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Funding process

The application process for each fund is different.

Applications are invited from eligible not-for-profit groups whose activities provide opportunities in the areas of community, social, recreation, sports, arts, environment or heritage to the wider community or to specifically defined communities of interest.

The following criteria must be met by all applicants:

  • A community based not-for-profit community, recreation, sporting, arts, social service, environment or heritage organisation.
  • All groups applying for more than $2,000 must be incorporated under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908 or the Charitable Trusts Act 1957 or be a legal entity that is registered for charitable purposes.
  • Groups that are not legal entities (informal groups) may apply for up to $2,000 on condition they have a bank account in the name of their group.
  • Be based in the Christchurch City Council area with funded programmes or services being provided primarily for Christchurch City Council residents.
  • Must have provided accountability reports for all previous Council funding and have no unresolved or outstanding accountability issues including outstanding debt to Council.
  • Must have had the funding application approved at a properly convened committee meeting and be able to provide this in writing if requested.
  • Must provide evidence of the need for the project.
  • Have appropriate financial management, accounting, monitoring and reporting practices.
  • Have sound governance and appropriate operational capability and capacity to deliver to the level as agreed.
  • Be able to commit to collaboration and partnering, where appropriate.
  • Groups receiving Council funding at a metropolitan level may only apply for local funding if the project is specifically local and no portion of it has been funded at the metropolitan level.

The following page outlines information on the priorities and outcomes of the allocation of Christchurch City Council funds.

Priorities

The following priorities are used in allocating funding:

  • Older adults
  • Children and youth
  • People with disabilities
  • Ethnic and culturally diverse groups
  • Disadvantage and / or social exclusion
  • The capacity of community organisations
  • Civic engagement.

These priorities were developed from the key challenges to Building Strong Communities identified in the 2009-19 LTCCP. 

Outcomes

The Council is not able to meet the needs and expectations of all not-for-profit and voluntary groups. Therefore, it focuses assistance on key activities and initiatives that contribute to and align with the community outcomes in the Long-Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP) and with other Council strategies.

The following funding outcomes are used to evaluate and assess applications:

  • Support, develop and promote the capacity and sustainability of community, recreation, sports, arts, heritage and environment groups
  • Increase participation in and awareness of community, recreation, sports, arts, heritage and environment groups, programmes and local events
  • Increase community engagement in local decision making
  • Enhance community and neighbourhood safety
  • Provide community based programmes which enhance basic life skills
  • Reduce or overcome barriers to participation
  • Foster collaborative responses to areas of need.

The Strengthening Communities Strategy is a framework to guide the Council's work with community organisations, which in turn work in a range of ways to help develop strong communities. Strong communities give people a sense of belonging and encourage them to take part in social, cultural, economic and political life.

For the Strategy to promote the well-being of people in Christchurch, it needs to understand ongoing and emerging issues.  As a starting point to help deliver on the Strategy, Council has undertaken a brief literature review to identify and understand community trends and issues.

In addition, Community Boards have their own objectives that are used in the prioritisation of local projects.

The following is a description of how an application is deemed a Metropolitan or a Local Board application.

Metropolitan

Projects that meet the following threshold are deemed to be metropolitan/citywide projects and can only be assessed at the metropolitan level:

  • Projects, initiatives, programmes or services expressly targeted at residents from four or more city-based community board areas.

Local

The following threshold applies for projects that can be considered under local community board funding:

  • Projects, initiatives, programmes or services expressly targeted at residents from a maximum of three city-based community board areas.

Notes

  • This definition looks to the purpose and scope of the application. It does not seek to determine whether a group (through its name, purpose or undertakings) is a metropolitan/citywide group or organisation. It looks solely at the targeted area where direct benefit and service delivery are provided.
  • Groups who by their fundamental nature are metropolitan/citywide providers, such as umbrella organisations, are able to have projects considered at the local level if they fall within the definitions and they are not in receipt of any concurrent funding from the Council that already funds the local services covered in the local application.

If you receive a grant from the Christchurch City Council you are required to report for the grant.

