Community Organisation Grants Scheme election nominations open

  • Tariana Turia
Community and Voluntary Sector

Nominations for committee members to sit on their local Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS) have opened today, says Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Tariana Turia.

“This is a great opportunity to represent your community’s needs and aspirations and contribute to local COGS funding decisions.

“COGS support is often the lifeblood of many community organisations in New Zealand. Last year more than $14 million was distributed to more than 4,000 non-profit and voluntary groups,” says Mrs Turia.

Although the scheme is government-funded, it is operated at a community level by 37 locally elected committees of volunteers who consider applications and allocate the COGS grants for their area.

Mrs Turia says members of the local distribution committees are key players in ensuring that COGS funding decisions reflect the needs and priorities of their community.

Organisations that applied for a COGS grant in 2010 are automatically registered to vote in the election for new Local Distribution Committee members.

Committee members serve a three year term with elections held every three years.

“I would like to thank all the outgoing committee members for the outstanding work they have done on representing the interests of their communities,” says Mrs Turia.

If organisation didn’t apply for a COGS grant in 2010, they can still register for the elections at http://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/wpg_URL/Services-Community-Funding-COGS-Local-Distribution-Committee-Election-2011?OpenDocument.

“COGS registered organisations may nominate a candidate from their area for the elections and I urge them to do so,” says Mrs Turia.

For further information on eligibility and the election process, call 0800 824 824 or visit www.dia.govt.nz

Election dates 2011
 

  • 1 February - nominations for candidates open
  • 18 March, 12pm - nominations close, and this is the last day for organisations to register to vote
  • 25 March - postal ballot forms will be sent to all organisations on the electoral roll
  • 28 March - 30 April - public meetings hosted by your Local Distribution Committee, where you can meet the candidates and help identify local funding priorities
  • 2 May, 12pm - voting closes