Extraordinary Care Fund

You can apply for a grant from the fund if you get the Orphan’s Benefit or Unsupported Child’s Benefit. You must also have extra costs because the child you support is either:

• showing promise through high achievement in a particular area, eg, selection for:
  • a New Zealand-wide orchestra
  • kapa haka
  • dance
  • sports
  • an academic event or programme
• experiencing difficulties that are significantly impacting on their development. For example, a child with learning or behavioural difficulties who would benefit from participation in a particular course or activity.

Decisions about whether to award a grant are based on the needs of the child rather than their family’s financial situation. Some costs that might meet the criteria are:

Showing promise

• Selection for participation in an arts, science, innovation, technology or academic programme or event
• Attendance at a New Zealand sporting competition
• Attending the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s mentoring programme
• Private music lessons and instrument hire or purchase for a child who’s progressed well beyond their peers in a group lesson setting

Experiencing difficulties

• Extra tutoring (not funded through the Ministry of Education) for a child who’s unable to keep up at school because of long-term absence
• Orthodontic work (not funded through the Ministry of Health) that would lessen difficulties faced by the child
• Speech therapy that can’t be funded through the Ministry of Education
• Courses or activities to develop a child’s self-esteem, physical capability or social skills
• Courses or activities to improve a child’s ability to learn where they have learning difficulties
• Private counselling that can’t be funded through another agency
• Swimming lessons where the child hasn’t learnt to swim through school lessons

• Costs that are covered by the Establishment Grant or School and Year Start-up Payment or by other agencies
• Health and medical costs (eg. treatment or medication)
• Everyday costs (eg. school trips, vehicles, legal costs)
• Overseas travel

When to apply

You can apply each funding round but you can only get one grant for each child each financial year (1 July – 30 June).

How to apply

Step 1 - Fill out the application form

Print and fill out the Extraordinary Care Fund Grant application form.

If you can’t print the form, come in and see us or call us and we’ll post one to you.

Extraordinary Care Fund Grant application form (PDF 196.46KB)

Step 2 - Gather your supporting documents

All applications need to include:

• details of costs such as an invoice or receipt. If the cost relates to something like a representative trip, this could be a letter requesting payment from an organiser, and
• a letter clearly outlining any promise shown or difficulty experienced. This could be from an independent person like a teacher, coach, or other person of standing in the community who can support the application.

If you’re applying for $500 or more, you’ll need to provide 2 letters of support.

In certain circumstances, grants for part payments will be considered if you need a contribution towards a larger cost like a representative trip. To get a part payment, you need to be able to show how you’re meeting the rest of the costs.

Step 3 - Drop off your form and documents

Drop off your application form and supporting documents to your local service centre.

Talk to someone before you apply

If you'd prefer to talk to someone before you apply, you'll need to book an appointment to come in and see us. You can do this by either:

• using MyMSD or
• contacting us

You'll need to bring your completed form and supporting documents to your appointment.

As the amount of money available in the fund is limited, we may not be able to approve all applications. Funding recommendations are made by a panel whose members are selected for their skills, knowledge and experience.

We’ll write to you within five weeks of the end of the funding round letting you know whether your application has been approved.