Three Bay of Plenty councils are working together to make it easier for local iwi and hapu to apply for funding to develop iwi management plans.
Tauranga City Council and Bay of Plenty and Western Bay of Plenty regional councils are collectively offering $120,000 to assist iwi in researching, planning and developing management plans.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council has had the fund the longest and has offered its application templates and criteria to the other councils.
Maori policy manager Kataraina Belshaw says it's important iwi and hapu have consistency. She says her council also provides technical support to tribes in terms of developing their plans and reviewing them because the strategies are useful for everyone.
