Community Response Fund Frequently Asked Questions
New Questions posted 2 July 2009
- General Questions about the Fund
- About the Application Process
- About Eligibility
- About the Assessment Process
- Future Funding Framework
- Frequently Asked Questions (posted 8 June 2009)
- Questions and Answers Round One
General Questions About the Fund (posted 2 July 2009)
Can we claim for the impacts of the recession on our organisation back to September 2008 when the recession was officially recognised?
The Community Response Fund will accept evidence of the impact of the recession from approximately September 2008. However, the grant will apply from 1 October 2009.
Will income received from fundraising be considered as a way to address the shortfall?
The Community Response Fund expects that all forms of income an organisation receives are able to go towards supporting service delivery.
Can we apply funding from the Fund toward debt servicing? For instance, if an organisation is in dire straits and had to go to a bank to get a loan to pay salaries.
Funding from the Community Response Fund can be applied to debt servicing.
What are the very exceptional circumstances that an organisation might get a grant for $100,000 from the Community Response Fund?
Exceptional circumstances are likely to vary between applicants and will be assessed on a case by case basis. In determining whether exceptional circumstances exist, Regional Panels will consider factors such as the extent to which the circumstances presented by the applicant differ significantly from those of other applicants and whether the impact of the recession is disproportionate compared with other providers or communities.
Please define severe and significant in terms of the Fund?
The application criteria for “significantly increased demand” and “severe financial difficulty” are set out in the information made available to applicants. There are specific criteria that need to be addressed depending on the type of funding sought as well as general criteria that all applicants need to address.
For financial crisis funding applicants need to demonstrate how the additional funding will assist providers to remain viable and continue to deliver critical social services. Applicants must also show that they are experiencing severe financial difficulties as a direct result of the impact of the economic downturn on their funding (e.g. philanthropic contributions and/or profits from investments have reduced significantly).
For demand funding applicants need to demonstrate in their proposal how the additional funding responds to a significant increase in demand for services (e.g. increased waiting lists, increased referrals from other providers) that are a direct result of the economic downturn.
About the Application Process (posted 2 July 2009)
Can you apply for funding under the Community Response Fund while you are waiting to hear about the outcome of a funding application from a community trust.
Yes – you can apply for the Community Response Fund as long as you meet the criteria.
Can we fill out the application online?
There is no facility to fill out an application online for the first round of funding. However, you can download the document in word and fill that out electronically.
We are hoping to have an online application available for later funding rounds.
What if I miss the closing date for the Community Response Fund?
Applications to the Fund can be made at any time over the next two years. If an organisation misses the deadline for the first funding round – the application can be immediately submitted for consideration in the second funding round.
How can an organisation be financially viable and suffering severe financial difficulty at the same time?
A viable organisation has strong governance and management systems, is financial sound and, in normal circumstances, has no trouble operating.
We would expect an organisation that is financially viable to have planned for unexpected events by having at least three months of operating reserves available.
Why does the Community Response Fund application requires so much information for a small amount of funding?
We have endeavoured to make the application form as manageable as possible but the information we seek is necessary to enable us to assess the application against the criteria.
We are always interested in feedback from providers about the application process and will take this into account to ensure application is as manageable as possible in future funding rounds.
However, $50,000 is a considerable amount of money so we need to make sure we have enough information to satisfy the Public Finance Act.
Does a provider have to hold Child Youth and Family approval for their service in order to get funding under the Community Response Fund?
In general, the delivery of services to children and young people are covered under the Child Youth and Family Act which requires providers to hold CYF approval. If you have another standard of approval – ie Ministry of Justice or Ministry of Health, you need to advise us of this. In the case of providers who do not hold these approvals, this will be decided on a case by case basis.
Will the Community Response Fund cover operational costs and can you define what these mean?
The Community Response Fund covers the costs associated with delivering a critical service. These are the operational costs that are directly affected by the economic downturn and that are covered by the term of the grant. It will not cover ongoing operational costs.
