Community-led Commissioning FAQs

On this page you will find answers to common questions relating to:

• Community-led Commissioning
• Procurement
• Funding
• Accountability
• Social sector

Pathway Three: Community-led Commissioning is about giving communities a stronger voice in how local social services are shaped, funded, and delivered. Instead of decisions being made by multiple central government agencies working separately, Community-led Commissioning would mean local community leaders leading the coordination and investment in social services in their area – ensuring that public and social service organisations work better together to support children, young people and families to achieve their goals.

This work is supported through the Social Investment Fund, which invests in services that help people, families, and communities facing multiple challenges. The Fund focuses on improving outcomes across key areas of life, including health, safety, housing, education, income, and employment. It supports different ways of investing, including community-led approaches, to ensure social investments make the greatest difference and deliver lasting positive change.

1. What is the Community-led Commissioning pathway?

The Community‑led Commissioning pathway is an approach that supports local communities to have a stronger role in shaping how social services are planned, funded, and delivered within their geographical area.

To enable this approach, Community-led Commissioning involves transferring responsibility for commissioning and the associated budgets from multiple government agencies to a Community-led Commissioning Entity overseen by a Local Group. So rather than different government agencies commissioning services separately, Local Groups take responsibility for deciding what services are needed, how they fit together, and how funding is directed within their area.

2. What are the primary objectives of Community-led Commissioning?

International and national evidence consistently shows that communities are often best placed to understand their own strengths, needs, and what may make the greatest difference locally.

This intent underpins the key objectives of the Community‑led Commissioning pathway, which are to: 

• Shift decision making closer to communities, so that Local Groups can use their local knowledge, relationships, robust evidence and data, and the combined funding of multiple government agencies to design and deliver services that respond to local needs and strengths.
• Enable and increase the collective impact of local social and public services by focussing on integrated and outcomes‑focused commissioning, creating more coordinated services and reducing duplication.
• Use public funding more effectively, combining local knowledge with evidence and data to achieve measurable results aligned with local and Government priorities.

3. How was the decision made to invest in Community-led Commissioning?

The Social Investment Fund was designed to provide a more coordinated way for government to invest in social services. It focuses on supporting people facing multiple challenges and achieving measurable improvements across key outcome areas such as health, safety, housing, education, income, and employment.

As part of the design of this fund, Cabinet agreed that the Fund would support several different commissioning pathways including the Community‑led Commissioning pathway. As the design of the pathway has progressed, Ministers have agreed to invest directly in the Discovery and Design Phase and, if the resulting proposals are accepted, the ongoing running of the first two Community-led Commissioning arrangements.

4. What do you mean by ‘Local Groups’?

Local Groups refers to a group of leaders from the local community that could include, for example, local councils, iwi, hapū, local trusts, philanthropy, representatives, investors and non-government entities. This group will need to be committed to collaborating across all phases of the commissioning process, from design through to delivery.

The membership of the group may change over time, but the focus remains on shared leadership, local decision‑making, and improving community outcomes. See the Procurement section for more information around eligibility criteria. 

5. How do you define a ‘Community’?

For this pathway, “community” broadly refers to group of people connected by place. This may be a small local area, a sub‑regional area, or a wider geographical area.

SIA recognises that every community is different and has its own aspirations, strengths, and needs. Rather than applying a single definition, the pathway is designed to allow Local Groups to describe and define their community in a way that makes sense in their own context.

For the purposes of this pathway, communities identified in applications are expected to have a population of approximately 10,000 to 100,000 people.

6. Have you engaged with community and how has that helped shape this pathway?

In 2025, the Social Investment Agency undertook three months of targeted engagement with community organisations, leaders, and collectives across the country. This engagement helped gather insights that directly informed how the Community‑led Commissioning pathway was designed and how it would be taken to market.

The engagement focused on understanding community priorities, levels of readiness, and local leadership arrangements, as well as exploring what support communities would need to participate meaningfully in commissioning. SIA also spoke with philanthropic organisations, local councils, iwi leaders, non‑government organisations, and Regional Public Service Commissioners to understand opportunities and potential risks. There was strong consistency across the feedback received.

