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Tauola Business Fund

Tauola Business Fund

The Tauola Business Fund is now closed.

The fund supports Pacific businesses in Aotearoa to foster growth, create employment opportunities, and build resilience in the face of challenges. Aimed at empowering Pacific businesses, the Fund invests in initiatives that promote productivity and strengthen their capacity to thrive.

Key Objectives

  • Employment creation: Building pathways for Pacific peoples to secure sustainable jobs.
  • Business growth: Enabling businesses to scale, increase productivity, and contribute to economic development.
  • Resilience: Supporting businesses to withstand economic shocks and remain competitive.

Tauola Business Fund is closed for applications 

Applications are now closed for the Tauola Business Fund. 

This year we looked to fund businesses that demonstrated they contribute to the following objectives: 

  • increase productivity and innovation to stimulate growth 
  • strengthen Pacific-owned businesses to be more successful and sustainable 
  • improve Pacific peoples’ participation in the labour market 
  • create employment pathways for Pacific peoples 
  • increase resilience to withstand economic shocks.

How much was funded? 

Applicants could apply to one of our four funding pools: 

High-value Projects 

 $100,001 - $400,000
Tier 1 Fund

$80,000 - $100,000 
Tier 2 Fund 

$40,000 - $79,000
Tier 3 Fund

Under $40,000 

Key dates 

Applications closed on Monday 16 December at 12.00pm 

Who could apply? 

To be eligible for the High-value Projects category, applicants must:  

  • be a Pacific owned / registered company 
  • operate commercially and be GST registered 
  • have a minimum annual turnover of $100k 
  • have been trading for at least 3 years 

To be eligible for the Tier 1 funding, applicants must:  

  • have at least 50% Pacific ownership, and sole traders must be 100% Pacific owned 
  • operate commercially and be GST registered 
  • have a minimum turnover of $60k per year 
  • have been trading for at least 12 months 

To be eligible for the Tier 2 funding, applicants must:  

  • have at least 50% Pacific ownership, and sole traders must be 100% Pacific owned 
  • have been trading for at least 12 months 

To be eligible for the Tier 3 funding, applicants must:  

  • Start-up businesses, have at least 50% Pacific ownership, and sole traders must be 100% Pacific owned 
  • have a clear economic growth pipeline 

About the fund

The Tauola Business Fund is available for Pacific businesses who can demonstrate the following:

  • An ability to create employment opportunities for Pacific peoples
  • A commitment to improving Pacific participation in the labour market
  • An ability to increase productivity and scale up
  • Job creation within 6 months of receiving funding
  • Build capacity and capability to participate in economic development projects
  • Good health and safety practices.

The Tauola Business Fund has been instrumental in enabling Pacific businesses to invest in tools and resources that enhance their operations and productivity. These investments have allowed businesses to scale their capabilities, improve service delivery, and innovate within their industries.

  • Businesses upgraded technology with tools like software systems and screen-printing equipment to improve efficiency and expand services. 
  • Funding helped purchase essential equipment, including vehicles, gym machines, and excavation tools, enabling businesses to take on more work and grow. 
  • Specialised equipment, like heat press machines and wellness tools (ice baths and floats), allowed businesses to offer new services and reach more customers. 

The Tauola Business Fund does not provide support for:

  •  Feasibility studies: Costs for exploring or testing the viability of business ideas are excluded.
  •  Travel and accommodation: Funding cannot cover costs related to travel, accommodation, or fact-finding trips.
  •  Social housing: Projects focused on housing for community purposes are ineligible*. 
  •  Infrastructure projects: Construction of major infrastructure like roads, bridges, power stations, or water facilities is not funded.*
  •  Exploration activities: New mineral or resource explorations are excluded, though expanding or diversifying an existing exploration business may be eligible.
  •  Building renovations: Renovating or repairing commercial buildings is not eligible unless tied to productive business expansion and job creation.
  •  Overseas activities: Projects or programs delivered outside New Zealand, including in Pacific realm countries, are excluded.
  •  Activities like digital marketing, financial literacy, business mentorship, project management, or strategic planning are not funded under this scheme.**
  • Capital expenditure: General infrastructure and equipment investments are not eligible.
  • Academic activities: Research or other academic initiatives are excluded.
  • Debt repayment: The Fund cannot be used to repay or service existing loans. iT cannot be used to pay rent or leases. 

Notes:

  • *Third-party contractors providing labour or equipment for eligible construction or infrastructure projects may qualify.
  • **Pacific Business Village offers support and funding for excluded capacity-building services.  

