Congrats to our winners!
We’re thrilled to share that Mahana School near Nelson and Matipo School in Auckland have each won a $10,000 sports grant to help their athletes play a little freer! We will be announcing the exciting news to our other two winning schools this week.
Our Big Little Sponsorship celebrates our partnership with Eden Park by championing grassroots sport in schools and gives something back to the communities around us. We went nationwide asking for nominations of deserving primary schools to win one of four $10,000 sports grants. We received over 4,000 nominations from 1,075 schools. Congratulations to our winners Mahana School in the South Island and Matipo School in the North Island who have each received a $10,000 sports grant. For our two remaining winning schools, we will be announcing the exciting news with them this week. Stay tuned!
Our grand prize winners will be joining the Big Little Sponsorship Hall of Fame at Eden Park.
How we find our winning schools
Eligibility
Any primary school in New Zealand that hasn’t previously won a Big Little Sponsorship grant can be nominated and apply. There are four $10,000 sports grants to be awarded.
Strength of nomination
How compelling and genuine the primary school's need for support is.
Number of unique nominations each primary school receives.
Value of winning
How a sports grant could help the primary school overcome any challenges they face when organising sports activities.
Importance of sport
The role that sport plays and the impact it has at the primary school.
Example of a nomination for one of our 2024 winners:
"The Big Little Sponsorship has the power to transform the landscape of Kawerau South School, providing a beacon of hope and opportunity for our students and the wider community. It would significantly help with the restoration of the school playground which was partially destroyed by an arson attacked recently. The rebuild is vital to ensuring our Tamariki continue to have an engaging space for physical activity which also contributes to their overall wellbeing and happiness.
This funding will also assist with the purchase of new sorting equipment for various sports events held throughout the year. These events offer parents a unique opportunity to actively engage in their child's school life. Whether cheering from the sidelines, volunteering, or participating in organised events, parents become an integral part of the school community through sports. This involvement not only strengthens the parent-school partnership but also reinforces the reinforces the importance of a collaborative approach to physical education."
Frequently asked questions
How long is the competition running for?
Nominations are open from 9am, Monday 17 February – 11:59pm Sunday 16 March 2025.
Who can enter?
Nominations can be made by anyone. If you’re under 18 years of age, you’ll need to include the details of your parent/guardian.
How does the judging work?
Our judges will evaluate nominations to select the winner at their sole discretion with reference to, but not limited by, the judging criteria.
When will the judging take place?
Our judges will meet in March 2025 to decide on the winning primary schools.
When will the winning school be announced?
Each of the winning school’s principal will be notified by April and the wider school community in May.
I have a question that hasn't been answered – what do I do?
You can Live Chat with us on our website or call us on 0800 500 231. Our Contact Centre is open from 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am – 6pm on weekends and public holidays.