The Pacific Aotearoa Regional Enterprise Fund could help you build resilience in response to the impacts of COVID-19.
If you are a Pacific business located in regional New Zealand, the Pacific Aotearoa Regional Enterprise Fund could help you build resilience in response to the impacts of COVID-19, and to thrive.
Working together, the Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) will facilitate the Pacific Aotearoa Regional Enterprise Fund.
The two agencies will assist existing small to medium Pacific businesses in the region with investments made possible by Budget 2021 funds for COVID-19 recovery.
Ultimately, its goal is to build the resilience of Pacific businesses to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to stimulate growth, increase productivity and scale commercial operations leading to the creation of employment opportunities.
There are criteria businesses must meet to be eligible for the fund, including that they align with the second goal of Lalanga Fou, to have prosperous Pacific communities in Aotearoa.
Among other criteria, is the business must be in regional New Zealand outside of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch
Additionally, businesses can apply for up to $100,000, but they must commit to co-contributing 20 percent of the requested funding.
The closing date for the Pacific Aotearoa Regional Enterprise Fund has been extended to 5pm, September 10.
This extension is to avail time for Pacific businesses to apply for the fund in light of the current COVID-19 Alert Level 4 restrictions.
Applicants will hear about the outcome of their application by the end of September 2021.