New Zealand High Commission Fund for Community Development Projects in Africa

The New Zealand High Commission Fund (HEF) provides funding for small-scale, short-term community projects that contribute to wider community wellbeing, sustainable development, poverty reduction and a more secure, equitable and prosperous world.

The Fund is administered by the New Zealand High Commission in Pretoria and supports eligible organisations implementing projects in 12 African countries.

Important: This is not an individual scholarship. It is a community project funding opportunity for eligible organisations. In fact, individual student scholarships are specifically excluded from the Fund.

About the New Zealand High Commission Fund

The New Zealand High Commission Fund supports small-scale and short-term capacity and skills development projects implemented by community-based organisations.

The Fund’s projects must align with the purpose of New Zealand’s International Development Cooperation programme, which is to develop shared prosperity and stability.

Its broader objective is to support community-based projects that contribute towards sustainable development, help reduce poverty and contribute to a secure, equitable and prosperous world.

The Fund is administered by the New Zealand High Commission in Pretoria.

Countries Covered

Organisations implementing projects in the following countries can apply:

Angola
Botswana
Eswatini
Lesotho
Malawi
Mauritius
Mozambique
Namibia
South Africa
Tanzania
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Priority Areas for Funding

For the 2025/26 funding round, applications were expected to focus on one of three priority outcome areas:

Women’s Empowerment

This includes projects focused on women’s empowerment and the elimination of gender-based violence.

Youth Empowerment and Economic Development

Projects can focus on empowering young people and promoting economic development and opportunities.

Climate Adaptation and Resilience

Projects addressing climate adaptation, resilience and related community challenges are also prioritised.

Who Can Apply?

The Fund is open to eligible organisations with a focus on community development.

Eligible applicants include:

Registered non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
Schools
Local government agencies
Local small business associations
Women’s groups
Groups representing marginalised people
Entrepreneurship groups
Community development organisations.

The organisation must be based in one of the eligible countries listed above and the proposed project must be implemented within the eligible region.

Important Eligibility Conditions

There are several additional conditions organisations should note.

Previous HEF Recipients

Organisations that received HEF funding in the previous two funding rounds were not eligible for the 2025/26 round.

Maximum Funding

Applicants can request up to:

NZ$50,000 per project

or the equivalent amount in local currency.

Project Duration

The recommended duration for an individual project is up to one year.

However, longer-term projects of up to three years may also be considered for funding.

Project Start Date

For the 2025/26 round, project plans had to start on or after 1 May 2026.

Complete Applications

Incomplete applications are not eligible for consideration.

What Types of Projects Are Encouraged?

The Fund particularly welcomes projects that create meaningful and sustainable impact.

Applications are encouraged where projects:

Provide skills and resources to improve livelihoods
Involve and benefit as many people as possible
Promote the advancement and participation of women
Contribute to sustainable development
Strengthen community capacity and/or resilience
Create jobs
Meet the needs of the most marginalised and vulnerable members of the community
Target rural areas or areas with poor services and infrastructure
Address environmental and conservation concerns.

Applicants should therefore demonstrate clearly how their proposed project will create tangible benefits for the community.

What Will Not Be Funded?

The New Zealand High Commission Fund does not support certain activities.

The following are specifically excluded:

Political activities
Religious and/or evangelical activities
Site visits
Construction projects
Unsolicited donations
Individual student scholarships
International airfares
Overseas conference attendance
Ongoing/recurrent funding of operational or organisational costs, including:
- Wages
- Salaries
- Office items
- Communications.

Faith-based organisations are not automatically excluded. They may apply where the proposed project is consistent with the purpose of the Fund, does not exclude followers of other religions and is not used to support proselytising.

How the Application Process Works

The Fund uses a two-phase application process.

Phase 1: Expression of Interest

Applicants first complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) online form.

The EOI must be completed in English.

The High Commission encourages applicants to read the Fund’s criteria carefully before developing their application because only projects that align with the Fund’s priorities and eligibility criteria will be considered for shortlisting.

Phase 2: Full Application

Applicants whose projects are shortlisted during Phase 1 are invited to submit a detailed HEF application.

The full application includes:

A detailed project budget
An implementation plan
A health and safety plan.

Because demand for HEF funding is high, only applicants shortlisted during the EOI stage are contacted about progressing to the full application stage.

2025/26 Application Timeline

For the 2025/26 funding round:

Applications opened: January 19, 2026

Application deadline: Unspecified

Applications received after the deadline were not considered.

Shortlisted Phase 1 applicants were expected to be contacted by March 6, 2026, after which they had a two-week period to complete the full application.

It also confirms that projects shortlisted from the Expression of Interest stage have been contacted to complete a full application.

If an applicant has not heard from the High Commission, their application was not shortlisted.

However, the High Commission states that it anticipates a future funding round either later in 2026 or early in 2027.

Therefore, organisations interested in the next round should monitor the official New Zealand High Commission Fund page for the new application announcement and updated deadlines.

What Should Applicants Do Before the Next Round?

Although the current round is closed, organisations can use this period to prepare.

Potential applicants should:

Identify a clear community problem.
Design a project that fits one or more of the Fund’s priority areas.
Establish measurable community outcomes.
Prepare a realistic project budget.
Develop an implementation plan.
Consider health and safety requirements.
Demonstrate how the project will benefit the community.
Pay particular attention to marginalised and vulnerable groups where relevant.
Ensure the project supports sustainable development.
Make sure the organisation meets the eligibility requirements.
Review the Fund’s criteria before the next application window opens.

Application Form

For the 2025/26 round, Phase 1 applicants were required to complete the online Expression of Interest form provided by the New Zealand High Commission.

Because that application round has closed, applicants should not rely on the previous EOI link for the next round. The High Commission is expected to publish updated application instructions when the next funding round opens.

Enquiries

For enquiries relating to the New Zealand High Commission Fund, applicants can contact:

Email: PRE-HEF@mfat.govt.nz

New Zealand High Commission Fund at a Glance

Category	Details
Fund	New Zealand High Commission Fund
Administered by	New Zealand High Commission in Pretoria
Type	Community project funding
Maximum funding	NZ$50,000 per project
Eligible countries	Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Eligible applicants	NGOs, schools, local government agencies, small business associations, women’s/marginalised groups and entrepreneurship groups
Main focus	Community development
Priority 1	Women’s empowerment and elimination of gender-based violence
Priority 2	Youth empowerment and economic development
Priority 3	Climate adaptation and resilience
Recommended project length	Up to 1 year
Longer projects	Up to 3 years may be considered
Individual scholarships	Not funded
Construction projects	Not funded
Political/religious/evangelical activities	Not funded, subject to faith-based organisation exception
International airfares	Not funded
Overseas conferences	Not funded
Ongoing organisational costs	Not funded
2025/26 application opening	January 19, 2026
2025/26 deadline	Not specified
Current status	Not specified
Expected future round	Later in 2026 or early 2027
Enquiries	PRE-HEF@mfat.govt.nz