Are you looking to undertake training or professional development, or do you have a great idea that could make a real difference, but need funding to make it happen?
HealthCarePlus (a not-for-profit’ union-owned member benefits organisation) understands that providing grants to support professional development, or to fund projects both large and small, can transform a great idea into a real game changer. If you need a grant to undertake an activity in 2026 that may benefit, you, your sector, or the wider community, HealthCarePlus’s ‘Grants for Good’ may well be the answer.
Last year, ‘Grants for Good’ supported a wide range of amazing projects both large and small and helped individuals with funding for professional development.
For example, they are currently supporting Hannah Watson as she transitions from a high school teacher to a school counsellor. With over a decade in the classroom, Hannah saw how mental health affects learning and wellbeing. Motivated by a deep commitment to student support—and her own experience of being truly heard—she is now pursuing postgraduate counselling studies. Thanks to the HealthCarePlus Grant for Good, Hannah can balance work and study without added financial stress. She shares, “It made me feel supported, that someone believed in what I was doing.” Her journey reflects the power of investing in people dedicated to positive change. Read her story here.
HealthCarePlus is also proud to support the Manawatū Literacy Association’s innovative Book Battle programme, designed to reignite reading engagement among primary students. With funding from Grants for Good, the initiative—championed by Resource Teacher of Literacy Belinda—brings Year 5–8 students together to read a curated list of mostly New Zealand books and compete in a fun, quiz-style event. The grant enabled the team to provide additional resources, events, and books to schools, ensuring the programme’s sustainability and reach. Belinda notes that the support has been transformative, allowing more students—including reluctant readers—to discover the joy of reading and build lasting literacy habits. Read more about this project here.
Over the last five rounds 'Grants For Good' has approved over $750,000 of funding support as charitable educational grants. And for the 2026 round there is more than $250,000 of funding available which will provide a significant step towards making funding for educational projects, training and professional development even more accessible to everyday New Zealanders.
Individual Grants - Category 1
Any individual activity, or small project that has an educational outcome, is eligible to apply for support for amounts between $3,000 and $12,000 for one year. This could include hardship grants to help individuals fund their study, support for people undertaking professional development or backing ideas for small projects that make working and living in NZ, better for everyone.
Applications for Individual grants open 30th June and close at 5pm on 5th September 2025.
Group and Special Grants - Categories 2 and 3
For Group and Special Grants, Expressions of Interest are now open for amounts from $10,000 up to a maximum of $50,000 for one year. These grants are designed to support larger team-based projects or to support conferences.
Please note Expression of Interests for Group and Special grants open 30 June and close at 5pm, 8 August 2025. Short listed Expressions of Interest will then be invited to submit a Full Application that will close at 5pm on 19 September 2025.
So get in quick for any Group or Special Grant applications. Remember, they're not just focused on large-scale projects - they'll consider any good idea, from right across NZ.
Find out more and apply here