The Cook Islands Social Impact Fund (SIF) previosly known as Community Initiative Scheme (CIS) was established as a partnership between the Cook Islands and New Zealand governments in 2012 to streamline funding support to the Cook Islands civil society sector.
The SIF provides for the delivery of services by civil society organisations to help meet the priority needs of Government affecting the vulnerable members of the community. The priority areas are: achieving gender equality, protecting and promoting rights of children and young people, protecting and promoting rights of people with disabilities, assisting the elderly, the prevention and elimination of domestic violence, and addressing mental health.
The SIF has two types of funding streams:
- Programme Funding – selected organisations are provided a three year contract to assist with programme costs ranging between $50,000 and $150,000 each year.
- Project Funding – selected organisations are provided short-term funding of up to 12 months for small community projects valued between $5,000 to $50,000.
Social Impact Fund Board and Management
The SIF is based in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and is managed by a Board comprising three members selected from the community following a public advertisement. These are Danny Vakapora (Chairperson), Tuaine Tuara (Pa Enua Representative) and Lynnsay Rongokea Francis. The Board also includes members representing New Zealand Aid (currently Sean Buckley, Senior Development Programme Coordinator), the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (Peter Tierney, Development Coordination Division Manager) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Ngatuaine Maui, Welfare Division Manager).
The SIF office is managed on a daily basis by Angeline Tuara. Angeline has senior management experience in both the public and private sectors and with civil society organisations.
Funding Rounds
The first requests for funding were as follows:-
- On 11 January 2013, the SIF Board received 11 applications for Programme funding; 5 proposals were approved for funding.
- On 12 April 2013, the SIF Board received 49 applications for Project funding. 11 proposals were approved for funding.
Updates will be made available at 6 monthly intervals to coincide with monitoring and reporting periods.
The next round of applications will be for Project funding due in May 2014.
For further information the SIF office can be contacted on Telephone 29378, email contact: sif@intaff.gov.ck