Toloa Contestable Fund

Toloa's Vision is to make a transformational impact in the communities we live in. The Toloa Contestable Fund supports STEAM providers to deliver engaging STEAM programmes for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths. 

Since its inception in 2015, the Toloa Programme takes a multi-faceted approach of raising awareness and providing education and workforce development opportunities. 

The Toloa long term goals see a critical mass of Pacific people:

• Participating and leading in STEAM activities
• Employed in employment in STEAM and innovation sector
• Engaged in STEAM education
• At the forefront of the STEAM wave.

STEAM skills and knowledge are not new to Pacific people. The Toloa programme champions that Pacific peoples come from a lineage of navigators, explorers, innovators, and experts in STEAM. Skills that are adaptable in a vast ocean of career pathways and opportunities. 

Proposed projects under the Toloa Contestable Fund must demonstrate alignment with the TOLOA Strategic outcomes, in particularMPP’s Lalanga Fou Goal 2: Prosperous Pacific Communities, which is informed by the MPP Pacific Wellbeing Framework.

Fund objectives

The Toloa Contestable Fund supports projects and initiatives that help create opportunities for Pacific people to learn about and to engage with science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM), by:

• Funding education and community outreach programmes that focus on STEAM
• Creating opportunities to raise awareness and increase Pacific uptake of STEAM subjects/ programmes
• Building the capacity of Pacific STEAM
• Supporting the academic journey of STEAM students
• Accelerating and increase Pacific peoples' participations in STEAM pathways across employment, education, and business opportunities.

Fund outcomes

The Toloa Contestable Fund is designed to:

• Enable Pacific peoples to understand the relevance of STEAM and use STEAM to make informed decisions
• Increase Pacific people’s participation and interest in STEAM
• Support providers, organisations, and community groups to deliver local, regional, and national transformational initiatives that activate meaningful engagement for Pacific communities within STEAM pathways across education, employment, and business opportunities.

Indicative Total Funding Available

$400,000 (excluding GST)

Amount available to apply for

Minimum: $50,000 (excluding GST)

Maximum: $100,000 (excluding GST)

Project Term

Up to 11 months.

Project Delivery Window

Funding was only available for projects that run between February and December 2023.

Applications opened on Thursday 18 August 2022.

Applications closed at 8pm on Friday 16 September 2022.

Applicants were informed of the outcome by mid-November 2022.

To be eligible to apply for the Toloa Contestable Fund:

• Proposed projects or activities must take place either in one or more New Zealand suburbs or regions
• Applicants must provide certificate of organisation status, including an IRD number
• Proposed projects or activities must demonstrate alignment with the TOLOA Strategic outcomes, in particular withMPP’s Lalanga Fou Goal 2: Prosperous Pacific Communities, which is informed by the MPP Pacific Wellbeing Framework
• Applicants must demonstrate cultural competency and appropriate cultural consideration for Pacific learners.
• Applicants must commit to participate in the Toloa Annual STEAM fono in 2023.
• Legal entities may include incorporated societies, registered companies, and trusts
  

Applications not meeting any of these criteria will be declined for funding on eligibility grounds.

Applicants were able apply by submitting a costed proposal between $50,000 and $100,000 (excl. GST)

This fund closed at 8pm on Friday 16 September 2022.

The Toloa Contestable Provider fund was available for:

• Projects / Programmes that take place in one or more New Zealand suburbs or regions
• Projects / Programmes that provide one or more STEAM engagement activities
• Projects / Programmes that will have a great impact and reach of STEAM engagement, education, careers, and business opportunities.
• Projects / Programmes that will be delivered between February and December 2023 programme.

   

The Toloa Contestable Provider fund was not available for:

• Overseas travel and related expenses
• Projects that only reach an audience in a single suburb, town or city
• Professional development
• Equipment and resources (reviewed on a case-by-case basis)
• Programme delivery outside the delivery window of February to December 2023
• Programmes and activities delivered overseas, including the NZ realm countries
• Initiatives that are not aligned with the priorities of this fund
• Debt repayment or debt servicing.

See our frequently asked questions about the Toloa Contestable Fund.

If you need more information about the Toloa Contestable Provider Fund, please email [email protected].