These insights shaped key design decisions, including the staged approach to procurement, the introduction of a Discovery and Design phase, and the focus on selecting Local Groups rather than fully defined service models. While SIA is responsible for the final procurement design, the pathway reflects what was heard from communities about the need for time, flexibility, and partnership before moving into delivery.

7. Are applications in this pathway primarily focussed on the Social Investment Fund’s four priority cohorts?

No. The four priority population groups for the New Investment pathway are not the primary focus for the Community-led Commissioning pathway as we are looking for community-level outcomes rather than cohort outcomes within that community. Applicants may want to focus on specific cohorts e.g. children and youth, however applicants will need to ensure that any specific population group is large enough to justify the investment in a community-led commissioning arrangement.

8.  Are applications restricted to any specific area in this round?

You can apply for any area in the country. However, we are looking for applicants to be clear about the geographic area and the population size of between 10,000 and 100,000 people.

9. Where can our local group apply for this pathway? 

This tender will be advertised and administered through the Government Electronic Tender System (GETS). To apply, you will need to register for a GETS account if you do not already have one. For some additional guidance please see the GETS Quick Guide.

We also recommend subscribing to the SIA email list to receive notifications about upcoming tender opportunities and when they go live.

10. What is the eligibility criteria for Local Groups looking to apply?

Many Local Groups will see the potential of Community-led Commissioning for their local area and be interested in expressing an interest. However, following the open Expression of Interest process, we will only be able to select and work with up to two Local Groups initially. It is important that the Local Group(s) selected through this process are well placed to succeed. The Local Groups  overseeing the work must have a strong local mandate, strong cohesion and a shared strategic intent to reshape local social services to better serve local communities. 

This opportunity is only for Local Groups that have the following foundations in place:   

• Are already established locally, made up of multiple organisations and community leaders who work together and have shared purpose and governance arrangements.  
• Have strong local credibility and relationships, including established connections with local residents, iwi, hapū, community organisations, and service providers. The people involved will be recognised as trusted community leaders. 
• Have a strong understanding of community needs, local social services, local providers, and relevant public service touchpoints (e.g. Oranga Tamariki referral pathways).   
• Represent a clearly defined local area, such as a town, city, or rural community, with an identifiable boundary and a population of around 10,000 to 100,000 people.  
• Are wanting to focus on commissioning and coordinating services, rather than delivering services.   
• Can commit sustained leadership, time, and resources over a six-to-twelve-month discovery and development period (July–April 2027 estimated), understanding that participation does not guarantee an ongoing funded arrangement. (Note that funding will be available to support up to 2 selected groups during the Discovery and Design Phase) 
• Can identify and actively manage any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest. 

The following will not be considered: 

• Applications from a single organisation acting alone, rather than part of a Local Group. 
• Those seeking a national or multi-area opportunity.  
• Those who are primarily interested in delivering their own services, rather than commissioning and coordinating a mix of services across a community.  

11. If I’m not sure how ready our Local Group is right now, should I still apply?

Many Local Groups will see the potential of Community-led Commissioning for their local area and be interested in applying now. However, in this first round, we are only intending to progress with up to two applications to the Discovery and Design phase. Readiness will be a factor in assessing applications.

12. How did you determine the eligibility criteria?

The eligibility criteria were developed using a mix of insights from community engagement, direction from Ministers, and feedback from government agencies. Together, this helped ensure the criteria reflect community realities, align with government concerns and priorities, and support a fair process.

13. How will the procurement process work, and what are the key steps?

If you are interested in applying for this opportunity, see the Pathway Three: Community-led Commissioning page for full details.

