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Community Response Fund Overview of
Application Process

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Purpose of Workshop

• To help you
• understand the criteria and what information the
  panels need to assess your application
• clarify the application process
• ask questions

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The Criteria

• Two specific criteria relating to the economic
  downturn
• a) severe financial difficulty
• b) significantly increased demand
• You can apply for either or both
• If applying under b) priority will be given to
  those who can show they are working with other
  providers to develop an innovative service
  response
• All applicants must meet the nine general
  criteria
• Criteria are embedded in each question

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Are you a critical service?

• You need to tell us
• about your organisation
• why your service qualifies as a critical service
• what you do to deliver that service
• Evidence can include organisational information
  such as
• goals
• size
• services
• systems
• structures
• finances
• IT IS MANDATORY TO INCLUDE THE LAST TWO YEARS
• OF AUDITED ANNUAL ACCOUNTS AND VALID CURRENT
  REFEREES

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Is the Downturn Affecting You?

• Be clear about the impact of the recession is
  having on
• your organisation
• you cant deliver services because you have lost
  funding (ie severe financial difficulty)
• you dont have the resources to keep up with the
  level of demand for your service (significantly
  increased demand)
• You may be experiencing both these things

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Severe Financial Difficulty

• Q2a purpose how do we know you are in financial
  trouble
• You need to tell us
• your funding sources
• which ones you have lost and why
• why this means you cant maintain current levels
  of service
• Evidence must include
• last two years of audited annual accounts
• current cash flow and budget
• evidence of lost funding
• steps taken to address the shortfall

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Significant Increase in Demand

• Q2b purpose how do we know your demand has
  increased
• You need to tell us
• how demand for your services has increased
• type of demand
• number of clients now versus 12 months ago
• increased waiting lists /referrals
• how you are coping with that demand
• more staff or volunteers
• longer hours worked
• other things you are doing to manage increased
  demand

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Working Smarter

• This could apply if your application under 2 (b)
  increased demand for services includes an
  innovative response
• You need to tell us
• your innovative approach
• how you are working with other providers to
  better meet demand
• Evidence can include
• proposals for provider consortia
• details of organisational mergers

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Whats Happening in your Community?

• Q3 purpose - how well do you know your community
• Is the economic downturn affecting families in
  your community?
• Business closures?
• Significant job losses?
• Evidence can include
• surveys, community reports, evaluations
• local intelligence

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Community Capacity

• Q4 purpose Who else provides similar services
  to yours in your community?
• do you have connections to them?
• can they help you meet your excess demand?
• how do you know this?
• Evidence can include
• emails/letters requesting help and their response
• referrals/waiting lists at each agency

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Working Together

• Q5 purpose - how connected are you to your
  community?
• How closely do you work with other organisations
  providing critical social services?
• How do you promote volunteering?
• How do you promote collaboration and a shared
  approach?
• Who did you consult with to prepare this
  application?
• Evidence can include
• membership in community networks
• MOUs saying how you work together
• resource sharing
• collaborations and joint operations

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Your Funding

• Q 6 purpose - what are your sources of funding?
• List of your funding sources and amounts
• List each source separately
• The total amount should reconcile to that in your
  budget

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Achieving Results

• Q7 purpose what are the results this extra
  funding will achieve
• Severe financial need
• What services will you be able to retain
• How many clients will benefit and how
• Increased demand
• What outcomes will you be seeking for the extra
  clients
• How do you know you will actually achieve these
  results?
• How will you measure them?

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Summary of Costs

• Q8 - purpose of funding
• Provide a budget summarising how you would spend
  the additional money.

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The Process

• Applications forms available from
• www.familyservices.govt.nz
• MSD regional offices
• FACS and CYF regional offices
• Call 0800 777 100 to request a copy or ask a
  question
• Make sure form is completed in full
• 2 people to sign
• All supporting documentation attached
• Keep any other documentation to a minimum
• Send original signed application form to Family
  and Community Services National Office,
  Wellington (address is on the application form)

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The Process

• MSD may contact the following organisations to
• provide more information about your
• application
• other government agencies
• other funding organisations
• private people or organisations

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The Process

• Regional panels make recommendations
• Moderated at a national level
• Final decisions made
• A Letter of Offer sent to successful applicants
• A decline letter sent to unsuccessful applicants
• Letter of Offer accepted
• Grants issued mid to late September 2009

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More Help

• Funding advisors from the following organisations
  can help you with your applications
• MSD funding advisors FACS/CYF/MYD/WI
• MPIA
• TPK
• Federation of Budgeting Services

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More Information

• Visit www.familyservices.govt.nz
• Contact your regional funding adviser, if you are
  already funded by the Ministry of Social
  Development
• Call 0800 777 100 to speak to a person who can
  tell you more about the Fund or can send you an
  application form
• Email us communityresponse_at_msd.govt.nz