New Zealand Police Adult Diversion Scheme donations
The application process to determine the approved groups for the 2011-13 is now closed. Applications closed on 15 April 2011, and no late applications will be accepted.
Please note that the Adult Diversion Scheme donation process has been amended from being conducted annually to a biennial period (every two years) from 1 July 2011. Those approved this year will be entitled to receive diversion donations for a two year period, that is from the 1st July 2011 to 30 June 2013. There for Police Prosecutions will not call for further applications until March/ April 2013.
You can register to be notified about the application process for 2013/15 by completing the form at the bottom of this page.
Information about the diversion scheme can be found in our brochure [PDF 22KB] or on this website's FAQs about the scheme.
Approved Groups
Donations to be provided to approved organisations only
The Police Executive have agreed that donations should be targeted at organisations that contributed to the strategic goals of crime and crash reduction. From 1 January 2008 approved groups have received diversion donations through this process.
Targeting donations made through diversion at strategic goals of crime and crash reduction will help build and maintain confidence in the diversion process that donations are contributing to the scheme's overall goals of rehabilitation and reparation.
What are the strategic goals?
The New Zealand Police's document "Policing with Confidence, the New Zealand Way: Strategic Plan to 2010" and the Police's Statement of Intent 2009/10 - 2011/12 provide guidance on the Police's vision of Safer Communities together and our mission:
"To be a world class Police service working in partnership with citizens and communities to prevent crime and road trauma, enhance public safety and maintain law and order."
The keys to achieving a reduction in crime and road trauma include:
- Focusing on drugs and alcohol - reducing the abuse of drugs and alcohol is likely to reduce crime and road trauma.
- Preventing violence in the home and street, including sexual violence - violence, in all its forms, creates victims now and often impacts negatively on the future of people exposed to violence.
- Positively influencing children and young people - positive interventions can minimise "at risk" behaviour of young people and their likelihood of being involved with the criminal justice process.
- Reducing offending by Māori and victimisation - reducing the disproportionate levels of Māori offending and of victimisation can improve all aspects of the lives of people affected.
- Targeting organised crime - reducing organised crime lowers the major threat that exists to society and to vulnerable individuals and groups. Organised crime is carried out mainly to make money, and activities typically involved, such as drug manufacture and sales, kidnapping, people smuggling and fraud, impose major costs on all New Zealanders.
- Changing behaviour on our roads - improvements in this can further reduce deaths, hospitalisations and injury, together with other associated trauma.
These are the areas Police are seeking from applicants to enable Police to assess the organisation/group's contribution to crime and crash reduction at a local level.
How many organisations will be able to be approved groups for donations?
Each district will consider applications received from organisations that provide services or programmes within their district. The district will choose, up to a maximum number, the organisations that will be certified as approved groups to receive diversion donations in their district for the financial year. These approved groups will be eligible to receive diversion donations for a two year period (1 July 2011 - 30 June 2013). Some organisations may be national bodies represented in several districts lists.
The Police Executive has approved two umbrella organisations to be approved groups in all Police districts because of the recognised contribution they make to crime and crash reduction goals. These organisations are:
- All Victim Support local groups
- All Women's Refuges under the umbrella of National Collective of Independent Women's Refuges Inc
In addition there will be additional organisations approved in each district by Police based on consideration of applications submitted.
Application Process
Approved groups will be endorsed to receive donations from 1 July until 30 June (two year period). The application round commences in approximately March/April every two years to consider which organisations will be approved groups for the following financial years. The next period will be 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2013.
Why apply?
Only groups that apply using the official application form will be considered by Police in determining who will be the approved groups to receive diversion donations for the relevant financial year. Diversion donations will only be given to groups approved using this new biennial application process. The biennial period will be from the 1 Jul 2011 - 30 June 2013.
Who can apply?
Any not-for-profit organisation who believes that they contribute to the Police's crime and crash reduction goals (outlined above) can apply to be considered by Police to be an approved group to receive diversion donations.
Education and childcare providers, hospitals, and sports groups are not considered to contribute to the goals directly.
Local groups that have a national body which they are administered by are encouraged to communicate with the national body. This is to ensure that there is only one relevant application put forth for the organisation within each district.
What does our organisation's application need to cover?
It is important that as much information about your organisation is provided to enable it to be thoroughly considered by the local Prosecution Manager and District Commander against the criteria of the goals of crime and crash reduction.
All applications by national organisations must indicate which Police districts their organisation wishes to be considered to be an approved group to receive diversion donations by detailing services and programmes offered to victims and/or offenders in different locations.
An original copy of the application plus two copies for each district the application relates to must be provided. This ensures administrative efficiency in providing applications copies to the District Prosecution Manager and District Commander (or their delegate) for their consideration. Two additional copies of any supporting material (e.g. pamphlets, annual reports) must also be provided for each district the application relates to.
It is important that as much information about your organisation is provided to enable it to be thoroughly considered by the local Prosecution Manager and District Commander against the criteria of the goals of crime and crash reduction.
The organisation should also outline what they would use the money for, if they were to obtain approval to receive diversion donations.
What are the criteria?
