Appendix: The four freshwater clean-up funds we looked at
Crown investment in freshwater clean-up.
| Fund | Funding period | Total investment | Purpose | Crown funding | Number of projects approved | Application and approval process |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Programme | 2008-2032 | $144.2 million | Restoration of four priority lakes (Rotorua, Rotoiti, Ōkāreka, and Rotoehu) by addressing nutrient run-off into the lakes. | $72.1 million | N/A | Non-contestable Crown commitment administered by the Ministry for the Environment. |
| Fresh Start for Fresh Water Clean-up Fund | 2011-2014 | $48 million | Fund regional councils to restore nationally significant freshwater bodies affected by pollution. | $14.5 million | 7 | Contestable fund applications, assessed by an independent panel and approved by the Secretary for the Environment. |
| Te Mana o Te Wai Fund | 2014-2019 | Not yet announced | Help Māori improve the quality of freshwater bodies that are of importance to them. | $4.6 million | 9 | A single contestable funding round in 2015, assessed by an independent panel and approved by the Minister for the Environment. |
| Freshwater Improvement Fund | 2016-2026 | Not yet announced | Support projects costing more than $400,000 to help communities manage freshwater within environmental limits. | $100 million over 10 years ($47 million in 2017 funding round) | 34 during 2017 funding round | The first contestable fund was in 2017, assessed by an independent panel and approved by the Minister for the Environment. |