The council yesterday announced grants to groups researching the needs of those involved in oil and gas exploration, delivering irrigation, providing internships and trying to prise cruise-ship passengers off the decks of ships and into the city.
The money came from the council's industry project fund, set up to assist local businesses and industry organisations overcome barriers and deliver economic benefits to the city.
Economic development unit manager Peter Harris said the council had decided to increase the fund from $90,000 to $240,000 and hand out money twice a year, with the next round in March.
Economic development committee chairman Cr John Bezett said the money, which was provided only when an applicant put in at least one third of the funding themselves, was intended to develop business in Dunedin.
"That's what it's all about."
The Oil and Gas Supply Base Industry Project, which received $26,000, would research the requirements of the oil industry to help promote Dunedin as a supply base during oil exploration in the Great Southern Basin and the Canterbury Bight.
John Whitaker, who is running the project with University of Otago lecturer Dr James Henry, said apart from stevedoring, the city would need integrated engineering facilities and people with the appropriate skills in a port that would run 24 hours a day.
Promotion materials would be prepared for the oil industry and a project plan developed.
The Dunedin information and communications technology cluster internship programme, which is attempting to overcome an ICT skills gap, received $43,875, the Strath Taieri irrigation group $35,000 and the Tourism Dunedin cruise industry project $7000.
