communitymatters.govt.nz

Helping New Zealand build strong communities

Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS) Te Tahua Mā Ngā Whakahaere i Ngā Hapori

Making an application

Note: The Community Organisation Grants Scheme is not accepting applications at this time. The next funding round will open on 1 June 2012.

Use this organisation checklist to find out if your organisation meet the requirements to apply for any of the grants administered by the Department of Internal Affairs.

Use this checklist to find out if your organisation meets the requirements to apply for COGS funding.

You can apply to COGS electronically by registering on Grants Online. Once registered, you will be emailed a username and password which you may then use to log in and create an application.

You can also download the application form in pdf format which can be printed out, completed by hand, and submitted by post.

If you would like help with this, phone 0800 824 824 (in New Zealand only), or email grantsonline@dia.govt.nz.

If you are asked to provide supporting documents in the application, your organisation will have 10 working days from the date of submitting the application to provide all supporting documents.  Failure to provide the information within this timeframe will almost certainly result in the LDC considering your application to be incomplete.

The application will ask you to

  • provide contact details for your organisation and an independent referee
  • describe what you want the funding for and what you will spend it on
  • describe how your community will benefit if your organisation receives a COGS grant
  • tell us what other community organisations or networks your organisation works with
  • provide a budget breakdown
  • tell us about other sources of funding for your organisation that will contribute to costs

You will also need to provide

  • annual accounts to support your application (these must be audited if you are applying for over $10,000)
  • a bank account statement with the name of your organisation, bank name and account number
  • job descriptions (if applying for salary costs)
  • a programme outline (if applying for programme costs)
  • an accountability report for any previous COGS funding you have received (if applicable)

When to apply

COGS has one funding round per year.  Applications can be submitted from 1 June, and must be in by 5.00pm on the last Wednesday of July in each year.

After you apply

An advisor from a regional office of the Department of Internal Affairs and /or an LDC committee member may contact you to discuss your application.

Accountability requirements

Grant recipients must

  • use the grant only for the purpose for which the grant was given, and meet any conditions imposed by the Committee
  • repay any grant funds spent on anything other than the purpose for which the grant was given
  • return any left-over funds once the project is complete

In order to provide assurance that COGS funds are being spent on approved outcomes, the Committee requires grant recipients to

  • account for grant spending as a separate entry in their financial accounts
  • complete a final accountability report at the conclusion of the project, when the grant has been fully spent, or at the expiry of the grant, whichever is sooner

Accountability reports

Accountability reports can be completed and submitted electronically through Grants Online.  After submitting your accountability report online, you will need to send us your signed declaration form.  You can

If you are unable to complete your accountability online, please contact your local COGS Advisor direct or via our contact centre on 0800 824 824.  We do not provide blank accountability reports, however your local COGS Advisor will be able to start an accountability report online, print the uncompleted form and give you a copy.  You will then complete the form and return it to the Advisor for completing online.

Note: COGS grant recipients no longer have to complete a provisional accountability report.  Accountability is due when the grant is fully spent or 12 months after the grant has been approved – whichever is soonest. 

Some organisations may not have provided accountability for grants made in earlier years.  Reports must be provided for all outstanding/overdue accountability issues.

Requests for extension of time or change of purpose

COGS grant recipients are reminded of the following conditions agreed to when applying:

  • To spend the grant within 12 months of the date of grant approval unless written approval for an extension is obtained from the COGS committee before that 12 months period ends.
  • To spend the grant only for the purpose(s) approved by the COGS committee unless written approval for a change of purpose(s) is obtained in advance from the committee.

Please use this form when requesting an extension of time or change of purpose: 

If you are not able to submit your accountability report online, please contact us on 0800 824 824.

Promoting Community Organisation Grants Scheme support

Grant recipient organisations must acknowledge COGS support in publicity materials, such as event programmes, and in annual reports.

Information disclosure

Information about any grant may be utilised in publicity material by the Community Organisation Grants Scheme.

Other application information may be released, if required, under the Official Information Act.  After 10 years, grant applications will be transferred to the National Archives, where they will be available to members of the public.

In submitting a grant application, an individual or an organisation (the applicant) acknowledge and agree that the Department of Internal Afairs may disclose to, or obtain from, any other government department or agency, private person or organisation, any information about the applicant for the purposes of gaining or providing information related to the funding of the applicant.

Grant applicants and recipients may access their information details and amend at any time. To view any personal information held by the Department of Internal Affairs, or raise a concern about personal information that it holds, please write to:

The Privacy Officer
Department of Internal Affairs
PO Box 805
Wellington 6140