Community Support Package for people impacted by North Island floods and Cyclone Gabrielle

On 13 February, the Government announced an $11.5 million Community Support Package to help those affected by the recent North Island floods, including support for regions preparing to respond to Cyclone Gabrielle.

Community groups and contracted social sector providers of food and other supports, including services for disabled people, have mobilised quickly to support people, families and communities affected by the recent North Island floods and Cyclone Gabrielle. The increase in demand for this support is putting a strain on services and community-led initiatives. This Community Support Package aims to relieve some of this pressure so community groups and contracted providers can continue to deliver their response and recovery efforts for people, whānau and communities.

On 9 March 2023, the Government announced an update to the Community Support Package, including: a further $2 million for the Food fund, an extension of the funding caps for the Community and Provider Support Funds, and a change for providers in the impacted regions who have received Care in the Community Disability Welfare Fund – Direct Support grants, so they can widen the scope of support they provide to include disabled people affected by the recent Cyclone and floods.

In May 2023, the Government announced as part of the Budget 23 North Island Weather Events Package, an additional $5m to fund the over-subscription of the Community Support Fund and Provider Support Fund, and $2m for the Food Fund.

Funding through this Community Support Package is time-limited and only available until 30 June 2023.

The Community Support Package for people impacted by North Island Floods and Cyclone Gabrielle, includes:

Community Support Fund ($5 million)

This funding is available for community groups supporting whānau and communities in Auckland and other regions impacted by recent weather events, who are not contracted by a government agency. The funding will allow community groups to maintain their response and recovery efforts so they can continue to support whānau wellbeing. Examples of community groups who can apply are:

Local marae, whānau, hapū, iwi
Multicultural councils
Ethnic community organisations
Faith based, religious and church groups
Community Hubs
Not-for-profit organisations and social enterprise.

Community groups can apply to the Community Support Fund via the MSD website from 16 February 2023.

Apply to the Community Support Fund

Provider Support Fund ($6 million)

This funding is available for providers supporting communities affected by the recent North Island floods and Cyclone Gabrielle. Providers are considered those who already have government contracts in the social sector, including those funded by MSD, Oranga Tamariki, Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People, Ministries for Ethnic Communities, Justice, Pacific Peoples, Housing and Urban Development, Kāinga Ora, Te Arawhiti, Te Puni Kokiri, the Department of Corrections and Department of Internal Affairs.

This funding will allow eligible providers to continue to deliver their response and recovery efforts, respond to increased demand on their services, and support the wellbeing of their staff and volunteers. This funding is not intended to replace or cover insurance related matters.

Providers can apply to the Provider Support Fund via the MSD website from 16 February 2023.

Apply to the Provider Support Fund

Food Fund ($5 million)

This funding will support existing community food providers to refill their stocks and respond to current demand in communities affected by the recent North Island floods and Cyclone Gabrielle. This funding will be distributed through existing systems, including the New Zealand Food Network which supports community food providers by facilitating bulk purchasing of essential food items.

Support through Community Connectors ($4 million)

Community Connectors were established in June 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and played a key role in the Care in the Community welfare response for people self-isolating. Each Community Connector has access to discretionary funding to support their work on a case-by-case basis.

Community Connectors are employed by non-government organisations and are a trusted service for people and whānau. As such, Community Connectors are an important interface between communities and the many types of support options available through government agencies or other service providers. MSD is not increasing the number of Community Connectors as part of this funding.

This funding provides additional discretionary funding to support Community Connectors to widen the scope of the support they provide to include communities affected by recent North Island floods and Cyclone Gabrielle.

Support for disabled people ($0.5 million)

This funding will support disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori and/or their households to access support for immediate and unexpected needs due the recent North Island floods and Cyclone Gabrielle.

Disabled people do not need to be receiving Disability Support Service funding from Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People or from another government agency to apply for this support.

Please note, this dedicated funding to support disabled people is in addition to the funding that is outlined above, and which is available to organisations who are supporting disabled people.

If you currently receive funding from Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People Disability Support Services, you may also be eligible for an increase in your allocation due to impact of the North Island Floods and Cyclone Gabrielle. Contact your disability support service providers for more information on this.

More information about support for disabled people

Contract flexibility for providers in flood or cyclone affected areas

As we’ve done during COVID-19, we will ensure MSD funded providers are treated fairly if delivery of contracted services is impacted by the mahi you’re doing to support people, whānau and communities affected by recent flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle.

If you have to reduce or alter your services temporarily, we will look to maintain current funding levels for the period of the contract and revise reporting requirements.

We recognise it may be necessary for some services to be delivered in different ways. We can support you to be flexible in responding to the different needs of your communities. Please talk to your Relationship Manager or Regional Contract Manager about other support MSD may be able to offer.

If you’re not funded by MSD, please talk to your funding agency about how your contract commitments will apply.

For more information or assistance

If you have questions about initiatives outlined above in relation to the Community Support Package for people impacted by North Island Floods and Cyclone Gabrielle, please email: Community_Information@msd.govt.nz

This inbox is monitored Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm.

Other Government Support

This Community Support Package sits alongside a suite of supports the Government has put in place to support those affected by the recent North Island floods and Cyclone Gabrielle.

These include: