The trust has granted $30,000 towards the project as part of its October funding round, which distributed nearly $400,000 across Otago.
Stirling School board chairwoman Catherine Korteweg said the support capped off three years of community fundraising.
"It was probably around mid-2022 when we started talking about it," she said.
"By early 2023, we’d organised our PTA, Friends and Whānau of Stirling School, to really get some fundraising happening. We’ve done lots of cheese rolls and lots of barbecues."
The school had already raised about $30,000 before applying for the grant.
"It was really heartwarming to see money coming in from people," Mrs Korteweg said.
"The strategic goals between the trust’s values and what we’re trying to do here really aligns."
Teacher Coby Latta said the new playground would replace equipment installed in the early 1990s that had "basically reached end of safe life".
The school, now with a roll of 87 pupils, is working through final Ministry of Education approvals. It is hoped construction will begin in February and take "a couple of months", courtesy of a specialist playground builder, using local subcontractors where possible.
"We’re incredibly grateful to the trust and everyone who’s supported us," Mrs Korteweg said.
OCT chairman Andy Kilsby said the trust was delighted to support Stirling School, which had experienced "remarkable growth", doubling student numbers in three years.
"The school community has transformed their old playground space into a thriving native planting area, and is now planning for new infrastructure to serve their growing roll well into the future," he said.
"It’s exciting to see the school community working to ensure their tamariki have access to an inclusive space where they can play, connect and thrive."
