Taranaki Rugby are thankful to have received $290,000 in grant funding from Grassroots Trust for community rugby in 2024.
Established in 2003, Grassroots Trust is dedicated to supporting and delivering their mission to “provide local funding to local communities”. They have a passion and enthusiasm for amateur sport and community initiatives.
Support from Grassroots Trust supports the TRFU to deliver their vision of creating memorable experiences through rugby all over Taranaki.
2024 funds from the Grassroots Trust were used to employ staff in the community rugby department across several roles.
This backing enables the community rugby team to deliver hundreds of rippa rugby experiences to primary and high school tamariki, coaching courses to junior and senior coaches as well as administering quality rugby competitions and programmes to 5,461 community rugby participants annually.
Taranaki Rugby Chief Executive Officer Jimmy Fastier thanked Grassroots Trust for their commitment to Taranaki community rugby.
“Support from Grassroots Trust enables us to get skilled rugby resource on the ground to deliver memorable experiences to Taranaki, particularly in the youth space. These experiences go far beyond rugby skills, they support physical activity, team values and cognitive development for our next generation.”
Grassroots Trust also supported several other Taranaki Rugby amateur rugby projects such as:
- Physiotherapy and doctor services to keep Taranaki amateur representative sides fit and healthy. These teams include the Taranaki Under 16 boys and girls, Taranaki Under 18 girls, Taranaki Under 19 boys, Taranaki Development side, Taranaki Pasifika, Taranaki Māori and the Central Roofing Taranaki Whio.
- Coaching and team manager resources for the Central Roofing Taranaki Whio team competing in the Farah Palmer Cup.
- Taranaki Rugby office rent for staff at their Sport Taranaki HQ at Yarrow Stadium.
2024 HIGHLIGHTS
💪 Playing numbers rose to 5,461 in 2024 (small lift versus 2023 after 13% growth in 2023)
💪 Teenage rugby playing numbers up 13%
💪 Female teenage playing numbers up 29%, male teenage numbers up 9%
💪 Registered coaches up 61% from 198 in 2013 to 318 in 2024
Click HERE for a list of Grassroots Trust Taranaki operators.