The Ministry has allocated the total pool of funding based on Census 2023 Pacific population counts across the country. This helps to ensure that funding split is equitable and proportionate to the number of Pacific peoples in each region.  

The Tauola Business Fund is one part of the Ministry’s Pacific Business Village initiative. The other part of the Village initiative is the regional networks and providers that support Pacific businesses to gain access to localised, culturally responsive business support.   

A list of regional networks and providers can be found here: Pacific Business Village

If you have further questions about the fund, please email [email protected] 

2025 fund recipients

  • Deep Dive Division
  • Fiso Group
  • GreenSide Energy Solutions Ltd
  • JNP Aviation Limited
  • Mana Pacific Consultants
  • Sea People Ice Cream
  • Vakalahi Construction
  • AZAP Electrical Services Limited
  • Data Traffic Limited
  • Direct Recruitment Limited
  • DNA 1st Solution
  • Fundme
  • JMP Consulting Ltd
  • LaunchPad
  • Momentum Mind Lab
  • Nasita Production Limited
  • Soul Power Electrical Ltd
  • TALA
  • Taro Patch Creative
  • Umata Diner & Catering
  • VAKA Limited
  • Viktual+
  • Walters Hood and Duct Cleaning Ltd
  • ASD Dads
  • Coform Architecture
  • Ei Moana Limited
  • Fautasi Pacific Retail Store
  • Ginnen Creative Ltd
  • Johnson's Construction
  • KEPT Solutions Limited
  • M J Landscapes
  • Malamalama Moni Aoga Amata E.F.K.S Palmerston North Incorporated
  • MAU Studio Limited
  • Moana Digital
  • PELE baby
  • Pou Systems
  • RPS Roof Painting Services.
  • Spectrum QS Limited
  • Talaaga Counselling Ltd
  • GEM Cuisine
  • Glorious Inc
  • Good Day Catering Limited
  • PANIKEKE
  • Results Financial Services Ltd T/A The Finance Collective
  • Sio Design Ltd
  • SWET

Previous fund recipents

List of recipients for the first round of Tauola Business funding are as follows:

  • A & P Huahulu Ltd 
  • Fair & Square Building Services Ltd 
  • Flying Geese Pro Ltd  
  • Game Changer Inspiring Others Ltd 
  • Isupps Wellington CBD 
  • Jitel Contracting Ltd 
  • King Furniture Movers Ltd 
  • Laura Aileone Ltd
  • MCL Contractors Ltd 
  • Meth Test Canterbury  Ltd
  • O Studio Ltd
  • Polynesian Choice  
  • Poporazzi Productions Ltd
  • RPS Roof Painting Specialists
  • Sefs Painting Service 
  • Simply Staged Ltd 
  • SWET 
  • Tokotoko Solutions Ltd 
  • Wright Brothers Building Ltd  
  • Zenith Fitness 

The list of recipients for the second round of Tauola Business funding are as follows:

  • Access Masters Scaffolding 
  • Ace Birdproofing Solutions Limited
  • Affirming Works
  • Alas Engineering Ltd
  • Ashburton Fruit Berry Ice Cream
  • Benny Tui Projects
  • Bluespur Consulting Ltd
  • Bolster Design Limited
  • Chooice
  • Coolkona Forestry 1 Limited
  • Danika Cooper Jewellery Limited
  • Dymond Construction
  • Elika Consulting Group
  • Four Shells Kava Lounge - Kumete Group Limited
  • G Force Plumbing and Building Limited
  • Galaxy Childcare
  • Gray Builders Ltd
  • Greenside Insulation Limited
  • Gumboots Consulting Engineers Ltd
  • Image Central
  • JNP Aviation Limited
  • Johnson Building Limited
  • JRA Limited
  • Limelight DJ & Entertainment Ltd
  • Loaves and Fishes Catering
  • MMB Builders Ltd
  • Momentum Fabrication Limited
  • Nasita Productions Ltd
  • Naua Courier Limited
  • Nspyre Red Boutique Hair Lounge & Nspyre Red Hair Studio
  • OPSEC Solutions Limited
  • Pacific Business Hub
  • Pacific Express (NZ) Company Limited 
  • Positive Screenprinting
  • Pro-pare Athlete Management Trust
  • Samuel Manu Plastering Limited
  • Secure Board-Ups Limited
  • Shaolin Electrical
  • Sweet and Me Ltd
  • Tauranga Scaffolding Ltd
  • Tautoko Whanau Ora
  • The Island Food Company
  • TK Productions Limited T/A Deep Dive Division
  • Trust & Loyalty Security Limited
  • Whangarei Fitness Limited - F45 Whangarei South
  • WillFix Construction Limited
  • Zion Concrete