Rangapū Rangahau - He Ara Whakahihiko Capability Fund 2027 - Call for Proposals

About this opportunity

Rangapū Rangahau funds research partnerships between Research Organisations and Māori-facing Organisations to undertake SI&T relevant research focussing on economic outcomes, including environmental outcomes with clear economic benefits, aligned with the Science Investment Plan.

• Work programmes should provide a catalyst to establish new connections between Research Organisations and Māori-facing Organisations and opportunities to work collaboratively on SI&T relevant research. Work programmes should target capability building in SI&T. They are not intended to support business opportunities, training programmes, or education initiatives, and should not support or extend existing research projects currently being funded. This mechanism is not intended to support students who are enrolled in full-time study, however part-time students can be involved as research staff on a part-time basis. 
• Proposals must be co-developed between the Research Organisation and the Māori-facing Organisation and must be accompanied by written endorsement of the proposed work programme from all organisations involved. 

This Call for Proposals provides you with information on how to apply to the Fund, how your application will be assessed, what happens if your application is successful, and how to contact us for assistance with the application process. 

The funding available

The indicative total funding available for Rangapū Rangahau is up to $6.5 million (excluding GST). Each individual contract value is $350,000 (excluding GST) for a term of 2 years.

Project costs must be solely and directly related to the project work programme. Funding can be used to cover costs towards the work programme development, delivery, and operating costs (including travel). Capital expenditure is not funded. Co-funding is not required for this Fund.

Who can apply

Proposals must meet all eligibility criteria to proceed for further assessment and proposals that do not meet the criteria will be declined.

To be eligible for funding, proposals must:

• be made by a New Zealand based single legal entity, that is a Māori-facing Organisation or a Research Organisation.
  A Māori-facing Organisation means any organisation that has a clearly identified Māori individual or group(s) who play a central role in shaping, guiding, and delivering the proposed work.
  A Research Organisation means an organisation that has sufficient internal capability* for carrying out research, science or technology, or related activities.
  *Internal capability being sought refers to scientific research qualification/s or equivalent demonstrated experience in the science sector.

• not be made by a government department listed in Part 1 of Schedule 2 of the Public Service Act 2020.

• be co-developed between at least one Research Organisation and one Māori-facing Organisation, where:

  • one of these parties takes the lead as the applicant and the other(s) as the partner(s)
  • no more than one of the parties is a public research organisation (for example a Crown Research Institute or a university)
  • two or more of the parties are not part of the same group of companies** or departments within a single organisation (for example, a university).
    **Parties will be in the same group of companies if one is a holding company and another is a subsidiary or two or more are subsidiaries of the same holding company (as defined in section 5 of the Companies Act 1993)
  • the application includes: 
    
    • a co-development letter that demonstrates how the work programme has been co-developed and is signed by the applicant and partner(s), and
    • information on how the Māori-facing Organisation(s) meets the definition of Māori-facing Organisation.

• be for activities that clearly align with the funding purpose and requirements of the scheme as outlined in the Investment Plan.

• not be for activities that already receive government funding.

• not include any full-time tertiary students or school students.

• not include work programme activities that are eligible for funding from the Ministry of Education.

• be for scientific research activities where the majority of the work programme is to be undertaken in New Zealand, unless RFNZ considers there are compelling reasons to consider the proposal despite the amount of scientific research activities being proposed to be undertaken overseas***.
  ***If the majority of the work programme will not be carried out in New Zealand, then explain in your proposal the reasons for this and why they are compelling. If a work programme is to have significant linkages with indigenous knowledge practitioners in other countries, demonstrate how this will be of benefit to New Zealand.

• not benefit a Russian state institution (including but not limited to support for Russian military or security activity) or an organisation outside government that may be perceived as contributing to the war effort.

• be made by an applicant who is not in material breach of any MBIE science funding contract and who does not have any outstanding remedial actions associated with any termination of any MBIE science funding contract.

• be submitted in Pītau - MBIE’s Investment Management System and meet any applicable timing, formatting, content, or other administrative requirements as set by MBIE.
  Pītau(external link)

• address one or more of the Vision Mātauranga policy themes: Taiao, Indigenous Innovation and/or Mātauranga.

Note that some mātauranga Māori will not align with the Vision Mātauranga Policy Mātauranga theme for the purposes of this fund. 

The following ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR) codes are not aligned, and are instead expected to be funded through other agencies:

4507 Te ahurea, reo me te hītori o te Māori (Māori culture, language and history)

4508 Mātauranga Māori (Māori education)

4511 Ngā tāngata, te porihanga me ngā hapori o te Māori (Māori peoples, society and community)

The Vision Mātauranga Policy Hauora/Health theme is not supported by this fund as this theme is addressed through funding administered by the Health Research Council. Research proposals can include some hauora/health and remain eligible, as long as the majority of the proposal’s outcomes address one or more of the three eligible themes.

At least 50% of eligible FoR codes must address one or more of the eligible themes.

The application, assessment, and decision-making process

The He Ara Whakahihiko Capability Fund (HAWCF) is administered by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). Final funding decisions for the HAWCF will be made by Research Funding New Zealand (RFNZ).