Operational costs are the normal costs that an organisation meets day to day to keep running such as rent, salaries, utilities, stationery, marketing and so on.
The Application Form states that you require two years of annual audited accounts. However, many small community organisations do not get their accounts audited because of the cost but get them reviewed by a chartered accountant. Would it be OK to send these instead?
The Community Response Fund regional panels will accept the following forms of financial statements:
- Audited Accounts
- Draft audited accounts if the financial year is end of June
- Accounts reviewed by a Chartered Accountant if the organizations constitution allows this
Can organisations apply to cover the costs of volunteers?
Costs relating to the management and administration of volunteers are accepted under the Fund.
About Who Is Eligible? (posted 5 July 2009)
Are National Organisations that deliver critical social services throughout New Zealand eligible to apply for the Community Response Fund?
The fund is designed to address local needs through local service delivery and applications will require evidence of local support.
National organisations which contract locally and delivery their services locally are being encouraged to support their regions to apply. Each regional application will be eligible for up to $50,000.
However, organisations with no local service delivery contract will be able to make a consolidated application if they operate within a single national contract and if their finances are managed nationally. In these circumstances we would not expect the $50,000 limit to apply to the grant as a whole, subject to Cabinet approval.
To avoid duplication, nationally contracted organisations can apply either regionally or nationally but they cannot submit applications for both processes.
Are umbrella groups covered by the Community Response Fund, if not, why not?
The Community Response Fund is designed to directly support the delivery of services to families, children, young people, and older people. Umbrella groups providing services directly to families can apply. The fund is not available for support services provide by umbrella groups to their affiliated members.
Organisations that are members of umbrella groups are able to apply directly to the Fund.
Are disability services eligible for Community Response Fund funding?
Disability services that are focused on one or more of the critical service areas eligible for funding and that met the Fund criteria can apply. For example, disability services that that provide family support and are facing significant demand or severe financial pressures due to the recession could apply for funding.
Please note that, as primary, secondary, and tertiary health and education services, and early childhood education, are specifically excluded from the Fund, it is not intended to supplement funding from these sectors.
Will the Community Response Fund cover any health services at all?
The Fund does not cover primary, secondary, or tertiary health services. It is specifically for providers who deliver critical social services. However, it could cover services funded to support a family who might be more vulnerable in the recession because of a family member’s health issues.
Will the Community Response Fund cover any education services such as parenting education?
The Community Response Fund is specifically for community-based providers who deliver critical social services. It does not cover general advice and information including educational material.
About the Assessment Process (posted 2 July 2009)
How are the Community Response Fund community representatives chosen?
Regional panels to consider applications for funding from the Community Response Fund will consist of representatives of government funding agencies and from community agencies already operating across the critical social support services sector.
We have used local networks from within government and across the NGO and philanthropic sectors to identify people with the community knowledge needed.
Community representatives will have a good knowledge of the social support sector but will need to be seen to have no vested interest in the organisations making applications.
Which Territorial Local Authority does my region fit under?
| Territorial Local Authority | Region |
|---|---|
| Northland | Far North |
| Whangarei | |
| Kaipara | |
| North Shore / West Auckland / Rodney | Rodney |
| North Shore City | |
| Waitakere City | |
| South Auckland / Central Auckland | Auckland City |
| Manukau City | |
| Papakura | |
| Franklin | |
| Hamilton | Thames-Coromadel |
| Hauraki | |
| Waikato | |
| Matamata-Piako | |
| Hamilton City | |
| Waipa | |
| Otorohanga | |
| South Waikato | |
| Waitomo | |
| Rotorua / Tauranga | Western Bay of Plenty |
| Tauranga | |
| Rotorua | |
| Whakatane | |
| Kawerau | |
| Opotiki | |
| Taupo | |
| Taranaki / Wanganui | Ruapehu |
| New Plymouth | |
| Stratford | |
| South Taranaki | |
| Wanganui | |
| Rangitikei | |
| Hawkes Bay / East Coast | Gisborne |
| Wairoa | |
| Hastings | |
| Napier City | |
| Central Hawkes Bay | |
| Palmerston North / Manawatu | Manawatu |
| Palmerston North City | |
| Tararua | |
| Horowhenua | |
| Wellington | Masterton |
| Kapiti Coast | |
| Carterton | |
| Upper Hutt City | |
| Porirua City | |
| Lower Hutt City | |
| Wellington City | |
| South Wairarapa | |
| Nelson / Marlborough / West Coast | Tasman |
| Nelson City | |
| Marlborough | |
| Buller | |
| Grey | |
| Westland | |
| Christchurch | Kaikoura |
| Hurunui | |
| Waimakariri | |
| Christchurch City | |
| Selwyn | |
| Ashburton | |
| Timaru | |
| Mackenzie | |
| Waimate | |
| Otago / Southland | Queenstown-Lakes |
| Waitaki | |
| Central Otago | |
| Dunedin City | |
| Clutha | |
| Gore | |
| Southland | |
| Invercargill City |
Future Funding Framework (posted 2 July 2009)
What is happening to Pathway to Partnership and the move to full funding?
The Government will be ring fencing the funding for community and voluntary organisations made available under Pathway to Partnership, but will be reshaping the funding model so that it better supports people to reach their potential and, where necessary, change their lives for the better.
The Government will work with community-based social sector organisations over the next eighteen months to develop this new approach.
The priority, in a time of increased demand and limited resources, has to go on ensuring the needs of families, young and old are met in a ways that delivers both social and economic value.
To what extent is the funding agreed in Budget 2008 for the Pathway to Partnership (P2P) programme being preserved?
The funding agreed in Budget 2008 for the Pathway to Partnership (P2P) programme has been preserved in its entirety.
Frequently Asked Questions (posted 8 June 2009)
- What is the Community Response Fund?
The Community Response Fund is a short-term fund to support community-based critical social services providing support directly to families, children, young people and older people. These services must be experiencing severe negative impacts from the economic downturn.
The Fund has two objectives:
- financial crisis funding - for providers of critical social services experiencing severe financial difficulties and are unable to maintain their services as a result of the impact of the economic downturn on their non-government funding.
- For example service providers who have been advised by a community trust that due to a reduction in their grant programme they will not be able to provide a grant this year which has a severe impact on services’ viability
- demand funding - for providers of critical social services experiencing significantly increased demand for their services from families, children, young or older people as a result of the economic downturn.
- For example budget advice services facing a significant increase in the number of families seeking help to manage their finances.
- financial crisis funding - for providers of critical social services experiencing severe financial difficulties and are unable to maintain their services as a result of the impact of the economic downturn on their non-government funding.
- How much funding will be available through the Community Response Fund
It is expected that up to $40 million will be available to support the Fund in the first year. - What is the maximum amount of funding available for each application?
The maximum amount of funding able to be granted is $50,000 per application. There is provision to provide grants over $50,000 but only in very exceptional circumstances. No grant will exceed $100,000. Grants will usually be made for 12 months, but could be for a shorter time. - Who can apply to the Fund?
Any not-for-profit organisation that provides community-based critical social services for families, children, young people, or older people can apply to the Fund. They do not have to be existing providers funded by the Ministry of Social Development. - How are critical social services defined?
“Critical” community-based social services for families, children, young people and older people are those that Government wants to see provided in communities to address:- child abuse and neglect (eg services providing supervised access, community-based assessments, respite care and community based intensive social support)
- family violence (eg crisis response and support services, treatment programmes, and services for child witnesses and victims)
- budget and financial advice
- sexual violence (eg crisis support and long term recovery and support services)
- early intervention for vulnerable and at-risk children and families (eg targeted parenting programmes, intensive support for these children and families)
- families under stress (eg community-based family and social work support, refugee and migrant support services, social support for families in emergency housing)
- vulnerable and at-risk young people (eg mentoring services and services to stop youth from joining gangs)
- vulnerable and at-risk older people (eg elder abuse and neglect, social services to support the most vulnerable older people).
- What community-based social services are not eligible for the Fund?
Community-based critical services for families, children, young people and older people does not include primary, secondary, or tertiary health services, or early childhood education, primary, secondary, or tertiary education. The funding cannot be used by organisations to support their public advocacy role, for providing general information and advice (eg educational and publicity material, and events), or to support the work of umbrella organisations. - What criteria do I need to meet?
All providers of critical social services who apply for the Fund will have to meet the specific criteria that apply to the funding. They must be either:- facing severe financial difficulties maintaining their services as a result of the impact of the economic downturn on their non-government funding
and/or
- facing significantly increased demand for their services as a result of the economic downturn.
- I am a provider of a critical community-based social service but I am not funded by MSD. Am I eligible to apply for funding?
You may be. You can apply to the fund if you:- are providing one, or more, of the critical social services listed above and Government wants to see this service provided in communities
- are not seeking funding for services that are excluded from the Fund
- meet the criteria.
- Can national organisations make an application to cover all their branches?
The fund is designed to address local needs through local service delivery, and applications will require evidence of local support. Therefore, the Fund will only accept applications made at a regional level. National organisations will need to support their regions to apply. Each regional application will be eligible for up to $50,000. - Can I apply for costs I have already incurred because of increased demand for our service?
No. The Fund is only for significant recent increases in demand or severe financial pressures that result from the recession. It is not designed to cover pre-existing or longstanding shortfalls in funding.
Any grant received through the Fund must either be to:- replace funding lost as a result of the recession which is necessary to ensure the viability of your organisation; and/or
- address significant pressures for additional services that are a result of the recession.
- Who assesses my application and how will I know it is a fair process?
Applications will be assessed by Regional Panels. Funding is limited and not all applications will be successful. There will be a process to:- identify applications that best meet Government’s social service priorities
- ensure equity in the decisions that are made
- to ensure that there is no current capacity in the community to meet these needs.
- MSD
- the Ministry of Youth Development
- NGOs.
- Te Puni Kokiri
- Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs
- Ministry of Justice
- Department of Internal Affairs
- local government.
- applicants’ current funding
- known service pressures and existing capacity to meet these pressures
- applicants’ past performance
- the extent to which the applicant is demonstrating effective links to other community services
- the extent to which the applicant meets Government’s priorities for critical social services.
- When can I apply for funding?
Applications to the Fund can be lodged at any time from 8 June 2009. Regional Panels will meet three times during the financial year beginning in July 2009. - When will my application be considered, and how much money will be available?
Applications to the Fund can be made at any time. Applications will be considered by Regional Panels up to three times during the year.
The amount of money available will vary between each region, to reflect regional populations, deprivation, and differences in the impact of the recession. MSD will monitor the distribution of the funding and make any adjustments between regions to reflect the changing impact of the recession and changing levels of demand and need. - How long will the Fund run?
The Community Response Fund is a short-term, time-limited fund. - Can a provider apply to the Fund more than once?
Providers of critical services who have already received a grant from the Fund can apply for assistance once their current grant has expired. Preference will be given to those who have not already been successful in obtaining a grant from the Fund (all other things being equal). - Will I have to report under the Community Response Fund?
Yes. Reporting requirements will be simple and reflect the amount of funding provided. - Do I have to return unspent money?
Yes. - How will I know that I have been successful in my application?
All applicants will be advised by letter about whether or not they have been successful. - Where do I go if I need to find out more about the Community Response Fund?
For further information please contact the CYF/FACS Regional Funding Advisor in your area. You can also contact 0800 777 100 or look at the Family and Community Services website.
