Upper Hutt City Council
Sustainable Business Grant Scheme
Upper Hutt City Council has funding available under its Sustainability Strategy to assist businesses in
Upper Hutt with sustainability initiatives.
There are three match-funding options open to business owners that are explained below, but
Council welcomes applications for match funding towards any sustainability initiatives that are well
researched and supported. Each grant will be matched dollar for dollar up to a cap of $500.
The funding is contestable, so we invite businesses to apply by filling out an application and
explaining how the grant would support their efforts to increase sustainability and reduce business
costs.
Explanatory Notes:
Before you fill in the application form, read the information provided carefully to find out about the
types of activities that can and cannot be funded and make sure you are eligible to apply.
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the council considers all applications and their decision is final
if an accountability report has not been returned relating to previous funding, your
application will not be considered
please attach a bank deposit slip. No cheques will be issued
applications requesting funding for activities or equipment that do not have a direct impact
on environmental sustainability will not be considered.
Decisions regarding these applications will be made by Council’s director of Business Development
Services based on the quality of the answers provided to questions in your application. Those
businesses that best demonstrate a genuine commitment to improving the sustainability of their
business practices will be favoured during the selection process.
If you have any further queries, or to get help with your application, contact the scheme
administrator to discuss your project at askus@uhcc.govt.nz or on (04)527 2169.
Please write clearly using a black pen and send your application to:
Waste Minimisation Officer
Business Development Services
Upper Hutt City Council
Private Bag 907, Upper Hutt 5014
Or complete online and email with appropriate attachments to askus@uhcc.govt.nz
Suggested initiatives
Match funding for the cost of one year’s membership in a sustainable business
accreditation scheme.
Sustainable business accreditation programmes work the same way as the heart foundation tick on
food products – they signal to customers that a product or service has been independently assessed
and certified as sustainable.
Consumers are now more aware than ever of the impacts of their choices on the environment and
are increasingly looking to independent certification as a way to separate the truly environmentally
responsible products and services from pretenders.
Most of these certification schemes provide advice, support, training and resources to businesses to
help them meet the standards, and then award them with certification.
In addition to being able to use certification seals in marketing and promotional material, certified
businesses may also be included in databases or on online networks or smart phone apps, giving
them a higher degree of visibility amongst consumers who wish to seek out sustainable products or
services.
Business owners that would like to apply for match-funding to the value of $500 to help meet the
costs of one year’s membership in a sustainable business accreditation scheme are invited to
research which programme they might be interested in joining and provide this information in their
application. Some of the schemes Upper Hutt City Council is aware of include those listed below, but
applicants are welcome to apply for funding to help cover the costs of other accreditation
programmes not mentioned below.
Conscious Consumers
Conscious Consumers is a business accreditation programme and marketing platform that helps
hospitality businesses respond to increasing consumer demand for environmentally and socially
responsible products and services.
Consumers can access information about accredited local businesses via a smart phone app or the
CC website. Businesses that are members are assisted in implementing sustainable business
practices to gain accreditation.
It’s a great way of increasing patronage, reducing business costs and reducing your business’s impact
on the environment. More information is available on their website
www.consciousconsumers.org.nz/.
Rata Sustainable Business Certification Programme
Rata Sustainable Business Certification Programme is an ideal programme for businesses that are
committed to sustainability in every area of their business. New members join a network of
businesses on the same journey and are provided with support, information and resources to
implement real change that will transform their business and result in real savings by removing
wasteful or redundant business processes. For more information visit www.ratacert.co.nz.
The Sustainable Business Network (SBN)
The Sustainable Business Network is a membership-based social enterprise, made up of businesses,
governmental agencies and organisations located across New Zealand. SBN works with members,
helping them to succeed sustainably and to progress their role towards contributing to New Zealand
being a model sustainable nation. They encourage members to actively participate; to be bold,
leading their sectors with innovative business models; and to reshape profit to include wider
definitions than simply financial. For more information visit www.sustainable.org.nz
Match-funding for the cost of a waste audit of your business
Council will provide match-funding to the value of $500 for the Sustainability Trust to conduct a
waste audit of your business. A waste audit involves analyzing the waste a business produces as well
as how that waste is managed and disposed of.
This data is used to produce a report that contains recommendations about how to reduce waste,
reuse some waste products and recycle or dispose of the rest. You’d be amazed at how much money
can be saved by this exercise.
Upper Hutt City Council has conducted similar audits in Upper Hutt primary schools and the new
waste management systems recommended in our reports were projected to save schools thousands
of dollars each every year.
Projected costs are listed below, however actual costs may vary. The final cost will be determined
after the completion of a pre-audit questionnaire.
More than 50 ppl, one week’s rubbish audit (i.e. café, restaurant, office, rec centre): $1250 +GST
More than 50ppl, one day’s rubbish audit: $1000 +GST
Less than 50 ppl, one week’s rubbish audit: $1000 +GST
Less than 50 ppl, one day’s rubbish audit: $750 +GST
Match funding to assist in purchasing a wheelie bin worm farm for composting
organic waste (Council cover $200 of $400 total cost)
Wheelie bin worm farms are an easy way to compost organic waste on site at your business without
taking up space. It’s just a wheelie bin that’s been customized. You chuck food scraps and organic
material in the top, and the worms eat it. It doesn’t smell or attract vermin because it’s sealed, and
there’s a tap at the bottom to collect the liquid which is a concentrated fertilizer for your garden (we
use old milk bottles at Council). Occasionally you need to add lime, and you’ll need to put water and
newspaper or cardboard in as well about once a week, but aside from that there’s no real
maintenance. Council will pay half the cost of one of these for any businesses that are interested in
purchasing one.
Sustainable Business Grant Scheme Application Form
Organisation details:
Name of organisation:
Contact person:
Position (note the business owner
will need to approve this
application
Business address
Postal address:
Email address:
Telephone number (day):
GST Number
If you are not the owner of the business, please
provide the following details:
Business owner’s name
Business owner’s contact email or
phone
Applying for:
(Please choose one)
Conscious Consumers membership
A grant for up to half of a one year membership
Rata Sustainable Business
Certification
A grant for up to half of a one year membership
Sustainable Business Network
membership
A grant for up to half of a one year membership
Business Waste Audit
Match-funding to the value of $500 for the Sustainability Trust to cond
audit of your business
Wheelie bin worm farm
Council cover $200 of $400 total cost
Other
Please explain below
Please explain why your business would make a good candidate for this grant, and how it would
support existing efforts to improve the sustainability of your business
Please explain how you will ensure your business makes good use of this grant.
Amount applying for (attach quotes if you have any).
Amount your business will be contributing to this initiative.
Checklist:
Accountability from previous funding has been
returned with all relevant receipts attached
Office Use Only
Bank Deposit slip is attached
Approved/Declined
Any quotes attached
Authorising Officer:
Date received:
Name:
Date:
Amount:
Signature: