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Giving back

We’re proudly community owned. We know your community is important to you — it's where you choose to live, work and play — which makes it important to us as well.

Our job is to keep you connected to electricity 24/7 — but we also believe in keeping connected to local people and organisations, and giving back in a meaningful way.

It’s more than simply being a big employer or our economic contribution to the region. It’s about adding value, supporting growth and development and the money we make going back into our assets and to our community shareholders.

It’s about building strong communities and improving the lives of the people we serve.

Making a difference

Being part of the community is at the heart of all that we do.

We recognise that what you do in our community matters — for all of us— and we’re proud to support the many organisations making a difference across our network

Getting involved

Our staff members are proud of the community they serve and we encourage them to volunteer, share their skills, support community activities and, in true King Country style — get stuck in.

What they’re saying

“Having TLC come on board this season as a long-term sponsor of King Country Junior rugby has been a major boost for our U13 competition and young rep players. It’s great to partner with a local company that is passionate about rugby and particularly about growing our juniors.

TLC has supported King Country rugby since 2008, but this new four-year agreement focuses solely on our juniors who can sometimes struggle to attract financial help.

With TLC being local, players can relate to their sponsor, and we know our kids will thrive thanks to their support.

It’s about teamwork, and we’re thrilled to have TLC on our team!”

Susan Youngman
General Manager
King Country Rugby Football Union

Community funding

We offer community sponsorship for events and projects in our network.

Focus areas

Our community fund is focused on two key areas:

  1. Children, youth and families
    They’re at the heart of our community’s and children are the future. To thrive we need to have positive communities for young people to grow up in.
  2. Energy efficiency
    It’s important to us that we provide opportunities to educate our customers and the community on how they can use less energy.

Priorities

Preference will be given to:

  • Community projects/events that have high visibility and that benefit our local communities.
  • Groups/organisations that have raised funds from other sources — it is unlikely that we’ll sponsor events/projects where our sponsorship is the only source of funding.
  • Projects/events that are provided free of charge to our local communities.
  • Projects/events that reach a large amount of people within our local communities.
  • Projects/events that create better communities.

Note, we’re unlikely to sponsor travel costs, ongoing operating expenses or individuals.

Funding rounds

We offer a number of funding rounds each year. Applications are open to projects or events within our network area.

If you have any questions email us at sponsorship@thelines.co.nz

Coming up

2018 Round 3

  • Opens 1 September
  • Closes 31 January 2019
  • Notification date 22 February 2019

2019 Round 1

  • Opens 25 February 2019
  • Closes 30 June 2019
  • Notification date 19 July 2019

2019 Round 2

  • Opens 1 August 2019
  • Closes 1 November 2019
  • Notification 22 November 2019

how to Apply

To apply for sponsorship, please complete the form below and return it to us by the relevant closing date. Late applications won’t be considered.

If we’ve supported your event in the past and you’d like us to consider your project/event again, you’re still required to follow the application process. Without an application for your event/project, we can’t consider it.

Our Inspiring Local Minds Scholarship

Supporting futures today.

Launched in 2018, each year our Inspiring Local Minds Scholarship recognises and provides financial support to five local students intending tertiary education or trade or other training.

Each year, there’s five scholarships worth $2000 each for every year of study (to a maximum of three years) available.

Applications open in July of the year prior to intended study and if you’re successful we’ll contact you in November.

Eligibility

You’ll:

  • live or have gone to school in our network area
  • be graduating from high school
  • intend study in a profession linked to jobs with us
  • be accepted into your chosen course or trade at a recognised institution
  • have a proven record of achievement
  • agree to publicity and promoting our scholarship
  • be a fantastic representative of our values
  • commit to paying us back if you don’t complete your studies.

Maru Energy Trust

Warm homes are healthy homes.

Too many families in our community live in cold, damp houses and struggle to heat their homes.

We want to change that which is why we were the driving force behind establishing the not-for-profit community charitable trust. Maru offers practical help to keep people warm and healthy.

Maru aims to help people in our community create warmer, drier, and healthier homes. And ultimately use less energy, whether through insulation, education, access to funding sources, or practical tips.

Learn more