Community safety — reducing crime, family violence, alcohol harm, and antisocial behaviour through community action — is funded through Police, MSD, community trusts, and gaming trusts. New Zealand has a strong tradition of community-led safety initiatives. This guide covers the key funding sources.
NZ Police funds community safety:
- Prevention First: Community crime prevention investment
- Neighbourhood Support: Neighbourhood watch and community safety
- Community engagement: Police-community partnerships
- Youth crime prevention: Youth justice diversion and prevention
MSD funds family violence and community safety:
- Family Violence Response: Intervention and prevention funding
- Community Development Scheme: Community safety initiatives
- Social housing safety: Safety in social housing communities
Ministry of Justice funds community safety:
- Community justice: Restorative justice and community-based alternatives
- Crime prevention: Community crime prevention initiatives
- Victim support: Victims of crime support services
Gaming trusts fund community safety:
- Four Winds Foundation: Community safety programmes
- Grassroots Trust: Community safety and wellbeing
- Pub Charity: Community safety grants
- Lion Foundation: Community safety and wellbeing
Gaming trust community safety applications:
- Neighbourhood support coordinator
- Security cameras for community facilities
- Safety lighting in public spaces
- Community fencing and safety equipment
- Youth crime diversion programmes
Alcohol-related harm as safety issue:
- Alcohol Healthwatch: Alcohol harm reduction funding
- Health Promotion Agency: Alcohol policy and education
- Councils: Local liquor bans and harm reduction
- Gaming trusts: Community alcohol harm programmes
Family violence — a major community safety priority:
- MSD: Family violence response funding
- Te Puni Kōkiri: Māori family violence prevention
- Women's Refuge: Refuge and prevention programmes
- Are You OK? campaign: National family violence awareness
Neighbourhood Support NZ:
- Neighbourhood watch coordination
- Community connection as crime prevention
- Support for local groups
- Emergency community resilience
Road safety as community safety:
- Waka Kotahi NZTA: Road safety investment
- ACC: Injury prevention through road safety
- Local councils: Road safety education
Strong applications demonstrate:
- Safety outcomes: Reduced incidents, reduced antisocial behaviour, increased community safety feelings
- Community involvement: Local residents driving safety initiatives
- Family violence: Prevention and intervention outcomes
- Alcohol harm: Reduced alcohol-related incidents
- Youth: Young people diverted from crime
- Māori and Pacific: Community safety approaches for Māori and Pacific communities
- Partnerships: Police, council, and community partnership
- Sustainability: Community safety infrastructure beyond grant period
Tahua's grants management platform helps community safety organisations manage grant applications across Police, MSD, gaming trusts, and community foundations, tracking crime prevention, family violence reduction, and community safety outcomes.