New Zealand Lottery Grants Board

The New Zealand Lottery Grants Board Te Puna Tahua is a business unit of the Department of Internal Affairs in New Zealand.^[1]

New Zealand Lottery Grants Board

Te Puna Tahua
Logo of the Lottery Grants Board
Agency overview
Jurisdiction	New Zealand
Minister responsible	Hon. Brooke van Velden, Minister of Internal Affairs
Agency executive	Brendan Boyle, Chief Executive, Secretary for Internal Affairs, Secretary for Local Government
Parent agency	Department of Internal Affairs
Website	http://www.dia.govt.nz/lotterygrantsboard

The New Zealand Lottery Grants Board is governed by the Gambling Act 2003.^[2] Its purpose is to benefit the community by distributing the profits from state lotteries run by the New Zealand Lotteries Commission.^[1] It does this through a system of distribution agencies and committees that support a wide range of community purposes.

Lottery grants may be given for projects that contribute to the building of strong sustainable communities enabling them to be self-reliant; to build their ability and to ensure their stability, to create opportunities for social, civil or cultural participation, to reduce or overcome barriers to such participation, and to encourage community or environmental health.

The Department of Internal Affairs' Community Operations, Service Delivery and Operations branch administers the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board and its lottery distribution committees. There are advisors to assist applicants in 16 regional offices and the National Office in Wellington.

Investment

In 2024, Minister of Internal Affairs, Brooke van Velden, announced that the Lottery Grants Board had granted $434 million to the community in the past financial year. In addition to the $434 million in community returns, Lotto also contributed $200 million in taxes, duties, and levies.^[3]

In response to Cyclone Gabrielle, the Board funded $10,000 towards satellite internet, food-processing machinery, and traffic control equipment in regional communities. After a special lotto draw, the board raised 11.7 million dollars towards the Cyclone Gabrielle recovery.^[4] However, the Board came under scrutiny as the money raised sat unspent almost one year following the cyclone.^[5]

The Board also supports digital‑literacy projects, marae development, environmental heritage work, and tailored funding for COVID‑19 community recovery.^{[6][better source needed]}