$431,500 of grants to Nelson/Tasman Social Services Sector

Demand for funding remains high as Trust announces $431,500 of grants to Nelson/Tasman Social Services Sector

More than $400,000 has been distributed to social service organisations in the Nelson/Tasman region as many service providers struggle financially with increased demand for services, administrative cost increases and changes to government funding structures says Louise Edwards, Chief Executive of The Canterbury Community Trust.

“The $431,500 in grant approvals were made under our social services sector which received funding requests totalling $916,293,.” says Ms Edwards.

“The social services is one of our largest and, arguably, most challenging sector when it comes to funding. We are hearing from our applicants they are encountering clients with more complex needs, which require more comprehensive responses. These often don’t fit well with current government funding models which contract for a particular service only.”

Ms Edwards also notes many applicants have said they are struggling financially due to funding which has not kept pace with increased administration costs, such as accommodation, electricity and wages.

Alongside the funding announcement, The Canterbury Community Trust has released the findings this week of their independent research into this complex sector – ‘A Snapshot of the Social Services Sector in The Canterbury Community Trust’s Funding Region’. The research was undertaken by independent researcher Sarah Wylie, who spent time seeking the views of key people across the sector and includes a literature review. Along with Nelson, the Trust also funds Canterbury, Marlborough and the Chatham Islands.

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