How the Fund is being spent

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Find out how the New Zealand Disaster Fund is being spent to support communities affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and the January and February severe weather events.

This page is updated regularly.

New Zealand Disaster Fund – the numbers

As at 13 November 2023, we have committed nearly $24 million to initiatives supporting people affected by the cyclone and other severe weather events.

The Fund received approximately $27.5 million in donations, and has earned nearly $600,000 in interest, which is added to the Fund and also used to support affected communities.

Partnership Grants Programme

This programme provided funds to community organisations and other entities supporting community recovery.

Total approximate spent or committed: $14.7 million
Total Grants approved: 166

See a breakdown of the Partnership Grants Programme spend-to-date

Response and Recovery Programme

This programme supported our immediate emergency response and is helping communities recover by providing goods, services, and people. It also includes the Red Cross Home Bundles programme now underway. 

Equipment: Providing goods and materials to support community response and recovery. For example, generators, first aid kits, dehumidifiers, water blasters or clean-up kits.

New Zealand Red Cross response: For example, providing free psychosocial training to communities, travel and equipment for Disaster Welfare and Support Team members to support local Civil Defence Emergency Management Group requirements. 

Red Cross Home Bundles: Providing new basic furniture and homewares to households in need. The programme is underway in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Tairāwhiti and Hawkes Bay.

Total approximate spent or committed: $7.3 million
People trained in Psychological First Aid: 1,001 people in 81 courses
Home Bundles: $6.3 million

Learn more about the Home Bundles programme

Resilience Investment Programme

This programme is providing funding to help affected communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from future emergencies and disasters as the impacts of climate change grow.

