In this first round the council had an overwhelming response, with 96 applications, including 48 in the Far North, seeking $3.2 million.

Shortland said deciding how to allocate the $600,000 available had been extremely difficult, but 22 projects that met the fund criteria and aimed to build community capacity and strengthen connections to build community resilience would receive a portion.

“Six of the projects directly focus on building kai resilience for the region. These include on-the-ground, community-led mahi that aims to educate and empower communities to grow their own kai and projects that identify and strengthen food support networks and develop a strategy for how the region can become self-sufficient in food production and distribution,” she said.

Four projects supported water supply investigations to future-proof water resilience and water tanks in vulnerable communities.

Three rural marae will receive funding to support the installation of solar panels, improving energy resilience and benefiting the wider community in times of need. Funding will also support four projects that look to nature-based solutions to build resilience to the changing climate, recognising how restoring wetlands, river margins and coastal dune systems can enhance protection from weather events, increase carbon sequestration and support indigenous biodiversity.

Three other projects aim to build resilience across multiple impact areas looking holistically at how our resilience could be improved as the climate changes. Two planning projects have been funded that will help the respective communities understand how climate change could affect them and to formulate specific plans to reduce these impacts.

The successful projects

Far North:

Hokianga Community Educational Trust – He Kete Kai o Hokianga – Future Proofing our Hokianga Food Systems ($36,786.39)

Matatina Marae Trust – Matatina Kai Whenua – community garden at marae for self-sufficiency ($22,476)

Morehu Marae Committee – water tank replacement at marae ($7127.66)

Ngai Tupoto Trustees Marae – solar system ($35,000)

Oromāhoe 18R2B2B2 Trust – Te Wai Ora, Te Whenua Ora: Oromāhoe Water Feasibility Study ($25,000)

Pakanae 5A Trust – Cultural and Nature-Based Resilience Programme ($30,000)

Puketawa Marae – solar energy for marae resilience ($26,037.49)

Roma Marae – Te Ngao ki te Marae o Roma (Energy Resilience at Roma Marae) ($25,000)

Te Hapua Sports and Recreation Club – water resilience ($6956.52)

Te Paatu ki Kauhanga Trust Board – Kāmehameha ($40,000)

Te Pokapu Tiaki Taiao O Te Tai Tokerau Trust – Tuituia Te Kahunuku & Food Resiliency ($32,325)

Te Runanga o Ngāti Hine Trust – Tanks a lot ($40,000)

Rest of Northland:

Bream Bay Coastal Care Trust – Bream Bay Coastal Restoration Project ($23,000)

Climate Change Taitokerau Northland Trust – Kai Sovereignty Strategy ($20,000)

Coastal Restoration Trust of New Zealand – Te Taitokerau branch – Te Taitokerau: How to restore dunes video ($30,708)

Community Business Environment Centre – Hokinganui a Kai ($40,000) (includes Far North)

Opuawhanga Community Hall Trust – Resilience Network ($10,500)

Rural Support Trust Northland – Rural Support Climate Resilience ($40,000) (includes Far North)

Te Maire Whanau Trust – Whānau-Led Fruit Orchard Development ($30,000)

Whakapara Marae Trust – Te Taiao o nga Waipukehia – The environment of the flooded waters ($30,000)