Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Jo Goodhew has announced changes to the Community Development Scheme, which starts a new funding round this week. Minister Goodhew explained that the Community Development Scheme helps to fund community run projects addressing local issues. To be eligible in previous years applicants had to be from particular regions which were selected on rotation across New Zealand. While the level of funding is unchanged, this year applications will be accepted New Zealand wide.
“This year twelve communities will receive $80,000 for each of the next three years to fund their projects,” Minister Goodhew commented “As well as maintaining a geographical spread we want to ensure the best projects receive funding regardless of their location.” Goodhew added.
Minister Goodhew explained that over recent months the Department of Internal Affairs has been working with communities through an Expression of Interest process. The objective has been to support communities with promising projects that require assistance pulling together a project plan for the application process.
“These grants have potential to have a big impact this year’s priority areas which are rural or isolated parts of New Zealand, and our Pacific communities,” Minister Goodhew commented “We want to ensure the right projects have a chance to get through to the application stage, and we want these projects to really make a difference to local issues.”

For more inforation http://www.communitymatters.govt.nz/