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Community Development Scheme Te Tahua Whakapakari Hapori

The Community Development Fund is no longer available.

The final funding round for the CDS closed on 18 May 2016. The projects awarded funding from the final funding round may be viewed here: Community Development Scheme new projects approved 2016 (PDF, 286kb)

Seven projects were approved for funding for three year projects beginning during 2016/17.The Community Development Scheme is being replaced by the Community-Led Development Programme.

The Community Development Scheme (CDS) supported community, hapū, iwi, Pacific and ethnic groups to work together, generate their own solutions to local issues, and work towards becoming more self-reliant and resilient. CDS grants supported communities to work together in new ways, to be innovative and to determine their own development priorities to achieve sustainable community outcomes.

CDS funded communities to employ community development project workers who can facilitate the process of building community capacity and capabilities.

Funding for outcomes

 The CDS focused on maximising the benefits from grants by focusing on the community outcomes or benefits to be achieved. Priority was given to funding projects which enable communities/hapū/iwi to:

  • seek appropriate solutions together;
  • provide people with a sense of belonging and purpose, shared vision and common values;
  • have capable and enterprising leadership;
  • have proactive, inclusive organisations;
  • be resilient and resourceful; and
  • manage their own self-determined, sustainable development.

What we fund

CDS supported new projects, which are additional to the activities of the organisation requesting the grant.

The scheme funded projects for a period of three years, enabling the employment of a CDS worker or workers and costs associated with the project.

Organisations receiving CDS funding had to:

  • demonstrate their competence to host/manage a community/hapū/iwi development project over a period of three years;
  • provide evidence of support within their community/hapū/iwi to undertake the proposed project;
  • show a clear understanding of community development; and
  • show they have policies and procedures relating to the recruitment and employment of staff.

CDS did not fund:

  • projects that did not employ a community/hapū/iwi development project worker;
  • capital costs and major fixed assets;
  • ongoing projects, programmes or services that are the ‘business as usual’ of the organisation.

CDS offered funding for projects for three years, totalling up to $240,000 (excl. GST). Funding of up to $80,000 (excl. GST) was available each year.

CDS grants are “global contributions” towards approved project costs, including the salary costs of a community/hapū/iwi development worker or workers.

Decision making

Funding decisions for new projects are made by the Department of Internal Affairs, based upon the recommendations of an independent community advisory panel. The panel will meet on or before 5 August 2016.

Reporting requirements

If the Department offers a CDS grant, organisation are advised of the grant offer by email and invited to review the online grant agreement, which will include full details of any reporting requirements for the grant offered. All reporting is designed to be submitted online.

What’s changing

On the 25 June 2016 the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, the Hon Jo Goodhew, announced the establishment of a new initiative for investing in communities, the Community-led Development Programme.  

The new Community-led Development Programme responds to the need for flexible, responsive, investment to support community-led initiatives over the long term. It incorporates the best elements of the Community Development Scheme and will gradually replace it over the next 3 fiscal years. During this time, funding for all existing Community Development Scheme projects and those successful in the final round, will continue for the full period of their grants.

Links to related websites and documents

Throughout the country there are a range of exciting CDS projects, here are some links to current and previous projects that will help show what can be achieved through this fund: