Legacy Fund

The Legacy Fund supports grassroots rugby to fund ideas that strengthen communities, spark innovation, and honour the past by investing in the future. The Fund was established to distribute the earnings from a $60 million capital base approved by the New Zealand Rugby Legacy Fund Charitable Trust, a registered charity (CC64244).

Since December 2025, the Legacy Fund has distributed nearly $2m across 30 community rugby organisations, supporting projects that will build long-term legacy within their communities. Read about the latest recipients here.

The Legacy Fund is a charitable trust, and is intended to complement, not replace, other funding sources. This could be rugby’s contribution to your next long term community infrastructure build.

Who should apply

We want to hear from rugby communities with a bold idea. Whether it’s a much-needed facility upgrade, a visionary development programme, an initiative that protects or enhances the legacy of our game, or a way to uplift your people through rugby, this charity was made to support your long-term grassroots community impact.

Applications are welcomed from eligible, legally incorporated organisations connected to community rugby in Aotearoa, including:

• Rugby clubs
• Schools
• Iwi or hapū
• Community organisations aligned to rugby

Where appropriate, applicants are encouraged to work collaboratively with local or regional partners and must seek endorsement from their relevant Provincial Union (or NZR if national in scope).

What the Legacy fund supports

Applications must align with the charitable purpose of the Legacy Fund and clearly demonstrate legacy and sustainability.

Below is a list of example projects your initiative could focus on, but it is not exhaustive. You may have ideas outside of this list which are suitable for the Legacy Fund. 

• community wellbeing and participation
• rugby development, coaching and training
• capital and facility improvements
• education and capability building
• heritage, storytelling and preserving rugby legacy
• technology that enhances delivery or engagement
• initiatives that strengthen long-term community outcomes through rugby

How to apply in 2026

• Applications are submitted via the online application form only.
• You will be able to print and retain a copy of your submitted application for your records.
• Applications must be fully completed and supported by relevant documentation (for example: budgets, quotes, evidence of funding, and governance information).
• Applications must meet all eligibility requirements before they can proceed to assessment. Meeting the eligibility requirements does not guarantee funding, as eligible applications are assessed comparatively and funding is limited.
• Eligible applications will be reviewed by New Zealand Rugby and the Legacy Fund Advisory Group, with final funding decisions made by New Zealand Rugby acting in its capacity as trustee of the Legacy Fund.

Preparing your application

The Legacy Fund application form is completed online via Microsoft Forms. The form contains multiple sections and you will need to dedicate at least an hour to completing your application to ensure it is thorough and compelling, as each year the quality of the successful applications makes a step up. Because Microsoft Forms does not allow applications to be saved before submission, applicants may find it helpful to prepare responses in advance. Better preparation will result in a more effective application.

To help with your application, check out our Application Guidelines. 

Once submitted, you will be able to save or print a copy of your completed application for your records. 

Supporting documentation, including quotes, approvals, plans, endorsements, photos and videos, must be emailed separately to legacyfund@nzrugby.co.nz after submitting your form. Please include your organisation’s name in the email subject line.

Verified bank account details will be required from successful applicants before any funding is paid. The bank account must be in the name of the approved recipient organisation.

Eligibility and funding criteria for 2026

The following applies to all 2026 applications. The criteria are designed to ensure consistency, integrity and alignment with the charitable purpose of the Legacy Fund.

These are threshold eligibility requirements. Applications that do not meet all applicable requirements will not proceed to assessment. Meeting the eligibility requirements does not guarantee funding.

The Legacy Fund reserves the right to amend eligibility criteria and assessment settings from time to time to ensure alignment with its charitable purposes and good governance.

Charitable purpose

Applications must clearly demonstrate alignment with the charitable purpose of the Legacy Fund and deliver genuine public or community benefit through rugby.

The principal purpose of the project must benefit grassroots or community rugby. Any non-charitable element must be secondary and undertaken only in support of the project’s charitable purpose. Applicants must clearly identify who will benefit from the project and how it will support access to or participation in community rugby.

