A pot of gold containing $200,000 is waiting for groups keen to help celebrate the 150th anniversary of the precious metal being discovered in Central Otago.
The Central Lakes Trust has set aside that amount for groups planning community events next year to mark the milestone.
It is believed to be the first time the trust has established a contestable fund.
Applications will be considered monthly until the end of October this year.
"The anniversary is a significant milestone for Central Otago and it is important that it is celebrated appropriately," trust chief executive Paul Allison said.
"This funding will provide an incentive for groups to start planning their various programmes, projects and events to mark this historical occasion," he said.
Gold was discovered near Lawrence in 1861, and the following year, Horatio Hartley and Christopher Reilly extracted gold from a beach below the junction of the Clutha and Kawarau rivers, triggering the Dunstan gold rush.
In 1862, prospectors and miners staked claims from the Shotover River in the west through to Naseby in the north.
Groups falling within the boundaries of the trust area - the same region covered by the former Otago Central Electric Power Board - are eligible to apply for a share of the $200,000.
Some organisations had already signalled their intention to celebrate the anniversary and the funding would ensure events were well planned and "appropriately resourced" to be a success, Mr Allison said.
Promote Dunstan, the umbrella group for the Dunstan celebrations, has sought $16,000 from the Vincent Community Board.
It has a wide variety of events planned throughout the year, ranging from a fireworks display from a barge on Lake Dunstan in January to a "grand week" of gold-themed celebrations in November.
The board postponed making a decision on the grant last month and will consider it again on Monday.
The Cromwell and District Promotion Group held a meeting last week to gauge support for celebrations based in that district.
Chairman Adrian Somerville said planning was in the early stages but events would complement others being staged in the wider region.
The Cromwell celebrations would tie in with the town hosting the Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust cavalcade in February next year.
Application forms and grant guidelines are available on the Central Lakes Trust's website.
