Innovation funding

The Innovation Fund is to support the establishment and development of systems, practices, processes, and reporting that will deliver better experiences and outcomes for those receiving Community Participation services.

Existing Community Participation service providers contracted with MSD will be able to apply for funding from June 2023.

Community Participation service providers who apply for a grant will be asked to create an innovation plan that is aligned to the Enabling Good Lives (EGL) approach and developed in collaboration with disabled participants. There is an Enabling Good Lives Organisational Self Review tool available for those who would like to first assess how they are doing in EGL.

Providers can ask for a grant of up to $7,500 to get support to develop their plan by emailing vocational_services_disability@msd.govt.nz

This amount will be provided up front. The full plan will need to be submitted within three months of the receipt of the $7,500. Once the Innovation plan is submitted it will be evaluated to determine the amount of funding each provider will receive.

Up-front grant to support plan development

Providers can ask for a grant of up to $7,500 to get support to develop their plan by emailing vocational_services_disability@msd.govt.nz

To receive this grant you just have to send us a written request via email. There is no form required. If you are submitting more than one application covering different services, you can ask for up to $7,500 for each application.

This amount will be provided up front. The full plan will need to be submitted within 3 months of the receipt of the $7,500. Once the Innovation plan is submitted, it will be evaluated to determine the amount of funding each provider will receive.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for the funding, the organisation must:

• be already providing Community Participation services - including Community Participation, Very High Needs, Transition from School, Business Enterprise - for disabled people in Aotearoa New Zealand
• be currently funded by MSD
• have an initiative that aligns with the Enabling Good Lives approach and promotes innovation in processes, reporting and/or systems.

Application criteria

Applicants are required to submit a written proposal. The proposal should outline their plans for how they intend to use the funding and requires the following:

1. Description of how your organisation is currently aligning to EGL approach
2. Type of service(s) that your innovation plan is related to (Community Participation, Very High Needs, Business Enterprises, Transition from School)
3. Description of your initiative, how this will support your organisation to better meet the EGL approach and support your participants to become more involved in their community
4. The priority groups included in your plan – including Māori, Pacific and Ethnic communities
5. Detailed budget outlining how the funds will be used
6. A timeline for the implementation of your initiative
7. The location at which your initiative will be implemented.

Each organisation can submit one proposal for innovation for each service. For example, if an organisation offers CP and VHNs services, then they are eligible to submit two individual applications.

The plans must be submitted to vocational_services_disability@msd.govt.nz.

Examples of Innovation plans

Providers who are seeking Innovation grants may submit their proposals aligning the innovation of their organisation to the Enabling Good Live approach. Further guidance is outlined below.

Collaborative initiatives

Providers may propose collaborative initiatives with other organisations or community groups to develop innovative solutions.

Development of new service models

Providers may propose the development of new service models that align with the Enabling Good Lives approach. Examples could be:

• A new quality and culturally responsive service delivery model that demonstrates the beneficial effects of Māori cultural practices - spiritual, mental, physical, emotional and whānau wellbeing - for disabled people by linking with local marae, hapu and iwi.
• A new service delivery model that advocates for and allows participants to choose which services they want to attend.

Use of technology

Providers may propose the use of technology to enhance service delivery and support the people they serve. These could be:

• The development of a mobile app which supports and improves the lives of disabled people
• The integration and automation of systems that are easy to use and edit with relevant information about the participants available in real-time
• Improving a provider’s internal systems, ensuring that the systems are transparent and up-to-date, financial planning can be done in an effective way, participants’ data can be monitored and accessed easily, and the privacy of participants’ data is maintained.

Improved processes and practices

Providers may propose improved processes and practices where disabled people are leading, governing, overseeing, and monitoring the change to design systems, policies, practices, and processes. This demonstrates that participants are at the centre of designing services for themselves and their community.

Communications or financial practices can be addressed by this grant by suggesting improvement in how the organisation communicates with participants and their whānau or how the organisations do their annual financial planning to the benefit of participants.

Performance reporting practices are encouraged to be improved and aligned to EGL, so that feedback from participants and their whānau is gathered and actioned regularly.

Professional development

Providers may propose professional opportunities for their staff to enhance their knowledge on Enabling Good Lives approach, innovations in the disability sector, training programmes that focus on promoting choice and control for disabled people. Professional development can also be focused on improving reporting and/or self-evaluation that aligns with the EGL approach.

Review and evaluation process

Applications will be reviewed and evaluated by the evaluation panel - taking into account:

• the degree to which the proposal aligns with the Enabling Good Lives approach of
  • Promoting choice and control
  • Building community connections
  • Supporting informed decision-making
  • Building strong relationships
  • Providing high-quality services
  • Embracing innovation
• how well the link between the need(s) being addressed and better outcomes for disabled people is demonstrated. (How will we know the grant has been effective?)
• the feasibility of the plan, including budget and timeline
• location of services
• services to priority groups, ie Māori, Pacific and Ethnic.

Award of grant

• The funding will be provided as a grant in one instalment
• Grant letters will be issued to the successful applicants
• Reporting on the use of the grant will be expected from providers 12 months after they receive the grant.

Any questions should be sent to vocational_services_disability@msd.govt.nz

There are some FAQs here