Community health workers (CHWs) — trusted community members trained to provide health support, education, and navigation — are among the most effective interventions for reducing health disparities. Working within their own communities, CHWs bridge the gap between health services and the communities most underserved by them. Understanding the funding landscape for CHW programmes matters for community health organisations, primary care providers, and funders committed to health equity.
Community health workers operate under many titles:
- Kaiāwhina (Māori health worker)
- Pacific health worker
- Community health navigator
- Peer health educator
- Lay health promoter
- Community health advocate
Regardless of title, CHWs typically:
- Provide health education in community settings (churches, marae, community halls, homes)
- Support individuals navigating health services (referrals, appointments, interpreting)
- Connect people with social support (housing, food, transport)
- Monitor health at home (blood pressure, blood sugar, medication adherence)
- Provide emotional support and cultural safety
- Identify health needs in communities and advocate for services
Research consistently shows community health workers:
- Improve chronic disease management (diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular)
- Increase cancer screening uptake
- Improve maternal and child health outcomes
- Reduce emergency department presentations
- Improve mental health outcomes
- Reduce health disparities for marginalised communities
CHWs are particularly effective in communities with historical mistrust of health services, language barriers, or geographic isolation.
Kaiāwhina workforce
The kaiāwhina workforce — Māori health workers — is a cornerstone of Māori health equity:
- Working within kaupapa Māori health providers
- Te Whatu Ora workforce investment through Māori health workforce development
- Training pathways through NZQA and workforce development councils
Pacific health workers
Pacific health workers — Samoan, Tongan, Fijian, Niuean, and others — provide in-language, culturally appropriate health support:
- Based within Pacific primary health organisations
- Government-funded workforce development through Te Whatu Ora
- Training through Pacific-specific workforce development
Whānau Ora navigators
Whānau Ora navigators are a significant CHW workforce — supporting whānau across health, social, and community needs:
- Government contracts through Commissioning Agencies
- Focus on Māori and Pacific whānau
- Holistic navigation across multiple service systems
Primary health CHWs
Some PHOs (Primary Health Organisations) employ CHWs — funded through capitation funding and targeted health contracts.
Aboriginal Health Workers
Aboriginal Health Workers (AHWs) are a core part of the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation workforce:
- Certificate III and IV qualifications
- Work within ACCHOs delivering community health
- Funded through government ACCHO funding (Medicare, state, Commonwealth)
Multicultural health workers
CALD-specific health workers in major cities:
- Language-specific health education
- Navigation support for migrant communities
- Funded through PHNs and community health funding
Refugee health nurses
Specialised health workers supporting refugee communities through settlement:
- Funded through Humanitarian Settlement Programme and state health funding
Diabetes educators and chronic disease navigators
CHWs focused on chronic disease management — supported through Medicare Chronic Disease Management plans and government community health.
Government contracts (primary model)
The primary funding for CHW programmes in both countries is government:
- PHO capitation funding (NZ)
- PHN commissioning (Australia)
- ACCHO and kaiāwhina funding through health ministries
- Whānau Ora contracts (NZ)
Gaming trusts
Gaming trusts fund community health worker positions or programmes — particularly for community-based health promotion rather than clinical roles.
Community foundations
Local community foundations fund CHW programmes addressing local health disparities.
Health philanthropy
Health-focused philanthropic foundations fund CHW programmes as preventive health investment.
Lottery Health Research
Lottery Health Research funds CHW research and evaluation.
Co-investment models
Some PHOs co-invest philanthropy alongside government funding — using philanthropic grants to fund CHW roles that government won't fully fund.
Evidence of effectiveness
Reference the evidence base for CHWs in your target population and health issue. Funders want to know the model is evidence-based.
Community trust and cultural safety
CHWs work because they are trusted by their communities. Demonstrate that your CHWs are genuinely from the communities they serve — not just people who look like the community.
Workforce development pathway
Show how CHWs are recruited, trained, supervised, and developed. A good CHW programme invests in its workforce.
Integration with clinical services
CHWs complement clinical care — show your referral pathways and relationships with GPs, nurses, and specialists.
Outcomes data
CHW outcomes are measurable — chronic disease indicators, service access, patient satisfaction. Show how you'll measure impact.
Cultural leadership
CHW programmes in Māori and Pacific communities should show Māori or Pacific leadership — not just staff, but governance and programme direction.
Sustainability
Can this programme continue beyond the grant? Show the pathway to sustainable funding — government contract, PHO integration, or long-term philanthropy.
Tahua's grants management platform supports community health organisations and health funders managing CHW programmes — with workforce tracking, health outcome measurement, population reach reporting, and the tools that help community health providers demonstrate the value of their community health worker investment to funders and commissioners.