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New for 2022

The Fund opened in 2021 and has already supported a number of community groups.

The initial $1 million fund is now going to continue for 2 years, closing in June 2023.

What are the Fund priorities?

The priorities of the Fund are to:

  • Support capability-building within community organisations, particularly those most affected by the 15 March 2019 terror attack in Christchurch.
  • Support communities to provide feedback to the Government on the work programme emerging from the Royal Commission's findings.
  • Ensure groups with a range of different viewpoints are able to provide feedback to the Government. This should include groups that represent different religions, ethnicities, age-groups, genders, and geographic locations, and they should include large and established groups and small and newly-formed groups.

Where can I read the Royal Commission findings?

You can read the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Terrorist Attack on Christchurch Mosques on 15 March 2019 by following the link to the report below:

Link to the findings of the Royal Commission

Are we eligible to apply?

To be eligible to apply to this fund you must be:

  • an organisation representing a minority ethnic or faith community that is in consultation, or is about to be in consultation, with the New Zealand Government on the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Terrorist Attack on Christchurch Mosques on 15 March 2019.
  • a legal entity if you are applying for more than $10,000.

What will not be funded?

Grants may not be used for:

  • any purpose not related to consultation with the New Zealand Government on the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Terrorist Attack on Christchurch Mosques on 15 March 2019
  • any purpose that seeks to undermine or overturn the findings or recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Terrorist Attack on Christchurch Mosques on 15 March 2019
  • litigation or legal representation
  • individuals
  • repaying or servicing debt
  • generating profits
  • projects or activities that promote commercial activities 
  • requests from fundraisers, including commercial or professional fundraisers whose purpose is to distribute money to others; or
  • requests where there is a conflict of interest.

What supporting information do we need to apply?

Your funding request requires a budget. Information about what a budget must include can be found at the link below:

Information about budgets

If you are applying for a salary, you must provide a brief job description for the position. 

When can we apply and how long will it take?

The Fund is open to receive funding requests at any time. Decisions are made about which requests will be funded at meetings held every two months.

Given the timeframes required for funding requests to be assessed and decided, you should expect the process to take between six weeks and two months.

For further information on the Royal Commission of Inquiry Ethnic and Faith Community Engagement Response Fund, please call us on 0800 824 824 and ask to speak to the Advisors responsible for administering the 'Community Engagement Response Fund'.  You can also email the Royal Commission of Inquiry Ethnic and Faith Community Engagement Response Fund Advisors at CERF@dia.govt.nz.

Me pēhea te tuku tono pūtea mā tō rōpū hapori

How to make a funding request for your community organisation

Follow these instructions to make a funding request in the Department of Internal Affairs' online grants management system on behalf of your community organisation.

If you have not signed into the grants and client management system before, you will need to set up a RealMe account. You will be prompted to do this when you log in to the grants and client management system for the first time.

You can also set up a RealMe account on the RealMe website. For more information, follow the link below:

Information about RealMe

You can use your existing RealMe login if you have one already, or you can create one when you begin. You do not need a verified RealMe account.

Step 1: Create your personal profile

  • Log in to the grants management system using your RealMe login.
  • Enter your name and contact details into the registration area.
  • Select 'submit request'.

If your registration is successful you will receive an email confirmation. We will contact you if there are any issues.

Step 2: Link to your organisation’s Organisation profile

  • Select ‘My profile’ to view your details.
  • From here, select ‘Link to a group/organisation’. You can connect to an existing Organisation profile or a new one.

Link to an existing organisation

Enter the Organisation ID and select ‘save’.

You will be linked to this Organisation profile once the organisation’s Profile Secretary has confirmed your connection to it. If you do not have the Organisation ID, ask the Profile Secretary for this. 

Note that your organisation can have more than one Profile Secretary on an Organisation profile.

Link to a new organisation

Enter the group name and location, then confirm you have the authority to do this. Select ‘save’.

Once a Funding Administrator has confirmed this organisation requires a new Organisation profile, you will be linked to it and receive an email confirmation. The Funding Administrator will contact you if they have any questions.

Step 3: Fill in an online request form

  • Select ‘create a request’ to view a list of funds open for requests.
  • Select the fund you want to apply to and fill in the form.
  • You can save your draft by selecting ‘Save’. Draft will appear in the sidebar under ‘Saved drafts’. Click ‘edit’ in the top left-hand corner to continue filling out your request.
  • Once you have completed your request and uploaded any supporting information, send it for consideration by selecting ‘submit’ in the bottom left-hand corner.

Start now

Log into the grants management system