Tips

1. Clearly describe how your whakaaro nui/project will expose mental distress prejudice and discrimination towards people who experience mental distress/mental illness. Prejudice is negative thoughts towards a group of people, discrimination is negative actions. What sorts of prejudice and discrimination against people with mental distress will your project uncover and expose? How will doing this help to make Aotearoa a less prejudiced and/or discriminatory place, and shine a light on people who have experienced mental distress?
2. Use this year’s kaupapa/themes. This year, we’re asking you to ‘E puta ki te ao’ or ‘Shine the light’ on ways people with mental distress are discriminated against in Aotearoa, and we have a list of themes to help guide you. You can select your theme – or themes – by ticking them on your application form.
3. Reach tāngata/people who haven’t experienced mental distress. Our funded projects aim to change the hearts and minds of people who have the potential to discriminate. How will your whakaaro nui/project reach people who haven’t experienced mental distress, and inspire them to challenge prejudice and discrimination in their workplace, friend group or whānau? Tell us how in your project proposal.
4. Have clear goals and objectives, and a realistic and detailed budget. What outcomes do you want your whakaaro nui/project to achieve, and why? Is this possible within our grants of up to $10,000, and if not, have you secured other funding? 
5. Include written expressions of interest from pūrongo/media outlets. Where will your final whakaaro nui/project be published? What kind of reach could it achieve? You will need to include letters of interest from media outlets or organisations interested in publishing and/or supporting your project.
6. Are new and innovative. Have you noticed anyone reporting about something similar? If so, what could you do better? What does your project offer that others don’t?
7. Can make change for our priority audiences. Some people experience multiple layers of discrimination during or after their mental distress experiences. For this reason, we prioritise applications from, or heroing, the voices of Māori, Pasifika, rainbow, and Asian people who have lived with or are experiencing mental distress. 
8. Use positive, hopeful and safe language around mental distress. See our media guidelines for tips on using language that is mana-enhancing, respectful and puts the person first.

Almost ready to apply? Use our application checklist to ensure you’ve got all your bases covered.