This is a condition of the Community Grants Terms and Conditions [PDF, 30 KB] that must be agreed to before receiving a grant.

You are required to spend the grant as per the resolution on the funding agreement. Any variation to this, not previously agreed to by the Christchurch City Council, will mean you will have to return the money.
The same applies if you have finished your project and have not spent all of the grant, you will be required to return the unspent money.

Future funding can be withheld if accountability requirements are not met.

When and what is due

  • Strengthening Communities Fund: End of Project Report - when funding is spent or 30 September the following year
  • Discretionary Response Fund: End of Project Report - when funding is spent or 13 months after the money was granted
  • Youth Development Fund: This varies by Community Board, please see your original decision email.

Email templates will be sent one month before they are due or you can email communitygrants@ccc.govt.nz if you have already completed your project and would like to submit your report sooner.

If you have any questions you can contact a Community Funding Advisor or email communitygrants@ccc.govt.nz.

Further information around the processes for community funding.

If you still have queries please contact a Community Funding Advisor or email communitygrants@ccc.govt.nz.

Online applications

Our online application forms allow you to save while working on it along with attaching your supporting documents at the same time. Only fully completed online applications submitted before the closing date will be processed.

Please note that there are different forms for our full range of funds. Some funds will have only downloadable forms.

If you are having trouble completing the online form, or are unable to contact a Community Funding Advisor or email communitygrants@ccc.govt.nz.

Late applications

Due to the volume of applications no late applications will be accepted, this is to be fair on all the applicants who apply before the closing date.

You must make sure you have submitted your application by the closing date and received a confirmation email back. Contact a Community Funding Advisor or email communitygrants@ccc.govt.nz. 

Metropolitan versus Local Board applications

Metropolitan applications will be assessed by staff and presented to the Council for a decision.

Local Board applications will be assessed by staff and presented to the relevant Community Board for a decision.

See criteria for determining whether an application is Metropolitan or Local Board.

Two funding request numbers for one application

You may end up with two funding requests if your application is considered to target residents of two Community Board areas. This means that both Community Boards will look at your application at the portion relevant to their Board.

You could end up receiving a grant from both Boards or only one. If you receive a grant from both Boards you will then need to return two signed funding agreement and two sets of accountability.

Notification of the outcome of your application

You will be notified via email of the outcome of your application once it has been presented at the relevant decision meeting. What decision meeting your application goes to depends on which fund you are applying to and also if it is a Metropolitan or Local Board application.

  • Strengthening Communities Fund:  applications should be notified of the outcome in early September.
  • Discretionary Response and Youth Development Fund:  applications should be notified of the outcome within eight weeks of applying, depending on the timing of meetings.

Successful applications

Once we have received a signed funding agreement a payment will be set up. Please allow a minimum of two weeks for processing of all payments from the time we receive the signed funding agreement.

Once the payment is processed you will see a payment in your nominated bank account from Council with the reference PXXXX (5 numbers). If you have been successful with multiple grant applications and are unsure which one it relates to please contact a Community Funding Advisor or email communitygrants@ccc.govt.nz.

Grants do not attract GST

Organisations that are GST registered should be aware that this grant / subsidy is considered an "unconditional gift" from the Council and as such it does not attract GST.

Changing the purpose of the grant

You are required to spend the grant as per the resolution on the funding agreement. If you can no longer do this please explain your situation by contacting a Community Funding Advisor or email communitygrants@ccc.govt.nz.

Unspent grant money

If you do not spend any of the granted money or you have finished your project and have not spent the entire grant you will be required to return the unspent money. To find out how to return the unspent money please contact a Community Funding Advisor or email communitygrants@ccc.govt.nz.

Accounting for your grant

If you have received a grant from the Christchurch City Council you are required to report for the grant. Find out more information on Accountability.

Future funding can be withheld if accountability requirements are not met.

Some key documents

Common abbreviations

  • SCF: Strengthening Communities Fund
  • DRF: Discretionary Response Fund
  • YDF: Youth Development Fund
  • YDS: Youth Development Scheme

If your question is not answered above you can contact a Community Funding Advisor or email communitygrants@ccc.govt.nz.