Approximate programme budget: $6 million
Total grants approved: $2 million

Partnership Grants Programme spend

8 August to 11 September
Organisation	Region	Amount	Purpose
D Vine Restaurant	Hawke's Bay	$19,500	Weekly community gatherings and providing food for those in need around Esk Valley.
Tuck Civil Services Ltd	Hawke's Bay	$25,000	Helping clear access and stablilising properties in the Dartmoor community.
Puhoi Sports Club Incorporated	Auckland	$20,100	Repairing flood-damaged facilities.
25 July to 7 August
Organisation	Region	Amount	Purpose
Auckland Council	Auckland	$2,000,000	Disaster fund supporting individuals, couples, families and community groups experiencing hardship and loss resulting from Auckland’s multiple weather events.
Kōtuku Creative	Hawke's Bay	$40,000	Supporting the Wairoa community flood recovery efforts.
Ngati Tamaoho	Auckland	$146,495	Replacement of equipment destroyed in flooding and supporting early recovery, emergency accommodation.
Omahu	Hawke's Bay	$100,000	Clean up and restoration of the Omahu Marae and surrounding community. Supporting families into transitional or permanent housing.
Ruapekapeka Hapaitia	Northland	$48,880	Generators for elderly and those with high medical needs to cope with sustained power outages.
Tuhirangi Trust	Hawke's Bay	$25,000	Supporting basic needs and community wellbeing for affected community members, and establishing a tool library for clean-up.
12 July to 24 July
Organisation	Region	Amount	Purpose
Kia Kaha Karekare	Auckland	$50,000	Food and petrol vouchers for households with red and yellow stickered properties, funding for school and community hub.
Tāmaki Ki Te Tonga Māori Wardens Association	Auckland	$40,000	Food parcels, household care packs, personal hygiene kits.
The Evergreen Foundation	Hawke's Bay	$100,000	Clean up assistance and psychological support in rural areas.
28 June to 11 July
Organisation	Region	Amount	Purpose
Bellyful New Zealand Trust	All affected areas	$15,000	Producing ready to eat meals for affected whānau.
Central Hawke’s Bay Parenting Services	Hawke's Bay	$50,000	Providing the “LionHeart” programme for tamariki to learn to cope with traumatic events through creative play.
Evolution Enterprises Limited	Hawke's Bay	$32,840	Maintenance and repair for clean-up machinery.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council	Hawke's Bay	$1,000,000	Funding for Hawke’s Bay Disaster Relief Trust for individual grants.
Housing Emergency Aotearoa	All affected areas	$100,000	Container homes for families in need.
Huiterangiora Foundation	Tairāwhiti	$35,000	Covering costs such as petrol, tools for clean-up and damage repair crew.
Ladies Who Lawn Limited	Auckland	$15,000	Supporting clean-up.
New Zealand Red Cross	Auckland	$185,000	Local coordination, delivery and support for partnership grants, and other on-the- ground assistance in affected communities.
Tairāwhiti Marae	Tairāwhiti	$245,500	Repairs and rebuilding of four marae.
Waitakere Indian Association	Auckland	$21,000	Providing free hot meals to affected people.
WH Contracting Services Ltd	Hawke's Bay	$20,000	Helping families recover and rebuild.
YES Disability Resource Centre Services Trust	Auckland	$30,000	Supporting people with disabilities and building community connections.
16 to 27 June 2023
Organisation	Region	Amount	Purpose
Aotearoa Africa Foundation	Auckland	$30,000	Home clean-up, wellbeing checks and food support.
Auckland Central Māori Wardens Incorporated Charitable Trust	Auckland	$50,000	Food parcels, household care packs, hygiene kits, temporary water supply.
Gisborne Tairāwhiti Farming Recovery Fund (Matai Medical Institute)	Tairāwhiti	$50,000	Easing repair and recovery costs for farmers.
Hikurangi Enterprises	Tairāwhiti	$6,000	Temporary accommodation.
HNK Trust	Hawke's Bay	$50,000	Tool library for the Omahu, Moteo and Waiohiki areas.
KD Partnership	Hawke's Bay	$25,000	Continuing clean-up work in smaller areas.
Kidnnections Charitable Trust	Hawke's Bay	$5,000	Providing a safe and neutral space for kids to meet their whānau
Meat the Need	All affected areas	$50,000	Food supply.
Moteo Marae	Hawke's Bay	$100,000	Restoring marae.
MPHS Community Trust	Auckland	$50,000	Temporary housing and support for 120 community members who were cared for at the community-led emergency hub.
Omakere School	Hawke's Bay	$29,000	Replacing lost equipment in play areas.
ONE Voice Community Services Trust	Hawke's Bay	$47,600	Temporary accommodation caravan and vouchers for clothing, linen and kitchenware.
ONE Voice Community Services Trust	Hawke's Bay	$123,500	Clean-up program and community mental health support.
Pakowhai Community Cyclone Recovery Committee	Hawke's Bay	$100,000	Clean-up of homes with limited insurance.
Paw Justice Charitable Trust	All affected areas	$5,000	Pet food for affected families.
Piha Surf Life Saving Club Incorporated	Auckland	$5,177	Generator.
New Zealand Red Cross	Hawkes Bay	$185,000	Local coordination, delivery and support for partnership grants, and other on-the- ground assistance in affected communities.
Puketawai Marae	Tairāwhiti	$98,930	Replacing damaged equipment and recovery supplies for marae.
Rotorua Whakaora	Bay of Plenty	$40,000	Resume transporting food to organisations that are feeding 3,000-4,000 people every week.
Te Roopu Whakamana Charitable Trust	Northland	$65,000	Community transport and mental wellbeing.
TPB Services Ltd	Hawke's Bay	$10,000	Machine repair to continue clean-up.
Wairoa Pony Club Inc	Hawke's Bay	$1,200	Community connectedness.
Wharariki (Flax) Trust	Hawke's Bay	$40,000	Firewood for affected families.
1 to 15 June 2023
Organisation	Region	Amount	Purpose
Big Brothers and Sisters of Hawke’s Bay	Hawke's Bay	$19,200	Mental health and wellbeing.
Cyclone (VIV) Taskforce	Hawke's Bay	$4,000	Petrol vouchers for volunteers.
Gregory Earthmoving Ltd	Hawke's Bay	$20,000	Clear access ways to farms and help repair water systems.
