The Government will spend $300,000 on community events marking Waitangi Day next year,
More than a third of the money is tagged for commemorations at Waitangi itself, where large crowds are expected for a major waka event.
The chairman of the organising committee for Waitangi, former New Zealand First MP Pita Paraone, says his budget has had a welcome boost from $80,000 to $114,000.
2010 has been designated "The Year of the Waka" to mark the restoration of the big Waitangi war canoe Ngatoki-mata-whao-rua.
Mr Paraone says that up to 30 waka will be coming to Waitangi from all over New Zealand, and 300 paddlers will need to be fed and housed.