Funding guide

There are lots of different funding organisations that provide grants to community and not-for-profit organisations. It can be challenging to find the funder or funders who are most likely to be interested in supporting your work.

This resource will provide you with information on funders, what they are looking for, the types of funding available and how to identify which funders are most likely to support your type of organisation or project.

It provides an overview of the information you will need for an application. The guide will help you build up a collection of the key documents most funders will want to see. This will save you time when you are applying to more than one funder.

Finally, we have provided some helpful tips from other organisations about applying for funding, as well as some tips from funders.

The mahi of making a difference for our communities is important, and applying for funding can be challenging and time consuming. We hope this resource makes that task a little easier.

Use the list of funders below as your starting point. Which funders look as though they might support your organisation or project? Check out their websites and their strategies. What are their goals? What sorts of grants do they make? What are they most interested in supporting? Most funders have strategies that include information on the sorts of work and organisations they want to fund. They may want to fund work on sustainable housing, for example, or rangatahi health. Find the funders that are interested in the sorts of issues your organisation is involved in.

You then want to understand whether a funder can offer the type of funding you need. Funders will also have different approaches to funding. Some will provide short-term grants for a one-off activity. Others will want to fund projects and organisations where they can see the potential of bringing longer-term positive change in communities.

This basic research can save you time and energy in the long run by making sure your application goes to funders who are passionate about the same things you are, and who can provide the short or long-term funding options that will work for your organisation.

You then want to know about the application process. Some funders will be open to applications at various times during the year. You want to know what date you need to submit your application, what information and supporting documents you need to provide. Once you know what the funder is looking for, you can start the application. If you get lost or need support, most funders will be happy for you to email them or call them for support.

Some funders now have a relationship-based funding process. A funder interested in restoring natural environments, for example, will look to fund organisations that are doing work on this issue. They will look to build relationships with these organisations that may result in long-term funding partnerships.

Funding available to community organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand generally comes from eight main types of sources.

These are community trusts, energy trusts, government and council funds, community foundations, gaming trusts, family and individual trusts and foundations, licensing trusts, and corporate foundations. Each of these sources and the individual funds within them has its own criteria, priorities, and processes for giving grants, reflecting the diverse needs and goals they support.

The image above represents these eight key sources of funding and their approximate relative size in terms of grant money distributed annually. This ranges from nearly $400 million each year across all government and council funds to about $4 million across 17 community foundations.

Descriptions of these eight funding sources and a sample of entities within that group, including how and what they fund, are detailed in the following section. This information provides a broad overview and sample of funds, not a complete list. To search all available sources of funding, use the following databases:

• Generosity NZ: This is a paid subscription service, but it offers free access via public libraries outside Auckland. Generosity NZ provides comprehensive information on scholarships, grants, and funding opportunities for individuals and community groups. It is a valuable resource for finding funding that matches your specific needs. Generosity NZ
• GEMS (Grants Expertise Management System): A paid subscription service provided by Strategic Grants. GEMS offers a sophisticated database and management system that helps organisations identify suitable grants, track applications, and manage reporting. It is designed to support the strategic management of grant applications. GEMS

Image caption: This graphic was developed using analysis from the following sources:

• JB Were. The New Zealand Support Report: The current state and significance of giving in New Zealand and the outlook for recipients. 2020. Available here.
• BERL (Business and Economic Research Limited). Giving New Zealand: Philanthropic Funding 2014. Prepared for Philanthropy New Zealand. Available here.

Community foundations of Aotearoa New Zealand have more information about the foundations around the country, here.

Further information about community trusts and how they came about, here.

Find the community trust for your local area below:

• Auckland and Northland - Foundation North
• Waikato - Trust Waikato
• Taranaki - Toi Foundation
• Bay of Plenty - Bay Trust
• Tairāwhiti, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatū, Horowhenua, Tararua, and the Wairarapa   Eastern and Central Community Trust
• Whanganui - Whanganui Community Foundation
• Wellington - Wellington Community Fund
• Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury and Chatham Islands - Rātā Foundation
• Buller, Grey, and Westland - West Coast Community Trust
• Mid & South Canterbury - Community Trust Mid & South Canterbury
• Otago - Otago Community Trust
• Southland - Community Trust South

A full list of the gaming trusts here.

