Research funding
One of the Families Commission’s key functions is to strongly promote research on issues and practice that will give everyone a better understanding of families in New Zealand. We make research funding and occasional one-off projects available through three funding pools.
To learn more about the funding available and what projects are underway see:
Families Commission Research Fund
The Families Commission Research Fund is a large fund that supports substantial research in areas of importance for families.
The 2008 call for proposals closed on July 14th 2008.
Families Commission Research Fund
Innovative Practice Fund
The Innovative Practice Fund supports research on new ways of improving the effectiveness of family-based services. Emphasis is on projects that have a strong rationale and are designed to produce measurable improvement in at least one important aspect of how families function.
Blue Skies Fund
The Blue Skies Fund creates opportunities for new work that promotes new ideas and think pieces about the interests of New Zealand families. Successful applicants will receive up to $15,000 to produce a written paper or report of a standard suitable for publication by the Commission. The value of the fund is up to $100,000 per year.
Previous research project funds
Pacific Families Now and in the Future research project
The Families Commission speaks out for all New Zealand families. However, we know that New Zealand families are not all the same. If we are to be effective advocates, we need to have good information about different groups of families. We have identified the need to fund research about the issues specific to Pacific families and this will feed into our work with them.
The call for proposals for funding under the Pacific Families Now and in the Future project closed in May 2007. Two research proposals are being funded and will be finished in June 2008. The two research projects are:
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A qualitative study by Otago University that will explore Tokelau children and teenagers’ perspectives of living in an extended family.
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A quantitative study by Auckland University analysing changes in Pacific families and household composition between 1981-2006 by a range of key characteristics, including newly developed family wellbeing indicators from census data.