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
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.