Simon Power: Fund gives aid to Rangitikei electorate

Community organisations throughout New Zealand will get even more support from the Community Response Fund after Social Development Minister Paula Bennett announced that almost $14million has been allocated in round six of the funding.
The Community Response Fund is a short-term fund which was set up to address some of the immediate cost and demand pressures being placed on community-based critical social services because of the economic downturn. It's doing just that, with 345 organisations receiving grants.
I was delighted to see there were a number of successful applicants from throughout the Rangitikei electorate which will receive extra support under round six. It's clear that some families and community organisations in our region have had a tough time.
This fund was created to help keep vital social services afloat and I think it's great that it's meeting its goals. Some of the local organisations which will receive funding this time around are the Marton and Districts Budget Service, the Taumarunui Baptist Church Social Services Trust, Manchester House Social Services, and Te Manawa Services.
The fund was established in June 2009 when the Government made up to $104 million available. Essentially it has two key components: financial crisis funding and demand funding.
Financial crisis funding is for providers of critical social services which are experiencing severe financial difficulty and which are unable to maintain the level of their services as a direct result of the economic downturn.
Demand funding is for providers of critical social services which are experiencing a significant increase in demand for their services from families, children, young people, and older people as a direct result of the economic downturn. It's also available for new initiatives that are seen to be taking an innovative approach to meeting service demands.
The maximum amount of funding that will be awarded at any one time is $50,000, excluding GST, although more could be granted in exceptional circumstances. Since the fund opened, more than $55million has been allocated to 694 community organisations, some of which have received multiple grants.
Mostly, funding has gone to providers dealing with budgeting, family violence, early intervention, families under stress, and vulnerable children.
The fund is this Government's response to the extra pressure the recession has put on community-based providers of critical social services and it's great that it's working for Rangitikei.