About The Fund
Māori Suicide Prevention Community Fund
Each year since 2020, Te Rau Ora has delivered $1.6m of funding to whānau, hapū, Māori community groups, and Iwi & Māori Providers to run community-led initiatives for suicide prevention. Prior to 2020, funding was distributed under Te Rau Ora’s previous roopu ‘Te Au’ which was part of He Waka Hourua.
The purpose of the Fund is to build the capacity of Whānau Māori, Hapū, and Iwi to prevent suicide within communities and respond effectively if, and when, a suicide occurs.
This funding empowers community-led initiatives throughout Aotearoa to help alleviate distress and support whānau known to be at higher risk of suicidal distress such as tāne, rangatahi, rainbow communities and rural communities as well as whānau impacted from loss through suicide. The fund is a by-Māori, for-Māori approach to suicide prevention and encourages community solutions within Te Ao Māori – drawing upon mātauranga Māori and the strengths of hāpori Māori for hope, healing and oranga.
The $1.6 million contestable fund has four funding streams:
- Whānau & Hapū Groups can apply for up to $10,000.
- Māori Community Groups can apply for up to $25,000.
- Iwi & Māori Providers may apply for up to $50,000.
- Iwi/Māori Provider Collaborations may apply for up to $100,000.
Applications are open each year -
*watch this space for the next upcoming round of funding.
Suicide has a long-lasting and far-reaching impact on the lives of many people in New Zealand: individuals, their whānau and families, friends, peers, colleagues, hapū, iwi and wider communities. Every year, hundreds of people die by suicide. In 2023, 565 people died by suicide in Aotearoa New Zealand (a rate of 1.06 per 100,000) (Ministry of Health, 2023). Māori suffer disproportionately with loss from suicide at rates up to 2.75 times higher than non-Māori.
Preventing suicide is everybody’s responsibility (Te Rau Ora, 2017). Building the capacity and capability in Māori communities, and whānau regarding adaptive strategies and resilience to prevent suicide is a core goal of Te Rau Ora (2019). Developing and fostering collaboration, learning, innovation and shared leadership to build wellbeing to prevent suicide requires an assertive approach ready to reach and respond to Māori communities.
Suicide has a long-lasting and far-reaching impact on the lives of many people in New Zealand: individuals, their whānau and families, friends, peers, colleagues, hapū, iwi and wider communities. Every year, hundreds of people die by suicide. Māori suffer disproportionately to non-Māori when it comes to suicide. Māori are in fact up to 2.4 times higher risk of suicide than their non-Māori counterparts (Te Whatu Ora – Health NZ).
The Māori Community Suicide Prevention & Postvention Fund is an opportunity for whānau, hapū, iwi, Māori health providers and community groups to organise and run initiatives that address the issue of suicide in their communities.
The goal of the Fund is to:
- Build the capacity of Māori whānau, hapū and iwi to prevent suicide within communities and to respond effectively if, and when, a suicide occurs by:
- Reducing Māori suicides.
- Reducing suicidal attempts.
- Ease the impact of suicide.
The key objectives of the Fund are:
- Providing support to Māori whānau, hapū and iwi that are experiencing suicide risk and/or are bereaved by suicide.
- Prioritising population groups within their communities that are known to be at higher risk of suicidal distress, including men, youth, rainbow communities and rural communities.
- Building inclusive communities and strengthening community resilience.
- Encouraging a focus on mental wellbeing.
- Raising awareness about available support services.
Successful initiatives from the Fund will help:
- Promote Māori ownership of Māori wellbeing and suicide prevention.
- Build on the strengths of Māori whānau, hapū, iwi and communities.
- Deliver culturally safe supports and services.
- Prioritise whānau-centred treatment and management models.
- Acknowledge intergenerational trauma, grief, and loss of mana.
- Provide suicide bereavement responses that protect the continuation of whakapapa, hapū and iwi structures, and;
- Build the evidence base and Mātauranga Māori of what works for Māori.
The Suicide Prevention Continuum is a framework and reference tool to differentiate between the different stages of suicide risk. Initiatives will need to align to one or more of these categories.
| Wellbeing | Prevention | Intervention | Postvention |
| Promoting wellbeing reduces the risk of suicidal distress and behaviour and can help increase resilience and the capability to deal with stressful or challenging experiences. | Being able to recognise early signs of distress or that someone is thinking about suicide or self-harm and having the confidence to talk to that person about their thoughts. Can open a door to early intervention and support before the person becomes more distressed | Having timely access to appropriate, culturally responsive, and safe, evidence-informed care is critical when someone’s safety is at risk. This contact presents an opportunity to intervene early and to avoid crises from escalating. | Postvention support can help whānau to navigate the tough times through their experience of grief and loss. These approaches support bereaved whānau to access the right help, at the right time in the right way. |
To be eligible to apply for Funding a group must be either:
- A recognised whānau or hapū group with a registered bank account in the name of the whānau or hapū group.
