Eligibility and criteria

Eligibility

To be eligible for Major Events Fund investment, an event must:

1. Be a major event by government’s definition. We define a major event as an event that is, or has the potential to be, internationally significant by which it generates international interest or visitation from outside New Zealand, profiles New Zealand on an international platform and offers elements that are uniquely New Zealand.
2. Meet baseline requirements.
3. Be a sports, arts or cultural event delivered onshore.

Baseline requirements

To apply for Major Events Fund investment, the event must:

• Take place onshore in New Zealand (therefore excluding events held offshore to promote New Zealand).
• Complement the current Major Event Fund portfolio without causing any negative impact on any existing major events, whether it be due to timing or any other factors.
• Have a lead time of at least two years for investments over $1 million, and at least one year for investments under $1 million, to allow for leverage and legacy opportunities to be identified and realised.
• Keep funds onshore in New Zealand, and not channel large amounts of funding offshore for things like rights fees and prize money.
• Secured support from local government, mana whenua and at least one central government agency (apart from MBIE/New Zealand Major Events).
• Demonstrate financial viability, with diversified revenue streams. In the case of recurring events, identify a plan for long-term self-sufficiency in future iterations. Government does not provide a primary revenue stream and cannot provide an underwrite.
• Prove a clear need for government investment. Large profits or surpluses post event may need a reasonable proportion of Major Event Fund investment to be returned to the government.
• Utilise natural or existing built assets, and do not need Major Events Fund investment to support significant infrastructure or capital works costs.
• Have or commit to establishing a New Zealand domiciled ownership and/or delivery structure, with qualified and experienced leadership.
• Be a sports, arts or cultural event; not a business or trade event, music festival or concert, as these types of events do not meet our definition of a major event.

General criteria

Events seeking Major Events Fund investment must also demonstrate that they have the potential to generate significant benefits for New Zealand across as many of the following criteria as possible:

• Be timed to fall within off-peak or shoulder tourism seasons.
• Support regional dispersal.
• Drive significant interest from outside the region in which it will take place.
• Be financially supported by local government and/or local development agencies.
• Demonstrate a commitment to developing and delivering leverage and legacy activities to realise wider benefits for New Zealand, aligned to government objectives and commensurate to investment.
• Have an environmental impact strategy, which details how the event will monitor, minimise and offset negative environmental impacts, and use the event to showcase sustainable solutions.
• Create a staircasing opportunity to build capability/capacity to secure future larger events.
• Engagement with mana whenua plan regarding development, consultation and advice on all Māori content as part of the event and matters impacting te taiao (the environment).
• Demonstrate strong international broadcast, media and content platform opportunities that are globally relevant and strengthen New Zealand’s brand proposition in key markets.
• Demonstrate financial, commercial, and operational capability to deliver world- class events.

Investment focus areas

To be considered for investment, an event must align with one of three investment focus areas.

Events must deliver net national economic benefits

Applicants wishing to be considered under this focus area must be able to demonstrate how the event will:

• Generate a net economic benefit to New Zealand (primarily through the direct attraction of international visitors and/or direct event delivery spend), and;
• provide an opportunity to promote Brand New Zealand, telling New Zealand’s story in key international markets, specifically priority markets as identified by Tourism New Zealand and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, and;
• provide business, sector, diplomatic, and trade opportunities, specifically in priority areas identified by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Sports major events must contribute to high-performance outcomes, whilst aligning with Sport New Zealand’s strategy

Applicants wishing to be considered under this focus area must be able to demonstrate how the event will:

• Align with high-performance Sport New Zealand strategic priorities and investments, and;
• feature world-ranked athletes and athletes identified as part of the high-performance pathway or provide local athletes with greater and more accessible opportunities for international competition, and;
• represent regionally (such as, Asia) or globally significant competitions, or support pathways to pinnacle global events, and;
• provide opportunities to support increased participation by those populations outlined in Sport New Zealand’s strategy priorities (as reflected in the Sport New Zealand Strategic Plan 2024-2028).

Events must create opportunities to profile and celebrate New Zealand’s national identity and cultures, our creative talent, ingenuity, diversity, and adventurous spirit

Applicants wishing to be considered under this focus area must be able to demonstrate how the event will:

• Increase the international profile of and engagement with New Zealand through world-class arts or culture aligned to the Government’s overarching arts, culture and heritage priorities for our creative sectors, and either;
• establish or develop a home-grown event where the event and/or the intellectual property can be retained for New Zealand, or;
• showcase our innovative spirit through urban-based, nature-based, or adrenaline-based events that speak to our adventurous and pioneering values.

Some events may align with more than one of the three investment focus areas. In this instance, applicants must identify the primary focus area under which they wish to be assessed; with secondary consideration given to the other focus areas.

Note: We reserve a discretionary right regarding the application of these criteria, and the weighting applied to the criteria.