Hawke’s Bay Children’s Holding Trust	Hawke's Bay	$7,000	Psychosocial support expected to reach 500 whānau, food vouchers, and booklets for children.
Hawke’s Bay Fruit Growers’ Association Charitable Trust	Hawke's Bay	$100,000	Immediate needs such as shelter, food, water and warmth, mental health and wellbeing and bringing affected communities together.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council	Hawke's Bay	$1,000,000	Funding to Hawke’s Bay Disaster Relief Trust.
Hawke's Bay Cyclone Housing Help	Hawke's Bay	$32,000	Assist with the clearing and cleaning up of properties.
Hidden Figures	Hawke's Bay	$25,000	To support at least 200 whānau with food vouchers.
Korokipo Neighbourhood Cyclone Support Group	Hawke's Bay	$15,000	Restoration of community water supply and electricity.
Ngāti Pāhauwera Incorporated Society	Tairāwhiti Gisborne	$50,000	Repair the weir and damaged water suppy.
New Zealand Red Cross	Tairāwhiti Gisborne	$185,000	Local coordination, delivery and support for partnership grants, and other on-the- ground assistance in affected communities.
Ngunguru Marae Trust	Northland	$50,000	Resources for marae that was used as an evacuation hub.
Out House Loos	Hawke's Bay	$4,000	Providing toilets for volunteers and clean-up crews.
Pick Hawke’s Bay Incorporated	Hawke's Bay	$20,000	Helping clean up in badly affected orchards.
Pongaroa Early Years Preschool	Tararua	$10,000	Financial support for preschool to help affected families.
Quin Buildings	Hawke's Bay	$32,100	Rural community clean up.
The River of Silt Clean Up Crew	Hawke's Bay	$713	First aid kits.
Sea’s Up	Hawke's Bay	$11,000	Petrol vouchers and damaged generator for food service.
Sir John Kirwan Foundation	All affected regions	$164,250	Mental wellbeing for young people.
Taihoa Marae	Hawke's Bay	$100,000	Building repairs.
Takitimu Performing Arts School Trust	Hawke's Bay	$19,620	Winter packs for affected whānau.
Takiwatanga Sanctuary Trust	Auckland/Waikato	$8,000	Help animals displaced by the cylone into foster homes.
The Little Decant NZ	Northland	$8,000	Emergency accommodation for displaced whānau.
The Nest Collective NZ Charitable Trust	All affected areas	$35,000	Baby essentials for cyclone-affected families.
Tutira Early Childhood Centre	Hawke's Bay	$20,000	Help rebuild damaged childhood centre.
Whakapara Marae Trust	Northland	$50,000	Community response centre.
May 2023
Organisation	Region	Amount	Purpose
Acrnr Limited	Hawke’s Bay	$25,000	Funding for clearing flood debris and making properties safe and secure
Age Concern Napier	Hawke’s Bay	$50,000	Food, clothing bedding and temporary accommodation for older people.
Ahuriri Tributaries Catchment Group Trust	Hawke’s Bay	$8,300	Seminar evenings for community wellbeing.
Akerama Marae	Northland	$31,997	Repair wharekai, remove debris, and replace chiller.
Ascende Global Trust	Hawke’s Bay	$37,000	Clean-up assistance and providing food and hygiene products.
Babystart Charitable Trust	Gisborne & Hawke’s Bay	$16,000	Infant and maternal care packages for affected families.
Baderdrive Community Trust	Auckland	$160,000	Doctors doing home visits to affected families in Mangere.
Barnardos New Zealand	All affected areas	$65,918	Supporting mental wellbeing of affected children.
Barnardos New Zealand	Tairāwhiti Gisborne	$30,000	Survival kits and food vouchers for families.
Basketball HB	Hawke’s Bay	$15,000	Subsidy for affected communities.
Bay View Community Charitable Trust Incorporated	Hawke’s Bay	$50,000	Funding for community cleanup tools.
Breckenridge Water Company	Hawke’s Bay	$50,000	Repairing water pumps for 22 houses.
Buzzy Bee Trust	Hawke’s Bay	$7,500	Mental health and community wellbeing.
Citizens Advice Bureau Napier Inc	Hawke’s Bay	$10,000	Community support.
Coromandel Independent Living Trust	Waikato	$70,000	Purchase of a van to provide isolated people with community transport services.
Debt Relief Foundation	All affected areas	$70,000	Increase capacity to respond to affected communities.
Diocese of Waiapu, Taradale Anglican Church	Hawke’s Bay	$20,000	Community clean up.
Elite Finishes Contracting	Hawke’s Bay	$50,000	Cleanup and removal of silt for 200 families.
Engage Community Trust	Hawke’s Bay	$32,500	Funding towards counselling, volunteer expenses and equipment purchases for cleanup.
Epic Ministries Inc	Hawke’s Bay	$105,250	Repairing damaged homes.
Esk Valley Hub	Hawke’s Bay	$50,000	Community clean up.
Esk Valley Hub	Hawke's Bay	$93,100	Temporary accommodation.
Federated Farmers	All affected areas	$250,000	Supporting Farmy Army volunteering, for the wellbeing and recovery of rural communities.
Give a Kid a Blanket	Auckland	$30,000	Bedding, warm clothing, food and toiletries for affected families.
Hastings Hibernian Sports Club	Hawke’s Bay	$3,000	Community wellbeing.
HB Clean Up Crew	Hawke’s Bay	$36,603	Funding for new tools and equipment, fuel, diggers and truck hire for the cleanup team.
Heart Psychological Assessment & Treatment Services Ltd / HEART Collective	All affected areas	$50,000	Professional mental health and wellbeing support.
Heretaunga Women's Centre	Hawke’s Bay	$53,260	Counselling for vulnerable women.
Hookmade Ltd	Hawke’s Bay	$70,000	Clean-up crews and related expenses.
Karekare Surf Lifesaving Club Inc	Auckland	$30,758	Generator.
Kindness Collective Foundation	All affected areas	$100,000	Winter clothing, food, toiletries, whiteware, baby essentials, and school uniforms for affected families.
KiwiHarvest	All affected areas	$50,000	Food support.
Ko Wai Tōu Ingoa Hauora Charitable Trust	Hawke’s Bay	$5,000	Community meals and transport.
Life Education Trust	Tairāwhiti Gisborne	$16,000	Providing Life Education programmes in Tairawhiti and Wairoa for primary and intermediate schools, kura and some secondary schools.
Love Soup Charitable Trust	Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne	$28,987	Purchasing food and supplies for those that are directly impacted or helping with the cleanup.