- A local community or advocacy group that is a legal entity or registered charity.
- An Iwi or Māori Provider that is delivering services primarily but not exclusively to Māori.
- A Regional or National collaboration between Iwi or Māori Providers.
All applicants must demonstrate that their proposed initiatives:
- Contribute to the outcomes of the Fund.
- Have an alignment to the key objectives of the Fund.
- Have the capacity and capability to design and deliver the proposed initiative, and
- Demonstrate appropriate plan for budget and timeline.
Other eligibility conditions:
- We will accept one application per roopu.
- Current Te Rau Ora staff are not eligible to apply for this fund. There is a three-month standdown period for former Te Rau Ora staff from the date they ended employment with Te Rau Ora.
- Initiatives with an active 2022 Community Fund contract are not eligible to apply for this funding round. Exceptions will be made if the initiative is completed, and the report is received and approved before the applicant submits a new application for the 2023 round.
Applications will not be accepted from non-Māori Governing Providers, Government Organisations, District Health Boards, Tertiary Education Providers or Crown Research Institutes.
Activities that will not be Funded
- Ongoing service delivery and/or an established project.
- FTE, full or part-time permanent positions (staff can be seconded onto specific initiatives and facilitator koha is accepted).
- Supervision or mentoring fees or costs.
- Lease or purchase of vehicles (hireage costs are accepted).
- Rent, lease or purchase of building or premises (hireage costs are accepted).
- International travel.
- Any ongoing fees or licences.
- Capital purchases over $5,000.
| Funding Type | Criteria | Eligibility | Application Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whānau and Hapū | The whānau or hapū group has a bank account in the name of the whānau or hapū group. | Bank Account verification of account name. | Up to $10,000 per application |
| Māori Community Groups | The organisation is a legal entity / or | Organisation is a legal entity or registered with Current certificate supplied with application. | Up to $25,000 per application |
| The organisation is registered with the NZ Charities Commission. | Organisation is a legal entity or registered with Current certificate supplied with application. | ||
| The majority of members on the Board are Māori and this is sustained and/or the majority of owners/directors of the company are Māori. | Organisation is a legal entity or registered with Current certificate supplied with application. | ||
| Iwi & Māori Providers | The applicant is an Iwi or Māori Provider | Iwi and Māori Providers (Health, Social Services, Justice or Whānau Ora Providers) who have the experience, capability and capacity to design and implement a community-based initiative | $50,000 per application |
| The applicant holds current contracts for the provision of health, social services, justice or whānau ora that are primarily but not exclusively targeted to Māori. | Current health contracts, type and value including the funder’s details must be listed in the application form. | ||
| The organisation is a legal entity / or | Current certificate supplied with application. | ||
| The organisation is registered with the NZ Charities Commission. | Current certificate supplied with application. | ||
| The majority of Board members are Māori and this is sustained and/or the majority of owners/directors of the company are Māori. | Confirmation captured within the application. | ||
| Iwi and Māori Provider Collaborations | The lead applicant is an Iwi or Māori Provider | Collaborations between Iwi or Māori Providers (Health, Social Services, Justice or Whānau Ora Providers) who have the experience, capability and capacity to design and implement a Regional or National Project | Up to $100,000 per application |
| The applicant holds current contracts for the provision of health, social services, justice or whānau ora that are primarily but not exclusively targeted to Māori. | Current health contracts, type and value including the funder’s details must be listed in the application form. | ||
| The organisation is a legal entity / or | Current certificate supplied with application. | ||
| The organisation is registered with the NZ Charities Commission. | Current certificate supplied with application. |
For full detailed information about the Māori Suicide Prevention Community Fund, please download a copy of our guidelines here.
Get in touch with the Community Fund team:
Email: communityfund@terauora.com
Phone: +64 4 473 9591 or 0800 122 616
Website: https://centreofmaorisuicideprevention.com/
Te Whare o Kirikiriroa | Hamilton Office
233 Anglesea Street, Hamilton
PO Box 104 Hamilton, 3240.