$3 million left this year, for which applications are invited as of today

In a major boost to ethnic communities across New Zealand, the Labour-led coalition Government has just announced increasing the Ethnic Communities Development Fund from $520k to $4.2 million each year.

The Minister for Ethnic Communities Jenny Salesa made the announcement in Auckland today. “This means that there will be $17 million available for ethnic communities over the next four years. Another important change we are making is that the fund will now be a rolling fund, which will remain open throughout the year.”

The Minister also announced that for this year, there is still $3 million remaining in the fund. “And we are accepting applications for the remaining fund as of today,” she said.

Notably, her department has already funded 102 organisations this year, including Shama, Japanese Society of Auckland, and ARMS (now called Belong Aotearoa).

Meanwhile, Salesa noting the new focus of the fund, added, “The fund has a new purpose, and new priorities. These include – welcoming ethnic diversity into our neighbourhood, educating New Zealanders on the contribution of ethnic communities here, developing capabilities within communities, encouraging participation, as well as celebrating all the cultures thriving in New Zealand now.”

On the question of why her Government is taking this step, the Minister explained, “In New Zealand, ethnic communities now are almost 800,000 in number, with this number projected to cross 1.5 million in the next 20 years. That’s why it is important to make sure New Zealand communities are welcoming and inclusive, and ethnic communities connect and take part in the society.”

-TIN Bureau