Mana Mentoring Youth & Community Trust	All affected areas	$50,000	Helping whanau deal with mental health challenges.
Manawa Ora Hawke's Bay Trust	Hawke’s Bay	$50,000	Temporary accommodation.
Maraenui Rugby & Sports Association Incorporated	Hawke’s Bay	$25,000	Restoring club operations and reinstating activities.
Matakohe Community Group	Northland	$3,000	Generators.
Mates of Hawke's Bay Charitable Trust	Hawke’s Bay	$200,000	Free mental health programmes.
MSFT Productions	Hawke’s Bay	$60,000	Community wellbeing events.
Mt Erin Group Ltd	Hawke’s Bay	$20,000	Clean up tools and mental health support for apple growers.
Muriwai Community Recovery Charitable Trust	Auckland	$50,000	Funding to purchase food and petrol vouchers for affected people.
Napier Family Centre	Hawke’s Bay	$100,000	Family and wellbeing support.
Napier Free Kindergarten Association	Hawke’s Bay	$21,130	Emotional wellbeing for teachers and tamariki.
Napier Meats Limited	Hawke’s Bay	$40,000	Providing food to the community.
Nevertheless	Hawke’s Bay	$42,000	Psychosocial support for the Hawke’s Bay region through a Māori and Pasifika lens through free mental health workshops.
Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated	Hawke’s Bay	$25,000	To support a community event for community resilience.
Ngati Kere Pōrangahau Flood Response	Hawke’s Bay	$50,000	Temporary housing and food for displaced community.
Nga Purapura Watene Mauri O Te Roopu Kotahi Incorporated	All affected areas	$50,000	Food parcels, household care packs, hygiene kits, access to temporary water.
Ngā Toi Hawke's Bay	Hawke’s Bay	$32,240	Cleanup tools and supplies and well-being support.
Nurturing Families	Auckland	$48,000	Assistance for affected families.
Omaha Marae Trust	Northland	$50,000	Building repairs, replacing mattresses, and water filtration system.
One Voice Community Services Trust	Hawke’s Bay	$50,000	Providing vouchers for fuel, food, clothing, cleanup gear and bedding for volunteers.
Petāne Marae	Napier	$39,364	Clean up mobilisation and provisions for affected whānau.
Piha Memorial RSA	Auckland	$10,000	Purchase and install of a new generator.
Piha Ratepayers & Residents Association	Auckland	$50,000	Financial support for red and yellow stickered households.
Pōrangahau Sports Club	Hawke’s Bay	$40,000	Safe service hub.
Puketapu School Parent League	Hawke’s Bay	$100,000	Helping families in the community get back on their feet through clothing, furniture, appliances and financial assistance for utility and food bills.
REEMI	Auckland	$25,000	Menstrual products.
South Kaipara Good Food	Kaipara	$50,000	To provide emergency food and supplies to the Kaipara community.
Sri Lankan Society of New Zealand	Auckland	$15,000	Funding for accommodation, food and clothing needs.
Student Volunteer Army	All affected areas	$100,000	Disaster response related expenses.
Takahiwai Marae Committee	Northland	$10,000	Emergency response equipment.
Tamatea Rugby & Sports Club Inc.	Hawke’s Bay	$50,000	Clubroom has been used to house displaced whanau from Waiohiki.
Tangoio Marae	Hawke’s Bay	$30,000	Community support.
Te Houhanga Marae	Northland	$20,968	Funding to support the purchase of bedding, clean-up supplies and food.
Te Iwi o Rakaipaaka Inc.	Hawke’s Bay	$50,000	Wananga for whānau.
Te Kawau Community Water Supply Association	Auckland	$40,000	Generator for emergency water supply.
Te Ngati Hinewera Trust	Hawke’s Bay	$12,000	Repairing homes.
Te Poho o Hinemihi Marae	Hawke’s Bay	$50,000	Accommodation, water filtration, food, clothing, and storage.
Te Rima Ōrau	Hawke’s Bay	$7,000	Mental wellbeing and future preparedness.
The Evergreen Foundation	Hawke’s Bay	$300,000	Clean up assistance and community connectivity in rural areas.
The Key To Life Charitable Trust	Hawke’s Bay	$167,360	Free counselling for affected youth and young people.
Tiniroto Community and Te Reinga Marae	Tairāwhiti Gisborne	$20,432	Septic tank cleaning.
Toha Foundry Limited	Tairāwhiti Gisborne	$120,000	Community recovery for individuals.
Visionwest Community Trust	Auckland	$49,500	Counselling and trauma support services.
Wainui School Friends of Wainui Community Group	Auckland	$14,875	School counselling in affected rural communities.
Waiwhare Community Centre Incorporated	Hawke’s Bay	$15,000	Community assistance to farmers.
Whakatokia te Pura Pura	Auckland	$50,000	Food parcels for flood affected families.
Whānau Focus Centre (Kaipara Abuse Prevention)	Northland	$29,949	Funding to help with the mental health and wellbeing of 30 families.
April 2023
Organisation	Region	Amount	Purpose
Buttabean Motivation (BBM)	All affected areas	$100,000	Food parcels.
Esk Valley Hub	Hawke’s Bay	$44,870	Temporary accommodation.
Hawke's Bay Regional Council	Hawke’s Bay	$1,000,000	Towards the Hawke’s Bay Disaster Relief Trust to provide support for yellow and red stickered properties across Hawke’s Bay, as well as waste removal.
Ngaa Hapu Hauora o Waiariki Discretionary trust	Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay	$40,000	Essential household items such as food, health and welfare, cleanup supplies, as well as emergency housing advocacy.
Ngāti Pārau Trust	Hawke’s Bay	$70,000	Water pumps, building assessments and temporary shelter for the community.
Radio Hawke's Bay	Hawke’s Bay	$5,000	Mental wellbeing.
Tairāwhiti Multicultural Council	Gisborne	$37,000	Food parcels and basic needs support for families in Gisborne.
The Period Place	All affected areas	$5,000	Purchase and distribution of women’s menstrual products for affected communities.
March 2023
Organisation	Region	Amount	Purpose
The Salvation Army	All affected areas	$94,500	Purchase of food products for 727 food parcels.
Wairoa Liveable Homes Fund Request	Wairoa	$1,108,900	Liveable homes assessment.
Wider Piha Community Funding request	Piha, Auckland	$39,000	Cleanup costs and funding to fix water issues.