Applications that do not meet the charitable-purpose and public-benefit requirements will not proceed further.

High performance and elite rugby

No component of high-performance or elite rugby may form part of the purpose of the project. Legacy Fund grants must not be used for elite or high-performance purposes, including player wages or inducements.

Where a grassroots project may create some indirect benefit for higher levels of the game, that benefit must be inadvertent, indirect and incidental to the project’s overriding grassroots or community-rugby purpose.

Provincial Union eligibility

Provincial Unions are not eligible to apply during the first three Legacy Fund application rounds, comprising the inaugural 2025 round and both application rounds in 2026. This is intended to prioritise direct grassroots and community-level impact.

Organisational requirements

Applicants must:

• be a legally incorporated entity or, where an application is driven by an individual or informal group, the application must be submitted via a legally incorporated host entity that will receive the funding and enter into the Grant Agreement. The host entity will be responsible for governance, financial accountability, and compliance with the Grant Agreement.
• be able to comply with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements relevant to the organisation and the proposed project
• if successful, provide verified bank account details before funding is paid, with the account held in the name of the approved recipient organisation

Financial information and your contribution

Funding requests must be properly costed and supported by evidence such as quotes and forecasts. Applicants must clearly justify why the amount requested is appropriate.

Applicants must clearly demonstrate:

• their organisation’s financial contribution; and
• the use of other funding sources, particularly for capital projects.

Applicants should also identify any contribution in kind, such as volunteer time, expertise, donated materials, community effort or discounted services.

These contributions are an important part of understanding the overall value and commitment behind a project — do not underestimate the value of your mahi.

Legacy and sustainability

Applications must demonstrate:

• enduring benefit beyond the funding period, and
• how outcomes will be sustained over time.

Capital projects

Capital projects may be supported where applicants can demonstrate:

• co-funding and/or meaningful contributions from other funders
• clear community benefit
• long-term maintenance and sustainability planning
• where funding relates to an asset or facility, that it will primarily serve grassroots or community rugby and provide reasonable public or community access consistent with the charitable purpose of the Legacy Fund.

Funding parameters

• The maximum amount per application is $100,000.
• The Legacy Fund is intended to support well-developed projects that demonstrate readiness for delivery.
• Applications must relate to future project activity. The Legacy Fund will not retrospectively fund completed projects or reimburse costs incurred before funding approval.
• Applications should demonstrate existing funding commitments, an organisational contribution or other credible evidence that the project can be delivered.
• Applicants must demonstrate their own financial contribution and the use of other funding sources, particularly for capital projects.
• For capital projects, Legacy Fund funding should contribute towards completing the project rather than initiating it in isolation.
• Applications must be endorsed by the relevant Provincial Union, or NZR if national in scope.

Ineligible purposes

Regardless of the overall merit of a project, Legacy Fund grants must not be used for:

• establishing, funding or continuing a paid employment position, salary or organisational role;
• private financial benefit to officers, employees, contractors or members, other than legitimate arm’s-length payment at reasonable market rates for services required to deliver an eligible project;
• elite or high-performance purposes, including player wages or inducements;
• partisan political activity; 
• any purpose inconsistent with the charitable purposes of the Legacy Fund.
• projects or project work that have already been completed, including reimbursement of costs incurred before the application was approved. 

Roles and salary funding

• Funding for roles may be considered for up to one year only.
• Applicants must clearly demonstrate how the role will be funded and sustained beyond year one.
• The onus sits with the applicant to demonstrate sustainability and long-term legacy impact.
• Approval remains discretionary, and is assessed case-by-case.

Application rounds and timing

Two application rounds will be held in 2026.

Round 1 - now closed
Successful Round 1 applications are expected to be announced after 17 July 2026, following Trustee consideration.

Round 2: Applications will open Monday 10 August 2026 and will close on Friday 18 September. 

Further timing details will be published once confirmed - keep an eye on NZR Social Media channels. 

Questions? 

We understand you might have questions about if your project is suitable for the Legacy Fund, or the process itself. You can download our FAQs here, or take a look at the questions below.