Q&As for community groups
More information will be added to these Q&As as queries are received.
Q. What are these funds for?
Te Korowai Whetū Social Cohesion community fund is for community groups and the work they do to strengthen social cohesion in Aotearoa New Zealand. There is already a lot of work underway to support social cohesion in Aotearoa New Zealand at a government level. This funding supports social cohesion efforts at a community or local level.
Q. Who can apply for the fund? Can individuals and their whānau apply for the funds?
Examples of community groups who can apply are:
- Local marae, whānau, hapū, iwi
- Multicultural councils
- Ethnic community organisations
- Faith based, religious and church groups
- Community Hubs
- Not for profit organisations and social enterprise
- Etc
Individuals and their whānau can apply for the fund on behalf of a community group they belong to. However, the funding cannot be for the sole benefit of one individual or whānau.
Q: What does 'co-funding' mean?
Applicants must demonstrate that they can match the amount of funding they are requesting with an equivalent contribution to the initiative. This may mean that they will contribute the same amount of their own funding, other supporting funding or in-kind contributions, which may include volunteer hours, people resource, facilities and/or utilities.
Q: What does ‘in-kind’ contribution mean?
In-kind means any contribution your organisation makes that can be valued. For instance, volunteer hours can be valued at an hourly rate and quantified based on the number of volunteers that are contributing to the initiative. This can include time spent planning, promoting, travelling, setting up, cleaning up, engaging with stakeholders, providing your service or other time-based activities. Other in-kind contributions may include facilities such as the use of a venue; or utilities like vehicles and running costs, pro-bono legal, financial, design or other specialist services that directly apply to the initiative your organisation is requesting funding for.
Q. How long will the fund remain open?
The fund will remain open until all funds have been allocated
Q. Is the application process fair for everyone?
Yes. All eligible applications will be evaluated against eligibility criteria and priority areas by a cross-agency panel to determine which applications will be awarded funding.
Q. When will we know the outcome of our application – and how long do we have to spend the funds?
Applicants will be notified of receipt of their application within 8 working days. Successful applications will receive payment within 10-14 working days after funding approval. Unsuccessful applicants will also be notified in this time frame. The funding must be used by 30 June 2023.
Q. What qualifies as a Te Korowai Whetū Social Cohesion initiative?
Te Korowai Whetū Social Cohesion community fund will prioritise initiatives that contribute to one or more of the following priority areas:
- Inclusion and equity,
- Recognition and respect
- Trust
The fund will be open to initiatives which may include arts, sports and cultural events and hui. For the purposes of this fund, a social cohesion initiative is one that:
- strengthens social connections and respectful relationships
- celebrates diversity and cultural inclusion
- promotes and applies Te Korowai Whetū Social Cohesion tools and resources
- supports collaboration and coordination for community groups to strengthen social cohesion.
This might include, for example, workshops, activities or resources that promote understanding or respectful relationships between different groups, or other events and initiatives that contribute to priority areas.
Q. What do we do if we hold unspent funds?
If the full amount of funding received is not spent, then it should be returned to MSD and the Crown.
If the community group does not expect to be able to spend all the funds by 30 June 2023, they should contact the fund administrators by email: social_cohesion@msd.govt.nz
Q. What are the reporting requirements for the funds?
Successful applicants will be required to provide information and feedback through an online survey after their initiative has been completed. This will include:
- What initiative did the funding support
- What was the impact of the initiative
- What social cohesion outcomes were achieved or supported
The information we collect will be used to assess the impact and success of the initiatives and inform further progress on Te Korowai Whetū Social Cohesion community work.
Terms and conditions of the funding can be read here
Q. What do I do if I have an enquiry during the application process?
You can contact the fund administrators by email: social_cohesion@msd.govt.nz
Q. What can the funds be used for?
Community groups may apply for funding for initiatives that:
- strengthen social connections and respectful relationships
- celebrate diversity and cultural inclusion
- promote and apply the Te Korowai Whetū Social Cohesion tools and resources
- support collaboration and coordination for community groups to strengthen social cohesion.
Te Korowai Whetū Social Cohesion community fund will prioritise initiatives that contribute to one or more of the following priority areas:
- Inclusion and equity,
- Recognition and respect
- Trust
The fund will be open to initiatives which may include arts, sports, and cultural events, and hui. This might include, for example, workshops, activities or resources that promote understanding or respectful relationships between different groups, or other events and initiatives that contribute to priority areas. Applicants are welcome to be creative and innovative in their approaches.
Funding cannot be used for:
- ongoing costs, such as subscriptions
- items already purchased
- purchasing cash assets (Cash assets - Map (workandincome.govt.nz))
- purchasing a vehicle
- alcohol, cigarettes, tobacco, or vaping products
- lotto products
- gambling purposes
- salaries
- supporting social sector providers as they can receive funding through other channels
- activities intended to make a profit.
Q. How was the funding model determined?
We worked with diverse communities to develop the Te Korowai Whetū Social Cohesion strategic framework. Through this process, a shared vision of social cohesion was developed. We have ensured that the criteria for funding from the Te Korowai Whetū Social Cohesion community fund is aligned with this vision. The criteria includes:
- strengthening social connections and respectful relationships
- celebrating diversity and cultural inclusion
- promoting and apply the Te Korowai Whetū Social Cohesion tools and resources
- supporting collaboration and coordination for community groups to strengthen social cohesion.
We have also embedded a cross-agency moderation of applications into our funding model. Our cross-agency panel is made up of people from multiple government agencies who work closely with communities and kaupapa related to social cohesion.
Download the Te Korowai Whetū Social Cohesion strategic framework
Q. Can my community group be funded for an initiative more than once?
A community group cannot be funded for the same initiative twice. A community group can apply for funding for more than one initiative, but these will be considered individually. A successful application for one initiative does not guarantee funding for similar or related initiatives.
Q. What happens if my application is unsuccessful? Can I find out why we weren’t funded?
All applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application withing two weeks of their application receipt.
A summary of the evaluation of their application can be requested.
