Rānui and Henderson communities invited to bid for storm recovery funding
Last Updated on August 24, 2026
Communities in Rānui and Henderson are being invited to put forward ideas for two new community-led funds set up as part of ongoing recovery work following the severe storms and flooding that hit Auckland in 2023, according to Auckland Council.
The funds mark the next stage of a longer-term recovery programme in the two West Auckland suburbs, both of which were significantly affected by the flooding. Council is asking local groups and residents to come forward with ideas that could strengthen wellbeing, connection and resilience in their neighbourhoods.
What the funds are for
Details released so far indicate the funding is intended to support community-led projects rather than council-directed works, meaning local residents and groups will have a say in what gets funded and how it is delivered. The approach reflects a recovery model built around communities identifying their own priorities, rather than solutions being imposed from above.
The funds sit within a broader, ongoing programme of recovery work that Auckland Council has been running in flood-affected areas since 2023. That programme has continued well beyond the initial emergency response, with this latest step focused specifically on rebuilding social connection and resilience in Rānui and Henderson.
Why it’s happening now
The 2023 storms caused widespread damage across Auckland, and Rānui and Henderson were among the communities hit hardest. Recovery from events of that scale typically extends far past the immediate cleanup and infrastructure repair, and council’s framing of these funds as part of a “longer-term programme” suggests the wellbeing and social side of recovery is still very much underway, more than two years on.
For residents in these suburbs, the funds represent a chance to shape how remaining recovery resources are spent locally, whether that goes toward community events, resilience initiatives, or projects that help neighbours stay connected in the event of future emergencies.
Auckland Council has not yet detailed the total value of the funds, application deadlines, or exactly what kinds of projects would qualify. Residents and community groups interested in applying will need to watch for further information from council as this stage of the recovery programme gets under way.
Source: Auckland Council.
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Photo: “Christchurch, New Zealand (29-09-2024)” by migmasat, CC PDM 1.0, via Openverse.
