How to apply

You can apply at any time as there is no closing date, the fund is permanently open. You can make more than one request in a year. We aim to get back to you within 12 weeks. Please apply well in advance of your event or project.

How much you can apply for

Grants over $10,000 – Groups with legal status (includes trusts and incorporated societies).

You can also apply if you are:

a branch of a national organisation that has legal entity status
working with an organisation that has legal status (they will need to be a party to the grant agreement).

Grants under $10,000 - Groups without legal status.

Other requirements

A group requesting funding must have:

Two people with the right to sign the organisation’s bank accounts
A cashbook (hard-copy or electronic) that is updated regularly
A person responsible for the organisation’s financial information
An up-to-date Organisation profile in the online grants management system
A document from the bank showing the organisation's bank details. This could be a bank statement, printed deposit slip or letter from the bank confirming the account name and number
A RealMe account.

A group may need to have:

If the Profile secretary has changed in the grants management system, a document confirming who is now the Profile secretary
A record of the grants awarded from other funders
Reported back on any completed Ethnic Communities Development Fund grants
Up-to-date tax records

Help and Tips

To get help with your application contact a Community Funding Advisor. Email ecdf@ethniccommunities.govt.nz or call 0800 656 656.

Tips for writing a successful application

Your application needs to:

Show that your project will help an ethnic community or communities
Have a clear start date within the current funding round (1 July – 30 June)
Identify how the project will use the funding within 12 months of receiving approved funding
Show that the project is well designed, planned and delivered in New Zealand

Video: Info and how to apply

Watch this step-by-step instructional video on how to apply for funding.

Video: Funding tips

Watch the Funding Tips and Tricks session from our Christchurch Ethnic Advantage Conference. Senior Engagement & Partnership Advisor Paul Naidu facilitated a panel of community funding experts.

The panel included:

Sakhr Munassar – Project Manager, Kaiwhakahaere Kaupapa Hui E! Community Aotearoa
Nigel Ho – Partner, Loan Market Agile
Gary Watson – Manager Community Partnerships and Planning, Christchurch City Council

Watch the video to check out their tips and tricks on funding.