The Government is providing $25 million in recovery funds to support businesses in the seven regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and January floods. These adverse weather events impacted the North Island causing unprecedented damage and displacement.
Financial Grants
Businesses can apply for a grant of up to $40,000 to help:
• Keep operating and position a successful recovery
• Maintain cash-flow.
You can apply for if you are self-employed, a sole trader or an employer.
Businesses must meet eligibility criteria, including being in one of the seven regions and directly impacted by the recent adverse weather events. The criteria is set out below.
Location CriteriaYou can apply if your business is primarily in one of the areas where there was a local State of Emergency declared and you were affected by Cyclone Gabrielle or January flooding.
The regions are:
• Northland
• Auckland
• Bay of Plenty
• Coromandel
• Tairawhiti
• Hawke’s Bay
• Tararua
General criteria
You must also meet all these criteria:
• You’re facing significant cashflow issues due to continued challenges with customer access, ability to source stock, supply chain issues, inability to operate as usual due to the physical damage to equipment or premises, or delays in insurance assessment and repairs.
• Your business is otherwise viable both before and after the flooding.
• You are not receiving any funding from the Ministry for Primary Industries recovery fund.
• You commit to acting in line with employment law and with due regard to your employees.
Local Partners
The Government has appointed local partners who are setting up applications and processing systems in each region as soon as possible.
The local partners are:
Northland -
Northland IncAuckland - Auckland Business Chamber - currently closed, a new system will be announced shortly.
Bay of Plenty -
Toi Economic Development AgencyCoromandel -
Thames Coromandel District CouncilGisborne -
Trust TairawhitiHawks Bay -
Hawke’s Bay Chamber of CommerceTararua -
Tararua District CouncilMore information about cyclone and flood recovery for businesses can be found
here.
Support for Farmers and Growers
There is separate support being offered for farmers and growers through the Ministry for Primary Industries. The grants include:
- up to $10,000 for pastoral and arable farmers to help with initial recovery, such as repairs to water infrastructure for livestock, and fencing
- up to $2,000 per hectare (up to a maximum of $40,000) to remove silt from trees and vines, support clean-up, and minimise future losses.
More information on the support options for farmers and growers can be found here:
www.mpi.govt.nz/funding-rural-support/adverse-events/cyclone-gabrielle-recovery-advice-support-and-funding-available/.