Jul 11, 2012 ... The 2012 East Coast Maara Kai Fund is administered by Council on behalf of Te
Puni Kokiri and is aimed at East Coast community groups ...
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Subject:
Maara Kai Fund 2012
Prepared by:
Vance Walker (Area Officer East Coast )
Meeting Date:
11 July 2012
Report to COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Committee for noting SUMMARY The 2012 East Coast Maara Kai Fund is administered by Council on behalf of Te Puni Kokiri and is aimed at East Coast community groups wanting to set up or further develop their own non-profit community gardens or orchards. The 2012 round has been completed. Seventeen applications were received with fifteen being approved with the entire $20,000 available for grants being allocated.
RECOMMENDATIONS That the Committee 1. receives the report.
Vance Walker Area Officer East Coast
Nedine Thatcher Swann Group Manager Community Planning & Development
Keywords: Maara Kai,
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1. BACKGROUND In January 2012, Council entered into an agreement with Te Puni Kokiri to administer the 2012 East Coast Maara Kai Fund. The agreement amounted to $5,000 for administration costs and $25,000 grant funding (ex GST). Te Puni Kokiri had directly delivered the fund in 2010 and 2011. The Fund is aimed at East Coast community groups between Uawa and Potaka who want to set up or further develop their own non-profit community gardens or orchards. Grants of up to $2,000 were available to cover the cost of items such as tools, seeds, equipment or to build garden beds and implement sheds. To avoid replication, the overall application and allocation process was based on the SPARC Fund already delivered by Council. In March Council staff, with advice from Te Puni Kokiri, developed an application form. Applications were opened on 4 April and closed on 3 May 2012.
2. DISCUSSION AND OPTIONS An evaluation panel consisting of the Area Officer and a local gardening identity reviewed all applications. A Te Puni Kokiri staff member also passed comments beforehand. Seventeen applications were received. Fifteen (refer Grant List) were considered eligible and received grants of various amounts. The two applications that were ineligible were removed because they were located outside of the funded area, however a portion of the contracts administration maybe allocated to these applicants at a later date. There was a balance between reinvesting and investing in new groups. Some groups already involved community gardens or orchards such as Mana Tane ki Waiapu and Mana Wahine ki Tokomaru actually applied for the first time. Over half of the recipients want to gain and impart gardening practices so there is opportunity to progress the educational benefits of the fund. A selection of recipients illustrated that the 2012 fund appears to have engaged a wider range of newer groups especially early childhood centres and schools (refer Selected Recipients). If the fund continues most recipients should be able to umbrella their applications in the future. For Council, being involved in the fund has resulted in a new revenue stream, reinforced a number of local relationships and created new dialogue with customers. While not part of the agreement with Te Puni Kokiri, the evaluation panel will check sites late this year or early next depending on how the growing season unfolds.
4. COMMUNITY OUTCOMES Administering the 2012 East Coast Maara Kai Fund primarily contributes to Healthy Tairāwhiti/ Tairāwhiti Hauora Pai by enabling communities to develop healthy and active lifestyles.
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Grant List
Grant (Recipients)
Closest Township
Amount
Mahora Mangaharei ki Uepohatu
Ruatoria
520
Mana Tane ki Te Tairawhiti
Ruatoria
2000
Te Ropera Paenga Whanau Trust
Tiktiki
1100
Ngata Memorial College
Ruatoria
1100
Te Kura o Makarika
Ruatoria
2000
Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Mangatuna
Tolaga Bay (Mangatuna)
1100
Te Paeauta Marae
Te Araroa
1100
Te Aowera Marae
Ruatoria
2000
Te Puawaitanga o Ruatorea
Ruatoria
2000
Te Waha o Rerekohu
Te Araroa
1100
Hinerupe Te Kohanga Reo
Te Araroa
780
Te Kura o Hiruharama
Ruatoria
2000
Te Roopu Mana Wahine ki Tokomaru
Tokomaru Bay
1100
Tiikitiki School
Tiktiki
1000
Mana tane ki Waiapu Trust
Tiktiki
1100 Total
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$20,000
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Selected Recipients
Te Puawaitanga o Ruatorea
Mana Tane ki Te Tairāwhiti
The application sought to build on the maara (Stage 1/Community orchard) activities already used in Ruatorea. Another site has been obtained (Stage 2) which will use funding to fence, fertilize, and buy plants and tools. There is proven local participation for example from local EIT, MWWL and DoC. The applicant has already established maara kai activities for five years however this is the first time it has approached the TPK Maara Kai fund. The application sought funds for materials to build a curing/propagating shed. This would enable the group to develop from simply growing to preserving and storing. There is an opportunity for the group to gain and impart maara kai practices thus there is an education element.
Te Roopu Mana Wahine ki Tokomaru
The applicant is already delivering activities however this is the first time for formally undertaking maara kai and thus this is its first TPK Maara Kai application. The application sought funds to establish a maara including $200 for educating members. The applicant has access to existing gardeners and maara for advice and examples.
Mana tane ki Waiapu Trust
The applicant has already established maara kai activities and has working links with Mana Tane ki Te Tairāwhiti; similarly this is the first time it has approached the TPK Maara Kai fund. The application mainly sought funds for materials to fence off and/or develop a maara already established by the group in association with Ngati Porou Hauora. The group wishes to continue inviting the community including local youth to participate in their activities. As with Mana Tane ki Te Tairāwhiti, there is an opportunity for the group to gain and impart maara kai practices thus there is an education opportunity.
Te Kura o Hiruharama
The applicant has already established maara kai activities and this is well known to the community. The application sought funds for pruning equipment, fruit trees, preservation and composting which is the next step in developing the current maara. The applicant has good links with local residents and ECE. To this end the maara provides another focal point between families, children and the school itself.
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