Organisations must be able to demonstrate how they contribute to achieving the strategic goals of crime and crash reduction at a local level. The key areas to be able to address are:
- Drug and alcohol reduction
- Prevention of violence in the home and street, including sexual violence
- Positively influencing children and young people who demonstrate "at risk behaviour"
- Reducing offending by Māori
- Reducing victimisation
- Reducing organised crime
- Changing behaviour on our roads
How do I apply?
An organisation must complete an application form which is made available every two years when the application process commences. The application and supporting material must be submitted before the due date.
The primary contact details on the application must not hold either Office of Constable or Police employee status. This is to ensure there is no perception that the diversion donations are going to 'police charities' or that there is any advantage to an application if it is led by police members.
There is no cost to apply.
What happens to our organisation's application after I send it in?
After the closing date all applications that have been received at Police National Headquarters will be forwarded to the District Prosecution Manager(s) and the District Commander (or their representative) for the District.
The District Prosecution Manager and District Commander will meet and consider which groups they consider best meet the criteria and provide the best services and/or programmes within their district based on the material supplied in the file, local knowledge, or information obtained through further inquiries. The decisions of the district will then be forwarded to Police National Headquarters for checking and confirmation to ensure there is consistency in the way the criteria are applied across districts.
How will I know if the application was successful?
All organisations that make an application will receive a decision in the mail regarding the outcome of their application in May or early June. The decisions are final. However, unsuccessful groups will be able to seek feedback in writing about reasons why their application was not successful, which may assist with future applications.
Approved groups will then be asked to provide bank deposit books for offenders to make diversion donation payments. Diversion donations will only be deposited via pre-printed bank deposit slips that clearly state the name of the organisation, location and that it is a 'diversion donation'. It is a requirement of Inland Revenue that diversion donations are clearly identified.
If my organisation filed an application for 2010/11, will I need to apply for 2011-13?
Yes, a new application must be completed for each funding period. All groups that applied in 2010/11 will need to complete the application form for 2011-13. Please note that the next funding phase will begin a new biennial process for selecting approved groups. The approved groups will receive donations from 1 July 2011 until 30 June 2013. No further groups will be approved during this period.
To receive notifications of when application are being called for, please complete the form at the bottom of this page.
Will my application be kept?
The application forms for organisations that are delegated as approved groups will be retained on file for the duration that they are approved groups. All unsuccessful applications will be destroyed once decisions have been made and communicated to the contacts for the organisations.
Approved groups will be notified when fresh applications are being requested for the 2011 to 2013 biennial donation approval period.
Information for Approved Groups
If our group is an approved group, how will offenders make donations?
For the 2011 biennal process, organisations approved to collect diversion donations will be required to receive donation money from offenders via bank deposit forms only. Bank deposit slip books are to be provided to Police Prosecution Service Diversion Officers when an organisation is approved so they can administer the donations via this method. The organisation must provide deposit form books with the organisations name, location and the fact that the purpose of the deposit is a diversion donation, this a requirement for Inland Revenue. The diversion officer will then be given the completed deposit butt or receipt to show evidence of the donation being paid directly to the approved group.
Those applying for the biennal process must agree to supply deposit slip books as this will be the only method of payment available for the two year period. Please note in some districts multiple deposit slip books will need to be provided to cover all stations in the districts where diversion is conducted.
Police staff must not handle cash. Unfortunately internet banking is not available for diversion donations due to the difficulty in tracking compliance with donations. Bank cheques will also no longer be accepted due to their high administration costs and the inability for Inland Revenue to track donation payments.
Can approved groups be guaranteed a certain amount of money?
No. While diversion donations are a regularly used condition of diversion, there is no certainty on the amount of money an approved organisation may receive, as the amount of the donation made varies based on the offence type and the offender's circumstances.
Diversion donation money should not be factored in to your budget for the year and renewal of your status as an approved group for donations is not guaranteed for the next year. Diversion donations should be seen as an added bonus to existing funding streams that can be used for special projects.
Can approved groups advertise that they are a police approved group?
Approved groups must not advertise that they are Police approved. The approval for the group is only to the extent that the group can receive donations for their group to assist with programme or service delivery that is considered to contribute to Police's goals in the district.
Will Police provide details of our approved group status publicly?
All applicants must agree that Police can publish, or announce publicly, the names of the groups approved for each District. This is an important part of the process to ensure openness and transparency in the approval process.
Can approved groups apply every biennial period (every two years)?
Yes, there is no bar to applying in most circumstances. Every two years new applications will be considered afresh and considered on their merits. The first biennial period will be from 1 July 2011 until 30 June 2013 and then every two years onwards.
Delegation as an approved group does not automatically mean that the group will be approved the next biennial period. Another application must be made for consideration every two years.
What if, after being approved, the organisation ceases to exist or there are significant changes in what is offered?
Organisations will be expected to notify the District Prosecution Manager if certain information about their organisation changes.
Police reserve the right to remove any approved group from the list of approved groups for the relevant period if:
- Police become aware that the organisation has ceased to exist; or
- there are significant changes in what programmes or services the organisation now offers; or
- there are reasons to believe the donations are being misappropriated.
Police will notify the group ahead of taking this action.
How do I get updates?
Any organisation that wishes to be notified about the biennial application for the 2011 to 2013 round should provide the name and contact details of the organisation to Police using the form below.
Register for updates on Diversion Scheme Applications securely via email.
Application Forms
Application form for approved groups [Word Doc]
Application form for approved groups [PDF]
