Trustees of the Foundation have considered carefully how best to allocate funding so that the community benefits to the greatest extent. The following priorities have been developed:

 

1. Provision of professional development and capacity building activities for the community sector.
2. Welfare based projects that aim to promote intergenerational change rather than band aid solutions. Youth and Family are seen as an important emphasis.
3. Existing well-managed projects and programmes will be preferred over new initiatives.
4. Respecting diversity in communities by ensuring that any allocations over and above 1,2 and 3 are spread across all sectors.
5. Projects of a capital nature will not be funded unless there is widespread and significant benefit to the community.

 

 

Quick Response Grants

To respond to the needs of communities through an assessment and decision process that is prompt.

Focus on activities and programmes that strengthen the communities of the Whanganui region.

 

• Grants will be flexible and may cover seed funding, operational costs, programme costs, equipment or capacity building cost.
• More frequent closing dates and simpler application process to ensure responsiveness to community needs.
• Clear priorities and assessment criteria will be defined.
• A maximum of $10,000.

 

 

Community Support Grants

To respond to the needs of communities through an assessment and decision process.

Focus on high needs children 0-5 years old, youth at risk, and the isolated elderly of our communities.

 

• Grants will be flexible and may cover seed funding, operational costs, programme costs, equipment costs or capacity building cost.
• Four closing dates per year.  Funding rounds with a simple application process but with more supporting documentation required than for the Quick Response Grants.
• Clear priorities and assessment criteria will be defined to allow consistent decision making.
• Community Support Grants will be between $10,001 and $100,000.
• Projects will be funded within budget and policy area priorities.

 

 

Provisional Capital Projects Grants

To provide the provision for capital grants which create a significant beneficial impact for the communities of the Whanganui region.

 

• Provides the opportunity for Whanganui Community Foundation to support projects of significance and apply innovative approaches.
• Likely to have intergenerational benefit, have wide impact, and may have regional benefit.
• May include partnership funding with other major funding partners.
• To be used for capital projects, where the request to Whanganui Community Foundation exceeds $100,000.

 

 

Special Purpose Grants

To address housing issues within the WCF rohe.

 

Focus on housing-related projects that will aid those most in need due to remoteness, deprivation, lack of infrastructure, or underserved by other providers.

 

• Provides the opportunity for Whanganui Community Foundation to contribute to solutions for our region’s housing crisis.
• Emphasis to be placed on flexibility. Grants may cover seed funding, operational costs, programme costs, equipment costs, capacity building cost and capital expenditure.
• Grant application can be for up to $250,000. Multi-year projects must be funded from within the current year’s budget.
• Applications will be accepted through a two-stage process. An expression of interest may be submitted at any time, and will be brought to the next available Board meeting.
• Fund to be seeded with $400,000 on 1 April each year.
• Fund to be reviewed after the first, and during the third annual cycle.