The David Ellison Charitable Trust - Innovative Project Grant
This innovative grant round has a two stage application process.
Stage 1
Expressions of Interest will open annually beginning September, closing at 5pm on the 15 October.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their Expressions of Interest by the end of November.
Successful expressions of interest will then be invited to complete a full application.
The next Innovative Grant Round will open September 2025.
Stage 2
Full applications will open annually beginning April, closing at 5.00pm on 30 April.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their full application by the end of May.
The successful expression of interest applicants will be sent a direct link to apply online.
Applicants can apply for:
A three year innovative project for funding up to $30,000 per annum.
(Year 1: $30,000, Year 2: $30,000, Year 3: $30,000. Total over three years: $90,000).
At the end of the three year period it is expected that the organisation(s) will have found other funding sources, a government contract or will be able to stand alone.
The Innovative Project grant may provide the bridge to enable programmes to be established or continue to be run including organisations working together.
About the Innovative Project
As a new initiative the Trust would like to invite registered charitable organisations based in Christchurch or supporting services in Christchurch who are looking to introduce a new programme or project and/or looking to collaborate with other charitable organisations to support in any of the following areas:
Disadvantaged children
Youth
The elderly
At risk families.
Funding Eligibility Criteria
The organisation needs to be a registered charity.
Be introducing a new programme(s) / project(s).
Be based in or supporting services in Christchurch.
Organisations must outline in the expressions of interest how they have determined:
As to how they will meet this need
That there is a need for their service
On what basis they have determined this need.
The purpose of the Innovative Project Grant is to give organisations an opportunity to develop a project that is new and innovative. Projects are expected to support individuals, groups and or communities to make a positive difference in line with the Trust’s Mission Statement. Projects that have a preventive approach are of particular interest to the Trust (the opportunity to consider what they can do before a problem emerges).
Innovative project grant in action
Te Whare Awhero
Te Whare Awhero (Hope House) is acommunity development trust with limited resources for working with some very challenging client groups. Learn more below:
Home & Family
This funding has been instrumental in enabling Home & Family to develop a programme to address a lack of services for youth involved in domestic violence incidents. Learn more below:
“Te Whare Awhero (Hope House) is a medium-sized community development trust with limited resources for working with some very challenging client groups. Securing the David Ellison Trust Innovative Project grant allowed us to transform an idea we had been nurturing into a small-scale trial. This experience led to further development and ultimately helped us secure additional funding to expand the project into a full-scale operation. The multi-year innovation Project grant was crucial in making this possible, turning an ideal into a new community service.”
“David Ellison Charitable Trust’s Innovation Grant has been pivotal in the development of Home & Family’s CAW Child & Youth Wellbeing services. This funding has been instrumental in enabling Home & Family Charitable Trust to pilot and develop Te Hononga, a programme designed to address the critical lack of services for tamariki and youth involved in domestic violence incidents resulting in police callouts. A recurring issue among these youth is their exposure to family violence during their formative years.
The three consecutive years of funding provided by the Trust allowed us to conduct a thorough analysis of the programme’s data, statistics, strengths and weaknesses. This comprehensive evaluation led to the introduction of Waka 21, a forward-looking initiative aimed at helping youth envision their future at age 21, fostering self-reliance and confidence to achieve meaningful change. Additionally, we have incorporated in-depth wrap-around social work support for the whānau, ensuring that the entire family unit benefits from the programme and achieves successful outcomes. The multi-year funding for Home & Family ensured the necessary resources to assist salaries, programme expenses and external studies that have been crucial in informing and guiding the Te Hononga team. The impact of this support has been profound, and we are immensely grateful for the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of these young individuals and their families.”
Last year the trust received a great many applications for an innovative project grant which were ineligible because the funding criteria had not been read properly. If your project or programme is not innovative and new please consider applying in the contestable grant round.
The Innovative Project Grant will support:
Salaries
Project costs
Programme costs
Funding will not cover
Capital expenses – purchase of land, buildings or vehicles
The promotion of religion
Overseas travel
Projects already completed
The Trust does not generally support
Individuals
Sporting groups unless this covers health and wellbeing for the community
Schools and early childhood centres
Environmental groups
Well established, uniformed youth groups.
Organisations/groups must show that they have the capacity and capability to undertake such a project/programme.
A six month accountability report will be required:
Actuals against budget
Who is being supported
Number being supported
What is working
What is not working
Any further information called for by the Advisory Board
Expressions of Interest:
A one page document uploaded to the Smarty Grants system allowing applicants to apply online. The Expression of Interest will request the following information:
Purpose and activities of the organisation
A brief outline of the project and its intended outcome
How the organisation determined the need for this project
On what basis did the organisation determine this need
Cost of the project
Funds sought from the Trust
Other funding sources
Charities registration will automatically be confirmed in the online granting system
Expressions of Interest will open beginning September and closing at 5pm on the 15 October. The Trustee will notify the unsuccessful/successful Expressions of Interest by 30 November. Successful Expressions of Interest will then be invited to complete a full application.
Full Application
Organisations will be asked to supply:
Their latest set of financial statements
A budget for the programme
Full details of the project
Any further information called for by the Advisory Board
Where they will source other funding if required
Will the programme commence if the organisation does not have sufficient funding, and or other funding is not forthcoming.
Full Applications will close at 5.00pm on the 29 April
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their full application by 31 May.
