Half a million dollars to support volunteers

Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Jo Goodhew has today announced that $502,000 in grants will be given to community groups reliant on volunteers.

The Support for Volunteering Fund is distributed annually to organisations which demonstrate that they are working to promote and support volunteering.

“Over a million New Zealanders are involved in some form of voluntary work in their communities. These volunteers are the backbone of our communities,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“Volunteers are New Zealand’s largest workforce, and it is important that we acknowledge and support the fantastic job they are doing.”

This year 24 community groups have benefited from the Support for Volunteering Fund.

Volunteering New Zealand has received $100,000 in funding and a further $322,000 was distributed to 17 regional volunteering centres across the country.

Six organisations with volunteering projects focusing on Māori, Pacific or ethnic communities that build volunteering capacity within their communities received a total of $80,000.

“The grants are recognition of the significant contribution of volunteers and the groups they work with to build stronger, more resilient communities,” says Mrs Goodhew.

Further information about the Support for Volunteering Fund can be found on the Community Matters website, www.communitymatters.govt.nz.