Kōtuitui Community Development Agency

08/10/2026

Ngā mihi nui to the 80 organisations who added their names in just one week. We've sent the joint letters to DIA's Chief Executive and the Minister of Internal Affairs, asking them to pause the restructure and keep Community Advisors based here in Te Tauihu.
There's still time to send your own email about what your local advisor means to your mahi.
The email template, our letters and the full list of signatories are linked in the comments.

05/10/2026

Spread the word - sign up by 5pm today!

30 September 2026

05/10/2026

Save the date! Our next Community and Whanau Network Hui is coming up soon! More details to come...😀

02/10/2026

From RNZ Nine To Noon, aired on 9:05 am on 2 October 2026
Kathryn speaks with Kōtuitui board chair Megan Courtney and Lilian Tangaere Baldwin who is a spokesperson for Te Horo Marae in Ruatōria.

Community organisations are fighting back against more changes to grant funding which they say could mean small organisations risk missing out on funding altogether.

01/10/2026

Ngā mihi to the more than 40 organisations from across Te Tauihu who have already added their names to our letter, including Magenta Creative Space WAA！ Tahunanui Community Hub - Te Tari Hapori ki Tahunanui Victory Community Centre

If your group hasn't signed yet, there's still time. It takes two minutes, and you can also send your own email to DIA and the Ministers.

https://kotuitui.org/article/lets-keep-dia-community-advisors-in-te-tauihu/

The form closes at 5pm on Tuesday 6 October.

30 September 2026

30/09/2026

What's the difference between a community development advisor and a funding administrator?
For a lot of small groups, it's the difference between getting funded and never getting started.
Since 1 July, DIA advisors can no longer have input into applications from groups they've worked with. Combined with the proposed restructure, we're concerned the role is moving away from relationships and toward scoring applications from a distance.
When that happens, it's the small, rural, Māori and ethnic community groups and new groups just starting out, who miss out.
Has a local advisor made a difference for your group?
Add your name and tell us in a couple of sentences: https://kotuitui.org/article/lets-keep-dia-community-advisors-in-te-tauihu/

30/09/2026

Sign on here: https://kotuitui.org/article/lets-keep-dia-community-advisors-in-te-tauihu/

Please share.

29/09/2026

Let’s keep DIA community advisors in Te Tauihu - DIA is proposing a rushed restructure of its Community Operations team, Hāpai Hapori. Your support is needed by Tuesday 6 October.

30 September 2026

10/09/2026

When emergencies strike - earthquakes, wild weather, flooding, pandemics - Marlborough steps up.

But without coordination, the best intentions could even become part of the problem.

That's where we come in.

Volunteer Marlborough has an official agreement with Marlborough Emergency Management to activate trained, pre-registered, vetted emergency volunteers for when support is needed.

**Note - this will not involve being in the Emergency Coordination Centre or involved in rescue teams unless you opt to take on additional ongoing training**

From animal care to logistics, data entry to welfare support, your existing skills and experience could make a life-changing difference.

- Free basic training
- Optional CIMS (Coordinated Incident Management System) & Needs Assessment courses
- Only called when needed
- No obligation if unavailable

Are you 18+ and living in Marlborough? Be the calm in the chaos.

Join our emergency volunteer network today.

Register HERE: https://volunteermarlborough.org.nz/volunteer/emergency-volunteering

09/09/2026

The 2026 election is a chance for us - the community and for-purpose sector across Te Tauihu - to lead by example.

For the people we work with, voting can feel distant from the real stuff - housing, wellbeing, jobs. But that IS social infrastructure.

So find a candidate event near you - there's one in Whakatū this Friday morning https://kotuitui.org/event/talk-to-candidates/

Get informed. Show up. Vote. Because democracy isn't something that happens to someone else.

It's something we build together.

Read more: https://kotuitui.org/article/te-tauihu-votes-2026/