To support school students to thrive and achieve their potential, we provide funding to all primary, intermediate and secondary schools across the rohe (region).
The allocation of the Principals Discretionary Fund (PDF) is based on an Equity Index (EQI), a statistical model that estimates the extent to which students face socio-economic barriers to achievement at school, and the school's roll.
The fund is made up of three parts:
- Part A - Providing essential foundation in students' lives for them to thrive
- Part B - Supporting students to learn and participate
- Part C - Enabling the conditions for students to thrive despite location
Total Fund: $600,000 per annum
If you have any questions about this fund, please ring 0800 500 185 or email ngaire@communitytrustsouth.nz
Principals Discretionary Fund - Snapshot
Visit Our Insights to view our Principals Discretionary Fund Snapshots which highlight the activities funded, the number of students benefiting and outcomes achieved from this Fund over the years.
Can you apply?
All primary, intermediate and secondary schools in the Southland, Queenstown, Glenorchy, Arrowtown, Tapanui and Heriot areas, registered with the Ministry of Education, can receive this funding.
Funding is, however, not available to homeschooled students.
What we fund
Principals have the discretion to use this funding based on the following guidelines.
Part A - Providing essential foundation in students' lives for them to thrive (previously responding to student financial hardship)
Can be used for resources and/or extra-curricular activities, and for students whose family financial circumstances
might prevent them from participating. Examples include;
- Providing essential support, equipment where there are no other funding available e.g. personal items such as reading glasses, sports equipment to enable participation in a school team.
- Paying for school uniform, stationary, meals for a student etc.
- Paying fees where no other financial assistance exists, so that a student may gain appropriate academic qualifications.
- Support involvement in curricular activities, such as out of classroom education (School camps or trips)
Part B - Supporting students to learn and participate (previously student participation and achievement).
Can be used for the following activities:
- Addressing issues of inequality that present barriers to learning and participating.
- Supporting students identified by their school as being at risk of disengaging.
- Supporting the preparation of students for life after their schooling, with a focus on; life skills, financial literacy, careers education, effective transitions/pathways, and linkages between education and industry.
- Encouraging student to lead healthy active lifestyles.
- Support students to access art, heritage, cultural, sport and recreation experiences.
- Supporting Māori to thrive though strong connection to their cultural ancestry.
- Supporting Tamariki to have mana Motuhake (self determination).
Part C – Enabling the conditions for students to thrive despite location (previously reducing isolation).
This allocation is based on $2.00 per student to schools with an isolation index of 1.0 and above (based on MoE’s isolation index). and can be used for activities or costs that provide enhanced equity of opportunity due to the effects of a school’s isolation. There is a minimum allocation of $500 per qualifying school.
Examples include:
- Supporting social cohesion
- Supporting communities to access transport
What we don't fund
- Part A funding cannot be used to purchase school equipment.
- Schools cannot transfer funds between Part A and Part B as each part is stand-alone funding.
How to apply
Applications are made online early in the year.
- Your school will be emailed a direct link with instructions on how to access the application form.
- You will then need to complete the brief online application to access your funding.
- Upon approval, your school will be emailed a letter each year detailing your amount of funding for Part A, B & C
Accountability reporting for your funding is due 28 November 2025. Please note that any unspent Part A or Part B allocation may be deducted from your school’s following year’s allocations.
We encourage you to use all of your allocation, if you are unable to do this please ring 0800 500 185 or email ngaire@communitytrustsouth.nz
How we calculate your funding
There are three parts to the funding:
- Part A - Providing essential foundation in students’ lives for them to thrive: Funding of $100,000
- Part B - Supporting students to learn and participate: Funding of $400,000
- Part C - Enabling the conditions for students to thrive despite location: Funding of $2.00 per student for schools with an isolation index of 1.0 and above,
The funding allocated to each school is based on the school's roll - as at 1 July of the previous academic year - and the Equity Index, a statistical model that estimates the extent to which students face socio-economic barriers to achievement at school. This information is obtained from the Ministry of Education.
A grand total of $595,203 Principals Discretionary Funding has been approved for 2024.
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