Trustee Sue Galloway said the Department of Conservation would give the trust $103,204 over three years.
With the money, the trust would continue training volunteers.
Last year, volunteers contributed 2649 hours of labour and planted 3957 plants, removed tonnes of weeds and trapped pests including rats, weasels, stoats, ferrets, possums and rabbits.
The pest control helps protect the 46 species of birds living in the 315ha wetlands.
The trust's five-year strategic plan focused on increasing community engagement in conservation, including habitat restoration by volunteers.
Wetlands co-ordinator Glen Riley manages the volunteers at the wetlands and works and lives on site.
The wetlands, owned by Te Rununga o Ngai Tahu, is the largest privately owned wetlands in New Zealand.
The Ngai Tahu Mahinga Kai Enhancement Fund has funded habitat restoration and maintenance work and has allowed the trust to contract Mr Riley three days a week for the past three years.
The Doc grant would fund the other two days.
''This money will let Glen work five days a week on the wetlands and he won't have to do another job and he can focus some more on getting people out there and getting involved,'' Dr Galloway said.
The grant would allow the trust to recruit and train local volunteers in formal training courses, she said.