Most funders will want similar basic information about your organisation and your project. Here are some suggestions of the documents and information you want to have ready for your applications.

1. A description of your organisation. This will include an overview of what you do, who you do it for, and the benefits for your community. Here is a helpful resource from HuiE! for putting together your organisations description - creating a powerful one-sentence statement for what you do.

2. Project plan and budget. This provides information about your project or programme for which you are applying for funding. It usually includes timelines for the project plan, budgets for any costs and might include quotes for services. Below are two useful links for creating your project budget - templates for operating and project budget and things to consider when putting together your budget for a funding application.

3. Letters of support and recommendation. You can support your application by including letters of support from your community and other funders or organisations you have worked with in the past, who can verify your organisation’s reputation.

4. Outcomes and impacts - gather your stories, data and insights about the positive changes your work makes in the community. Below is a useful booklet from JR McKenzie Trust - understanding your impact.

Other documents which may be helpful to have ready for your next application:

• Annual accounts - Some funders will ask for annual accounts for your organisation. This is the previous financial year's accounts - showing the income and expenses. See accounting standards for more information. 
• Bank account - A deposit slip or letter from your bank confirming the business bank account details. Often requested by funders before they can pay out any grant money.
• Cost evidence - If the funding application is to purchase computers for the office, the evidence would be quotes from a retail store. If the funding application is for staff wages, the evidence would be signed employment agreements.
• Signed resolution - This is a document from the board of trustees, agreeing to apply for funding. Sometimes it may just be a copy of the board meeting minutes.
• Up to date information - Is the charities register up to date with your organisation's details? - Is your website up to date? Many funders will cross check your application against these online websites.

We’ve thought of a few suggestions to help make life a little easier when seeking funding. Spending time to set up a few systems and reminders can make your life simpler in the future.

• Desk top research. Spend some time finding a funder that shares an interest in the issues that your organisation is working on.  Most funders have information on their websites about the types of work they want to support.  Many funder websites will feature stories and videos about the organisations and the projects they have funded. These stories can help you understand whether what you offer may be a good fit with what the funder is looking for. 

• Create a focus list. Narrow down your focus to the funders you think would be the best fit for you.  Check out their application processes and the information they are looking for.  You may find they all require similar information, making it easier to prepare applications.

• Create a funding calendar. List the funds you’d like to apply for, the application dates and any application requirements, to help you remember which application to focus on next. To get started there is great 10 minute webinar by Community Think here. Support your calendar with Diary reminders.

• Think about the relationship.  If your organisation aims to be around and making a difference for your community for the long-term, think about your funding applications as a step towards building a long-term relationship with your funders. You want them to be there with you.

• Build your own resource library.  Have all the essential information and documents at hand.  These may include audited accounts, proof of your registration with Charities Services, your constitution, or your legal incorporation as a trust.

• Try again.  If your funding application is not successful, get ready to try again.  Your organisation is probably competing with lots of other organisations for funding – and funders cannot find funding for all the good work that is being done.  Ask for feedback from the funder on how you could improve your chances of getting funding next time.  If your application was not a good fit, they might also be able to suggest another funder that would be better for you.

• Look for other options.  This resource provides a sample of some different types of funders. If you are not able to find a funder or funders from this list that you think might work for you, there may be other options.  More information on funding sources is available from Charities Services and from Generosity New Zealand. The Generosity New Zealand website is a subscriber service, but you may be able to access their information free of charge through your local library.

• Ask for help. Finally, and most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask for help, especially when you are new to making funding applications.  You are in this for your community, and members of your community might be able to help write or gather the information you need for your application. A funding organisation that is interested in your work may also be able to provide support and guide you through the process. 

Funder and granting terms

Strategy, impact and measurement terms

Financial and business terms

This is a living resource and we are open to receiving your suggestions or links to useful resources.

Please send us an email to info@csinz.org with “Te Pūaha o te Ako funding resource” in the subject heading.

Image captions

1. meeting photo by truestock authentic Aotearoa stock imagery 
2. piggy bank photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash
3. typing photo by Damian Zaleski on Unsplash
4. clock photo by Lukas Blazek on Unsplash
5. speech bubble photo by Eskay Lim on Unsplash
   
6. letters photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash