Community Response Fund assessment process
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Assessment process
The Community Response Fund is assessed by 12 community panels made up of representatives of government funding agencies, the philanthropic sector and community representatives. Members of the panel are drawn from local networks and are selected for their good knowledge of their communities.
Regional selection panels meet after each funding round to assess applications against the Fund’s criteria. There have been eight funding with the ninth round closing 24 February 2012.
The assessment process is designed to be transparent, equitable and impartial.
Panels meet and jointly assess applications over two to three days, depending on volumes of applications received. The core panel members with scoring rights include funding advisors drawn from Family and Community Services (FACS), Child, Youth and Family (CYF) and the Department of Internal Affairs. They have experience of needs and available services in their region.
Each panel must have at least two community representatives and may also include, where appropriate, representatives from Te Puni KÅkiri, the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, the Pacifika community and other ethnic communities.
As part of the assessment process, the Ministry will undertake due diligence on applicants and this may involve contacting other funders, including government agencies, who have previously funded the applicant. Additional information may also be requested from the applicant to assist the decision-making process.
It is important to stress that this fund is limited and the selection process is competitive. Not all applications will be successful.
Review of decisions
All Community Response Fund decisions are final and not subject to review. However, applicants are able to request a review of the process under which an application was assessed.
If you have any further queries regarding the CRF decision, please contact the Community Response Fund team at 0800 777 100.
Requirements for panel selection
Members selected to sit on a Community Response Fund panel need to know the key issues facing providers of critical social services in their community in this time of economic uncertainty.
Community representatives are selected on their ability to represent their community rather than their organisation.
Specifically panel members:
- can demonstrate a broad community knowledge, and clearly have the community networks and confidence of the sector, those applying for the Fund and their community
- have sufficient experience and/or knowledge to make sound decisions
- have knowledge and understanding of financial records and audited accounts
- have no vested interest in the organisation applying for funding, is independent of any agency which makes an application for a grant in the region and is not associated with any other organisation applying for the Fund.
Additional panel members may be recruited to reflect regional variance, ensuring the panels reflect the community they are assessing.
