Tukua is the name for the Tupu Tonu disbursements programme and means ‘to give with integrity’. Every year, Tupu Tonu sets aside a portion of its annual investment returns to provide grants to Ngāpuhi hapū, marae and rōpū (organisations). Tupu Tonu has completed two previous rounds of Tukua, and the third round is now open.

When Tupu Tonu was established, it was decided that a portion of annual investment returns ought to be made available to Ngāpuhi hapū and uri. This was to provide immediate to support while negotiations were underway and to demonstrate the type of benefits that come from a commercial investment fund.

The third round comprises funds available for disbursement from the 2023/24 financial year. The round opened on Friday 15 November 2024 and will close to applications on Friday 17 January 2025. Applications will then be assessed, and decisions made by mid-March 2025.

The third round of Tukua will primarily focus on capacity and capability-building for Ngāpuhi hapū, marae and rōpū. Funding will also be made available, to a limited extent, for social and cultural development. Supporting Ngāpuhi capacity and capability-building is intended to support the Treaty negotiations process.

To access funding, an application must be provided to Tupu Tonu describing the activity or initiative the funding will be used for and the outcomes that are hoped to be achieved. Applicants can apply by filling out an application form on this page.

Tupu Tonu will consider applications for grants for any kaupapa, activity, objective or initiative that supports

• capacity and capability building; or
• social or cultural development.

Types of activities that groups may seek funding for include, but are not limited to:

• Capacity and capability building: hapū governance support; marae administration/co-ordination; training programmes; hapū register development.
• Social and cultural development: marae repairs and maintenance; taonga preservation; housing feasibility studies; rongoa Māori; Kura Reo; researching and publishing hapū histories.

For the third Tukua round, Tupu Tonu has $750,000 available in total. Tupu Tonu is seeking applications for grants up to $30,000.

Tupu Tonu will consider applications from any Ngāpuhi hapū, marae or rōpū (organisation) that identifies or affiliates to Ngāpuhi.

Applicants will need to provide information about their hapū or marae, or an explanation about how the rōpū (organisation) they are seeking funding for affiliates to Ngāpuhi, including any relevant whakapapa information. This information will then be considered by the panel that is convened to advise the Tupu Tonu Board on the applications. This panel will include selected Ngāpuhi kaumatua and hapū leaders with whakapapa expertise.

Applications will need to provide supporting information to demonstrate their application is supported by the wider hapū/marae/rōpū. For the third round we require two pieces of supporting documentation:

• a letter of support for the application, for example from a kaumātua/kuia or marae chair;
• any other evidence showing this application has support/endorsement (eg hapū hui minutes, Trust resolution). Please note, this second piece of supporting evidences is a new requirement introduced for the third Tukua round.

Tupu Tonu will give priority to applications that:

• are for activities relating to capacity or capability-building;
• are from a group actively participating in the Treaty mandating process;
• can demonstrate they support the Treaty negotiations process (broadly defined);
• can demonstrate they are well supported by the hapū/whānau/community;
• will have a positive impact on the hapū/whānau/community;
• have not already received other funding for the same purpose;
• allow for a reasonable spread of funding across hapū and rohe; and
• are from hapū that did not receive funding in the first two rounds.

Tupu Tonu will not provide disbursements to applicants where the disbursements will only benefit one individual, except where that individual has the clear support of a hapū/marae/rōpū (for example, for training). Other exclusions are set out in the terms and conditions in the application form on the Tupu Tonu website.

Applications will first be considered by a panel comprised of selected Ngāpuhi kaumātua and hapū  leaders. Each application will be assessed against the application criteria. Decisions on applications will be made by the Tupu Tonu Board.

The intention is for all funding to have been provided by the end of March 2025. Tupu Tonu will have the discretion to provide funding to any applicants that indicate they require funding prior to March 2025.

Whether GST on disbursements is payable or not will depend on the GST status of the recipient. Typically, individuals that are not GST registered would not incur any GST consequences. In paying out disbursements to successful applicants, Tupu Tonu will make payments on a GST inclusive basis. Successful applicants will need to consider any GST implications that may apply to them and factor that into their application.

There is no limit to the number of applications your hapū, marae or rōpū can make. However, where the total amount requested by successful applicants is above the total amount available for this round, Tupu Tonu will look to prioritise those applications that allow for a reasonable spread of funding across hapū and regions. In this situation, it is likely that Tupu Tonu would only look to fund one application.

Tupu Tonu disbursements will not impact on, any hapū Treaty of Waitangi (‘Wai’) claims. Disbursements are not “on account” of any future Treaty redress agreement between ngā hapū o Ngāpuhi and the Crown. Rather, they are intended to provide immediate support to hapū marae and rōpū while negotiations are underway and to demonstrate the type of benefits that could accrue from a commercial investment fund.