Te Puni Kōkiri has implemented a new Māori policy framework - the Māori Potential Approach, which is about realising Māori Potential or Māori succeeding as Māori. The ultimate aim of the Māori Potential Approach is to better position Māori to build and leverage off their collective resources, knowledge, skills and leadership capability to improve their overall quality of life.

The Māori Potential Fund supports the Māori Potential Approach by enabling outcomes-based investments that help realise Māori potential. This is done by using knowledge obtained through Te Puni Kōkiri's strategic relationships with Māori communities and organisations to make investments in excess of $23 million a year.

The Fund came into effect on 1 July 2006, when funding for seven separate programmes was combined into three new funding streams, whose purpose is outlined below:

Stream One:  Matauranga (Knowledge/Skills)

Matauranga (Knowledge/Skills) aims to enable increased Māori acquisition, creation, maintenance, and transferral of traditional and contemporary knowledge.

Te Puni Kōkiri’s current Matauranga investment priorities are:

Developing Māori language and culture

• To support the quality of training and skills development for the Māori language at a range of proficiency levels.

Developing an understanding of Matauranga Māori

• Consolidation and transfer of traditional and contemporary Māori knowledge
• Intellectual property
• Investigative studies
• Taonga preservation
• Digital archiving

Stream Two: Whakamana (Leadership)

Whakamana (Leadership) aims to enable the strengthening of Māori leadership, governance, management and succession planning.

Te Puni Kōkiri’s current Whakamana investment priorities are:

Human capital development

• Management and governance training
• Trade training
• Mentoring
• Succession planning
• Leadership

Marae Development

• Marae assessments
• Profiling
• Marae toolkit
• Trustee training
• Infrastructure (buildings, water), GIS, E-marae

Enhancing whānau outcomes

• Iwi anti-violence strategies
• Iwi housing strategies
• Rangatahi leadership
• To increase the number of active whānau and Māori organisations developing whānau connections
• Festivals and events
• Sports and cultural activities

Strengthening whānau leadership

• Whānau are actively involved in social, economic, political and technological activities
• Increase the number of Māori in governance roles on national and local government entities

Developing whānau connections

• Digital strategy
• Supporting hapu and iwi collectives to engage effectively with whānau
• Support wānanga and marae-based activities

Stream Three: Rawa (Resources)

Rawa (Resources) aims to enable increased Māori access to, and use, development and retention of resources for collective and individual benefit.

Te Puni Kōkiri’s current Rawa investment priorities are:

Maximising Māori collective assets

• Māori land, ocean, natural resources (wind, water), aquaculture, geothermal
• Governance, management and leadership
• Sustainability
• Collective leveraging
• Adding valuable support to post-settlement asset management

Increasing Māori innovation and participation in emerging economic opportunities

• Māori business development
• Private enterprise
• Tourism

Who is eligible for funding?

The Māori Potential Fund is available for investing in the strategic goals of the Government and Te Puni Kōkiri.

In the first instance organisations seeking funding for a project should contact their nearest Te Puni Kōkiri regional office.

Regional office’s will be aware of priority investment areas in their rohe and will be able to discuss with organisations seeking funding whether their project aligns with these priorities.

Organisations seeking funding must be able to demonstrate appropriate experience and relevant capability to undertake contracted initiatives and be able to report to required standards. Regional offices will therefore assess your organisational capability and management systems.

Last modified: 27/11/2007