Note: Figures provided are as accurate as possible as at 11 September. Figures may change slightly in our annual reporting as we complete our audit process.

Response and Recovery Programme spend

Organisation	Region	Amount	Purpose
Early response spend:
Esk Valley Community Trust	Hawke's Bay	$85,000	Emergency power generators.
Napier City Council	Hawke's Bay	$170,000	36 emergency power generators.
Wairoa District Council	Wairoa	$60,000	Civil Defence Centre equipment - mattresses, UHF radios and water blasters.
Salvation Army	All affected areas	$94,500	Food parcels.
Pakowhai School	Hawke’s Bay	$4,699	Defibrillators (AEDs) and first aid kits.
Tiniroto Community Centre	Tairāwhiti	$5,617	Defibrillator (AED), first aid kits, and cleaning materials
Northland community	Northland	$16,000	Generators for the Far North.
New Zealand Red Cross – volunteer Disaster Welfare and Support Teams	All affected areas	$107,000	Our volunteers logged over 8,000 hours working alongside lead agencies in Civil Defence Centres and community hubs across affected areas. The Fund covered their expenses and includes the purchase of replacements for some emergency equipment.
Ongoing recovery spend:
All communities - New Zealand Red Cross Psychological First Aid courses	All affected areas	$121,791	Expenses related to providing funded Psychological First Aid workshops in affected areas.
Affected households – Red Cross Home Bundles	All affected areas	$2.5 million	Home Bundles to replace damaged household goods and furniture for those in need with red or yellow stickered homes.
All communities	All affected areas	$317,000	Providing over 1,000 household clean-up kits.

How the Fund is being spent

New Zealand Disaster Fund – the numbers

Partnership Grants Programme

Response and Recovery Programme

Resilience Investment Programme

Partnership Grants Programme spend

8 August to 11 September

25 July to 7 August

12 July to 24 July

28 June to 11 July

16 to 27 June 2023

1 to 15 June 2023

May 2023

April 2023

March 2023

Response and Recovery Programme spend

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