Social Investment Minister, Nicola Willis says Kiwi communities will have more power to decide how social services funding is spent locally under a new approach being delivered through the Government’s Social Investment Fund.
“Expressions of interest are now open for Community-led Commissioning, which will give trusted local leaders and organisations with a proven track record more say over how funding is used in their communities, while holding them accountable for delivering measurable results,” Minister Willis says.
“The Social Investment Fund is driving this new approach to social services which is focused on improving outcomes for New Zealanders and ensuring taxpayer funding is directed towards what works.
“This new approach is about giving communities the flexibility to design solutions that work for their people, while maintaining a strong focus on outcomes including; fewer people on the Jobseeker Support benefit, higher educational achievement, better health outcomes, and fewer victims and offenders of crime.”
Following the expression of interest process, shortlisted groups will work with the Social Investment Agency to agree shared objectives, outcomes and accountability measures. A request for proposals process will then follow, the Minister said.
“Ultimately, we want community led commissioning to become the norm – moving away from fragmented government contracts and backing communities to deliver better outcomes for the people they serve,” she said.
The Social Investment Fund is supporting reforms including consolidating NGO contracts, commissioning new outcomes-based contracts, enabling Community-led Commissioning, and developing future funding partnerships with philanthropists
The Government allocated $190 million in Budget 2025 for the Social Investment Fund.
More information on criteria and specifics of applying can be found here.
Social Investment Fund FAQs can be found here.