This is a multi‑step, open‑market procurement process. The process will run over three main stages from May 2026 to July 2027:

1. Expressions of Interest (EOI): Based on pre-conditions, an internal assessment and assessment by an evaluation panel, up to six applicants will be shortlisted and invited to participate in a one‑day wānanga. From this, up to two applicants will be selected to move into Discovery and Design Phase.
2. Discovery and Design Phase: Local Groups will nominate an organisation (the Fund Holder) to enter into a funding agreement with SIA to administer the funding for the Discovery and Design phase on behalf of the group. The Local Group will spend approximately six to twelve months working with SIA to design the Community‑led Commissioning arrangement and develop a detailed proposal. Participation in this phase does not guarantee that any proposed Community‑led Commissioning arrangement will proceed, or that any Fund Holder will receive an ongoing contract to deliver the proposed arrangement.
3. Detailed proposal: Following the Discovery and Design Phase, Government may invite each Local Group to submit a full proposal. Final selections will be made from these proposals. Any Community‑led Commissioning arrangement (Outcome Agreement) would be awarded in July 2027.

Please note these phases may change. For the most up to date information, please register on GETS. If you would like to be kept informed about how this work is progressing, sign up to the SIA mailing list.  

14. What is in scope and out of scope for Community‑led Commissioning arrangements?

The intent of a Community‑led Commissioning arrangement is for a Local Group to take responsibility for some existing government investment in social services, where it makes sense to manage those services at a local level.

What may be in scope

Services and associated funding that are suitable for local decision‑making, including many community‑based social services currently funded by government agencies that focus on people who receive, or may need, social services, particularly children, young people, and families that need support to overcome a range of challenges.

Services potentially in-scope would initially be considered as those not listed below as out of scope.

What is out of scope?

• Time‑limited funding arrangements or one‑off grants
• Statutory services delivered under legislation
• Capital expenditure (such as buildings, infrastructure or major assets)
• Nationally uniform or universal services
• Highly specialised, tightly regulated, or standardised clinical services
• Services requiring large-scale, highly specialised or regulated workforces
• Services delivered in highly controlled environments with significant supervision, restricted movement, or legal confinement (e.g. prisons or secure psychiatric facilities)
• Whānau Ora funding

Overall, the potential scope will be shaped through the Discovery and Design process, with a focus on services that can be effectively managed at a local level and deliver better, more joined‑up services and outcomes for communities.

15. How will you assess each application and decide on two Local Groups?

Applications will be assessed through a three‑stage process by SIA assessment teams and an evaluation panel that includes external members, using a clear assessment framework with weighted criteria.

In the first stage, written applications will be assessed for meeting pre-conditions and all EOI questions answered, if these are not met, applicants will not progress. In the second stage, senior public servants will assess against evaluation criteria for an initial shortlist of approximately 10 top-ranked applications. In the third stage, the initial shortlist will be assessed by an Evaluation Panel that includes external members with up to six groups shortlisted.

Shortlisted groups will then be invited to a one‑day wānanga within their respective regions (or Wellington if preferred), where the evaluation panel will explore leadership arrangements, community needs, and proposed approaches, and ask questions to clarify the written application.

Decisions on the two Local Groups will be made based on overall performance across the assessment stages, assessed against the weighted criteria.

16. How will Conflicts of Interest be managed?

Managing conflicts of interest is an important part of this process. All external kaimahi, including evaluation panel members will be required to declare any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest at the outset and throughout the project, and these will be actively managed and reviewed.

SIA staff involved in the process have also completed conflict‑of‑interest declarations, with management plans in place where required, to support fair, transparent, and well‑governed decision‑making.

17. What happens if my application is unsuccessful?

We will be in touch to let you know the outcome at each stage of the application process. Where possible, we will also offer an opportunity to receive feedback to support learning and future opportunities.

18. Where can I find out more information about eligibility criteria and procurement?

For more information about eligibility criteria and the procurement process, please refer to the EOI document on the Community-led Commissioning page. 

19. What funding is available if our EOI application is successful?

SIA will fund each Local Group’s reasonable costs to participate in the Discovery and Design Phase, capped at $1 million. The contract will run for up to 12 months. 

The funding provided is intended to support the Local Group to prepare and submit a detailed full proposal at the end of the Discovery and Design Phase.

The funding amount applies to the Local Group as a whole, however one organisation from with the group must be nominated to act as a Fund Holder and manage the contractual agreement with the SIA. The nominated organisation will receive payments from the SIA and would be responsible for distributing funding to the Local Group organisations or individual organisations as directed by and on behalf of the Local Group. 

