The one-off $1 million contestable fund to strengthen communities affected by the Christchurch terror attacks has been popular, with all funding allocated to projects by the end of June – only two months after applications opened.
“This special round of the Ethnic Communities Development Fund was put in place to support initiatives that improve New Zealand’s social cohesion, and help our ethnic communities in the wake of the Christchurch terror attacks,” says Office of Ethnic Communities Director Anita Balakrishnan.
“The fund has supported a variety of projects, including assessing security at 60 mosques around the country, providing health and support workers trained to work with Muslim communities, and community events that bring together faiths and ethnicities to foster deeper understanding.”
“The Christchurch attacks shocked all of New Zealand. We are committed to supporting the communities affected, to working collectively to build understanding, address discrimination and Islamophobia and to work together to build the Aotearoa we all want to live in,” says Anita.
While the fund was available to projects across New Zealand, over 50% of the funding (22 grants totalling $556,085) went to organisations or projects directly benefiting people in Christchurch.
Among the 42 successful requests are grants of:
- $410,740 to support projects which connect ethnic communities and support psychosocial recovery
- $220,000 to support the assessment of security at 60 mosques across New Zealand
- $159,100 to projects developing cultural awareness and dialogue between different ethnic and faith communities
- $30,000 to connect and develop ethnic workers in mental health professions
- $28,300 to enable Muslim women and youth from Christchurch to attend national conferences to connect and contribute.
We work with ethnic communities to support them in growing stronger, more cohesive and resilient. Providing funding for community led projects through the Ethnic Communities Development Fund is one way that we do this.
There is an annual funding round through the Ethnic Communities Development Fund – you can find out more here.