment by schools to be more sustainable.
“Seeing so many schools eager to make real change is encouraging. Every project was carefully thought out and it’s fantastic to see tamariki leading the way.
“As a Regional Council, we have a responsibility to support, educate and empower our local communities to create meaningful change in their own backyards. The School Sustainability and Resilience Fund is one of the ways we help make that happen.”
Among this year’s successful applicants is STEAM-ED Charitable Trust, which received funding to develop education kits for its STEAM for Natural Disaster Resilience programme. The programme will be trialled in rural schools and introduces students to flood resilience, coastal erosion control, tsunami-resistant design and wetland restoration strategies tailored for the Bay of Plenty.
STEAM-ED General Manager Toni de Rijk says the programme blends both natural and engineered solutions to help students develop problem-solving skills and practical knowledge.
“By understanding local and global impacts through tangible examples of innovative solutions, students will begin to see natural hazards and climate resilience as something they can actively contribute to – rather than a distant, abstract or overwhelming issue.”
The School Sustainability and Resilience Fund is allocated using a ‘by the community, for the community’ participatory budgeting model, with funding decisions made through a two-stage voting process. This year, more than 1500 people cast votes to help decide which projects would receive funding.
Projects that missed out in the first round were then reviewed by a Youth Panel made up of rangatahi (young people) aged 12 to 24 years, giving them a second chance to be selected.
Congratulations to the following organisations who received funding from the 2025 School Sustainability and Resilience Fund:
- Best Start Papamoa Plaza
- Brookfield Kindergarten
- Changepoint Early Learning Centre
- Coastlands Preschool
- Glenholme Primary School
- Greerton Early Learning Centre
- Hamurana Playcentre
- Kidiwise Childcare
- Lake Rerewhakaaitu School
- Lilliput Preschool
- Merivale School
- Omokoroa No. 1 School
- OPEYS All Day Kindergarten
- Ōtūmoetai Primary School
- Pyes Pā School
- Rotorua Girls High School
- Rotorua Specialist School
- St Mary's Catholic School
- St Michael's Catholic School
- STEAM-ED Charitable Trust
- Tauranga Waldorf School
- Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngāti Hangarau
- Te Kōhanga Reo o Rangitihi
- Te Kōhanga Reo o Ruatahuna
- Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Paroa
- Te Kura o Tōrere
- Te Puke Primary School
- Te Puna Kindergarten
- The Village Preschool & Childcare Centre
- Thornton School
- Toi-Ohomai Institute of Technology Childcare Centre - Windermere Campus
- Toi-Ohomai Institute of Technology - Mokoia Campus
- Waihi Beach School
- Waiotahe Valley School
- Whakatāne High School
- Whakatāne Intermediate School