Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS) is sponsored by Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua (New Zealand Government). This scheme provides government-funded grants to support voluntary and not-for-profit organisations working in local communities and neighbourhoods.

Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS) » Community Matters Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS) This scheme provides government-funded grants to support voluntary and not-for-profit organisations working in local communities and neighbourhoods.

Organisations requesting COGS grants need to show how their community-based services or projects will contribute to: encouraging participation in communities promoting community leadership developing community capability promoting social, economic and cultural equity, or reducing the downstream social and economic costs to communities and government.

Committees prioritise community-based organisations delivering services to one or more of the following groups: community-based organisations with limited access to other government funding. Each of the 37 Local Distribution Committee (LDCs) develop committee outcomes that reflect their local community’s needs. These are developed through community consultation.

For the priorities of the individual LDCs, follow the link below: COGS individual LDC priorities Eligible organisations must have less than $2 million annual operating expenditure for each of the past 2 years to make a funding request to COGS. Your organisation includes your national or regional office and any branches under the same legal entity .

Unregistered or informal groups Unregistered or informal groups (non-legal entities) may be eligible to apply for grants under $10,000. If you are an unregistered or informal group and do not have a bank account or governance structure in place, you may have a group to act as a fundholder on your behalf. To learn more about fundholders click here .

What documents are required All requests must include: Budget including income and expenditure if the request is for projects costs. You need to make sure your organisational profile in the grants management system information is up to date.

The type of information we ask for includes: annual financial statements no older than 18 months COGS provides grants to non-profit community groups and organisations delivering community-based social services, projects and events.

Grants are one-off contributions for: the running or operational costs of organisations that provide community-based social services community development costs, such as hui, training, planning, evaluation and facilitator fees community projects or event costs that: encourage participation in communities promote community leadership promote social, economic and cultural equity. The average COGS grants is about $3,000.

fundraisers, including professional or commercial fundraisers whose purpose is to distribute money to others services that duplicate existing services, unless the request demonstrates there is a good reason for both services to exist services or activities that have already been delivered or have taken place prior to the closing date debt repayment or debt servicing reimbursement of past transactions or for completed work social functions, except if for cultural reasons, the event brings people together in order to achieve other significant community benefits or outcomes alcohol and similar substances, such as kava requests where there is evidence of a conflict of interest, which has not been disclosed or managed appropriately.

(Note: a conflict of interest exists where a person's duties or responsibilities to a grant recipient organisation could be affected by some other interest or duty that the person may have.)

publishing any material of a technical nature, unless it is consistent with the applicable policies and guidelines produced by the relevant government or government-approved authorities capital items: purchases such as land, buildings, renovations, machinery, vehicles or furniture. (Items of office equipment with a unit cost less than $1,000 are not deemed to be capital items.)

services or activities that promote commercial, political or religious activities, including political advocacy projects, employment or business initiatives and commercial enterprises activities or projects specifically intended to generate a profit, though profits are allowed if the purpose is to achieve ongoing sustainability for the project services, activities or programmes to be delivered overseas.

To find out how to apply for COGS click here . Download the COGS funding application questions here: 2026 COGS request form questions For the 2025 COGS grants awarded: What COGS grants were made in 2025?

For how to report on your grant: Results Reports Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS) Local Distribution Committee 2025 nominations and elections LDC candidates are nominated by community organisations which provide services in communities within each LDC regional area. These candidates are then voted on by community organisations. LDC members are elected every 3 years.

Now is your opportunity... How does my community group make a request in the grants management system? Me pēhea te tuku tono pūtea mā tō rōpū hapori How to make a funding request for your community organisation Follow these instructions to make a funding request in the online grants management system on behalf of...

What COGS grants were made in 2025? The grants made by each COGS committee in 2025: What COGS grants were made in 2024? The grants made by each COGS committee in 2024 are being added as they are approved: What COGS grants were made in 2023?

The COGS grants made by each COGS committee for 2023 are available here: COGS Coastal Otago / Waitaki What COGS grants were made in 2022?

The COGS grants made by each COGS committee for 2022 are available here (currently being updated as the funding decisions are announced): COGS Christchurch / Banks Peninsula If you want to make a positive difference in your community, hapū or iwi we encourage you to start with a clear idea of the outcome (the change or benefits) you are planning to achieve.

Starting with a clear outcome will help you to connect with others and be successful in achieving goals that are important to your community, hapu,or Iwi .

If you would like to work in partnership with us to achieve something in your community or request a grant you can find out more here about how we work and how to contact us If you already know that a COGS request is right for your community group or organisation then the following steps will help you on your way.

Or if you would like to explore other opportunities to access services and grant funding then return to the menu at the top of the home page for more information.

If you are planning to request a COGS grant then we suggest you start by checking the important funding dates The video gives you an introduction to being funded for COGS (closed captions embedded) Short video about being funded for COGS To be ready to make a request you can find out more about what you will need here; Setting up as a new group or organisation If you are a returning group or organisation To complete your request successfully it might also be useful to; Find which committee to apply to Confirm the closing date for your request Review the documents you need Be clear about accepting the Terms and Conditions Once you have submitted your request it will be assessed to be sure it is a good match for the fund and then referred on to the decision makers.

For COGS you can find out more here About the assessment and the decision-making process The date of the decision-making meeting If you have been successful in your grant request the grant will be paid into the bank account matching the details provided at the time of your request. Our goal is to have this payment to you within a fortnight of your grant being approved by the committee.

In using your grant we would ask that you Remember your grant was made for the community purpose outlined in your request. If things have changed then you will need to discuss this with an Advisor.

Take opportunities that are right for you to acknowledge your grant Remember that we will ask you to report or share your story about how the grant helped you to make a difference in your community, hapu or iwi We also ask that if you have funds remaining or not able to be used for the purpose you requested that these be returned so we can make a difference across as many community , hapu and iwi as possible Log on to our o nline system for help with reporting and return of funds or contact your regional office for assistance.

Thank you for working with us to build strong and resilient communities across Aotearoa.