The Big Little Sponsorship 2026
Congratulations to our Big Little Sponsorship winners!
We’re thrilled to announce the 10 winning schools for the Big Little Sponsorship 2026. Congratulations to Freyberg Community School, Lakeview School, Maungakaramea School, Manaia View School, Paengaroa School, Rewa Rewa School, Rotorua School, Springfield School, Taradale Primary School and Wakari School.
Each school has received a $10,000 sports grant to help their students play a little freer.
Our Big Little Sponsorship celebrates our partnership with Eden Park by championing grassroots sport in primary schools and giving back to communities across Aotearoa.
This year, we called for nominations nationwide and received more than 4,000 entries, highlighting just how many deserving communities there are.
Our 2026 winners will also take their place in 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 ten $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.
The Big Little Sponsorship 2025
Since 2018, the Big Little Sponsorship has helped our youngest athletes take their first steps toward achieving their sporting dreams. Communities from across the nation are encouraged to nominate primary schools who could do with a helping hand.
The Big Little Sponsorship 2024
The 2024 Big Little Sponsorship received 5,500 nominations, over 800 more than last year. There were nominations for primary schools across the nation, from the Aupouri Peninsula in the Far North to Rakiura/Stewart Island. Each nomination gave the entrant school a chance to win one of six sports grants.