20. How much funding could be available through a Community-led Commissioning arrangement?

The amount of funding available will vary depending on the size of the community and the scope and focus of the proposed Community-led Commissioning arrangement. As an indication, the total social service funding that could potentially be in scope is around $3.5 billion per year nationwide (approximately $660 per person).

For example, this could equate to up to approximately $6.6 million per year for a community of 10,000 people, or around $66 million for a population of 100,000. These figures are highly indicative and do not represent guaranteed funding amounts.

For any selected Local Group, SIA (working in partnership with relevant government agencies) will provide support during the Discovery and Design Phase to develop a more accurate and tailored budget. This will involve a detailed analysis of relevant social service contracts and expenditure in the local area and will be guided by the specific focus and priorities of the proposed initiative.

21. Who is accountable for the Social Investment Fund?

The Social Investment Fund Ministers have collective oversight of the Social Investment Fund and the policy intent for the Community-led Commissioning Pathway and outcomes. Each Fund Minister remains accountable for their individual portfolios and associated outcomes.  

Accountability for the pooled funding in the Social Investment Fund rests with the Minister for Social Investment. The current Fund Ministerial Group (and underlying officials’ arrangements) supports the Minister for Social Investment to hold that accountability. 

22. How would SIA ensure accountability for public funding with any community commissioning entity?

SIA is also looking to establish appropriate accountability mechanisms, which would include the community commissioning entity working with communities, stakeholders, and a Government oversight group. The Social Investment Fund would report on progress to Fund Ministers and agencies who have contributed funding. Supporting mechanisms could include: 

• formal appropriation and performance measures under the Vote Social Investment multi-category appropriation;
• outcomes-based agreements – e.g. between the Social Investment Fund and any community commissioning entity/entities, and between the community commissioning entity and local providers, service contracts and memoranda of understanding (as appropriate); and/or
• regular, outcomes-focused reporting and evaluation by SIA.  

These mechanisms would provide strategic oversight, parliamentary accountability, and operational assurance, while preserving flexibility of the community commissioning entity to manage its portfolio in a way that optimises outcomes. 

SIA will also oversee community commissioning arrangements and facilitate system-level performance monitoring and reporting, including potential gains in efficiency and government outcomes, and surfacing challenges and opportunities with other agencies. 

23. How would community members, affected by any proposed arrangements between SIA and the community commissioning entity, have a say in what happens?

To ensure the Crown can have confidence in community-led commissioning arrangements, applicants will need to show evidence of things such as a mandate and recognition from the community including local organisations and partners/community networks; and a proven track record of managing large budgets, including large government contracts over $5 million, with appropriate assurances of compliance. 

At the proposed community commissioning entity level, detailed governance and accountability arrangements are expected to depend on the nature of their commissioning arrangement and will be considered through the Discovery and Design process. This will include maintaining community mandate.  

24. What would a community-led commissioning arrangement mean for existing social service providers? 

At this stage, community‑led commissioning is focused on some core central government funding for social services within a small regional base (for example, an area with a population of 10,000 – 100,000). This includes funding currently contracted by agencies such as MSD, Oranga Tamariki, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Justice, Corrections, and Housing and Urban Development and Health NZ funding.

Over time, if a Community‑led Commissioning Entity is established, it would be responsible for planning and commissioning services for its local area. This may include reviewing which services are needed and how they are delivered, based on local priorities and evidence.

Any changes are expected to be implemented gradually, supported by detailed transition planning. This planning may extend through the first year of implementation (approximately July 2027 to June 2028), with initial work focused on identifying opportunities and risks.

Accordingly, organisations currently delivering social services are unlikely to experience immediate impacts, and in some cases may not be directly affected for a number of years. During engagement, many community leaders talked about the need for increased stability and more collective impact approaches across local social service arrangements.

25. How would a community-led commissioning arrangement interact with existing devolution initiatives? 

Overall, the Social Investment Fund, and the Community-led Commissioning Pathway within that, is a platform to enable cross-portfolio outcomes (e.g. greater safety, improved health, supporting people into work). As such, the Fund is designed to complement existing government initiatives of a similar nature.