The Big Little Sponsorship 2026
For the seventh year, we’re calling for nominations for ten deserving primary schools across New Zealand to each win a $10,000 sports grant.
Know a primary school who’d love to win a 10K sports grant?
We know how important sport is to Kiwi kids. It teaches fair play, teamwork, builds confidence and keeps them active, but getting the little ones match ready can be expensive.
In partnership with Eden Park, the Big Little Sponsorship encourages communities to nominate local primary schools for the prize, giving a boost to grassroots sport in the process. Running since 2018, the Big Little Sponsorship has seen $138,000 in sports grants awarded to primary schools across Aotearoa. Your school could be our next big winner, so nominate them below to help them play a little freer!
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.
Example of a nomination for one of our previous 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
Nominations are open from 9am, Monday 17 February – 11:59pm Sunday 16 March 2025.
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.
Our judges will evaluate nominations to select the winner at their sole discretion with reference to, but not limited by, the judging criteria.
Our judges will meet in May 2026 to decide on the winning primary schools.
Each of the winning school’s principal will be notified by May and the wider school community in June.
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.
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.
The Big Little Sponsorship 2023
We received over 4,600 nominations from 1,201 schools for our Big Little Sponsorship 2023. Two winners were selected by our panel of judges, made up of representatives from AA Insurance, former All Black Keven Mealamu, and Eden Park’s Chief Executive Nick Sautner.