Funding | Ministry for Ethnic Communities

Several funding pools were set up in response to the floods and cyclone.

These include but are not limited to the following:

Individual and community funding

Civil Defence Payments

Civil Defence Payments are available for some people who have been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle or the flooding. You don’t have to be on a benefit to qualify for a Civil Defence Payment, and non-residents may be eligible. In most cases it doesn’t matter what your income is or what assets you have.

Civil Defence Payments can help cover the costs of:

Food
Bedding
Clothing
Accommodation
Loss of income

For more information about Civil Defence Payments call Work and Income on 0800 400 100 or check out the Civil Defence website.

Community Support Package

The Government’s Community Support Package is for community groups and providers who are helping with response and recovery efforts for people, whānau and communities affected by the cyclone and flooding.

It includes support for:

Community groups, including ethnic community organisations ($2 million)
Community providers ($4 million)
Food fund ($3 million)
Support through Community Connectors ($4 million)
Support for disabled people ($0.5 million)

For more information, visit Ministry of Social Development's webpage on the Community Support Package for North Island floods and Cyclone Gabrielle.

Please note, funding through this Community Support Package is time-limited and only available until 30 June 2023.

Cyclone Gabrielle - Welfare Support Grant

The Cyclone Gabrielle Welfare Support Grant is a time-limited government fund. It is intended to reimburse certain emergency costs that have already been incurred by marae, iwi, and recognised community organisations (including rural groups, Pacific organisations, and ethnic service providers) to care for people who were affected, displaced, or isolated during the state of national emergency.

Mayoral relief funds

Mayoral Relief Funds have been set up in several regions impacted by recent weather events.

Please note, these funds are time-limited and in some instances applications may have already closed.

Information about the funds and the criteria can be found on your councils’ website.

See a list of council websites and contact details.

Other available funding

Some New Zealand banks are also offering support to customers and communities. Check with individual banks about what support may be available.

Grant writing support

Hui E! helps community groups apply for funding, including Cyclone Gabrielle and Flood relief funding. It matches groups with a volunteer grant writer.

Check out the Hui E! website for more information.

Farmer and grower recovery support

The Government is providing $25 million for farmers and growers to undertake urgent work, including fencing, and clearing silt to save trees and vines.

The fund includes:

up to $10,000 for pastoral and arable farmers to help with initial recovery, such as repairs to water infrastructure for livestock, and fencing
up to $2,000 per hectare (up to a maximum of $40,000) to remove silt from trees and vines, support clean-up, and minimise future losses.

The Government is also providing an initial $4 million to help rural communities with immediate recovery efforts.

Visit Ministry for Primary Industry’s website for more information on the fund and to apply: Cyclone Gabrielle recovery: advice, support, and funding | NZ Government (mpi.govt.nz)

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