These steps outline the process from application to assessment and decision-making:

1. Applicants submit a funding proposal.
2. MBIE reviews applications to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria.
3. Up to 10 MBIE officials with subject matter expertise relevant to this investment will complete an internal assessment of each proposal across each of the four assessment criteria detailed in Rangapū Rangahau Assessment and Scoring Guidance 2027 and the Vision Mātauranga policy. Assessments will be recorded internally.
4. Proposals that score a “3” or higher (the funding threshold) across each of the four assessment criteria will proceed to the next stage. Proposals that score a “2” or lower are considered below the threshold for funding. This information will be provided to Research Funding New Zealand who will make the final eligibility and fundability decisions. 
5. Applicants who are not eligible and/or who do not meet the funding threshold (a “3” or higher) are notified.
6. If 70 or fewer proposals are submitted and are considered eligible and above the funding threshold (a “3” or higher), all will proceed to an external panel assessment.
7. If 71 or more proposals are submitted and are considered eligible and above the funding threshold (a “3” or higher), a selection ballot will be used to randomly select proposals to proceed to external panel assessment, reducing the number to 70 proposals.
8. Applicants that are not selected through the ballot are notified. 
9. Assessors will accept or decline assigned proposals and declare any conflicts of interest. 
10. Proposals are assessed by three independent Assessment Panel members against the assessment criteria and recorded in Pītau. 
11. The Assessment Panel will meet to discuss the proposals and reach a consensus on scores, feedback comments, and recommendations which will inform the Panel Chair's report. 
12. The Panel Chair provides a report to Research Funding New Zealand, who is the decision-maker. Research Funding New Zealand will make investment decisions after considering the information provided to it.
13. Successful and unsuccessful applicants are notified, and feedback provided.

Ballot process

Why we are using a selection ballot system

If we receive 71 or more eligible proposals that meet the funding threshold, we will use a ballot system to reduce assessment burden on MBIE’s Assessment Panel. All eligible proposals that meet the funding threshold will go into the ballot.

The ballot process provides a proportionate and transparent selection approach when demand exceeds available assessment capacity. It treats all proposals that meet the funding threshold consistently and does not discriminate against applicants. The ballot system is not a new system and is widely used internationally.

The 70 proposals selected by the ballot will proceed to the Panel Assessment.

How the ballot system works

MBIE will use a Microsoft Excel function to randomly select the 70 eligible proposals which will proceed to Panel Assessment. MBIE will use an excel spreadsheet tool [XLSX, 16 KB] that uses a Random Array (RANDARRAY) function. This function assigns a random number between 1 and n (where n is the number of eligible applications) to each application.

The programme will then select the first 70 applications generated by the MBIE tool to proceed to Panel Assessment.

Key dates

Dates are subject to change. We will notify all date changes by email.

To be added to the email notification list, subscribe to updates(external link). 

Information webinar

An information webinar and Q&A session will be held for applicants on Wednesday, 17 June 2026. We will provide you with information about the 2027 Investment Round for both the Ara Whaihua and Rangapū Rangahau funding schemes.

Register here(external link).

Key resources

When developing your application, we encourage you to consult the following He Ara Whakahihiko Capability Fund key reference documents:

The He Ara Whakahihiko Capability Fund Investment Plan

The He Ara Whakahihiko Capability Fund Gazette Notice 2027(external link)

The He Ara Whakahihiko Capability Fund webpage

The Vision Mātauranga Policy

Rangapū Rangahau Assessment and Scoring Guidance 2027 Investment Round

Science Investment Plan 2026-2036

Application process

Applicants are required to complete their proposals in Pītau - MBIE's Investment Management System(external link). To help you prepare your proposal there is a proposal template that can be used.

1. Proposals are entered and submitted in Pītau by the Applicant.
2. If you do not have a Pītau login, contact your Research Office to get one, or if you don’t have a Research Office you can request access from MBIE. Before developing your proposal, you are encouraged to consider the eligibility criteria, the assessment criteria, and the terms and conditions relating to this Call for Proposals.
3. The proposal template in the Key Resources section provides guidance on how to prepare your proposal and the information you are required to provide. We recommend you use the proposal template that is provided, to draft the required information in a word processer of your choice, and then when ready to submit, copy and paste the necessary segments into the appropriate Pītau fields and upload your supporting documentation where directed.
4. MBIE staff will be able to assist you with accessing Pītau and provide guidance about how enter content.
5. The information in your proposal is used for assessment and forms the basis of the contract for successful projects.
6. Proposals submitted in te reo Māori are welcomed. The assessment of proposals may take place in English. Applicants may choose to provide a translation of their proposal or rely on MBIE to commission a translation without further recourse to the Applicant. The choice of language will not influence assessment outcomes. Translations must be uploaded into Pītau, and any translations must be consistent with the original te reo Māori version.

Additional support

If you are new to MBIE science grants or do not have access to a Research Office, Moko Kauri Consultants can support you throughout the application process, help you understand if your proposal aligns with the fund, assist with using the tools and templates, and offer advice on MBIE requirements for science grants. Moko Kauri do not write or prepare application(s) on behalf of applicants.

For more information on the support available, or to get in touch with Moko Kauri Consultants:

Email: info@mokokauri.co.nz

Website: Moko Kauri(external link)

Assessment criteria

The Assessment Panel members will assess proposals on each of the criteria below and score them from 1 (Low quality) to 7 (High quality). Each criterion has a 25% weighting.

See the Assessment and Scoring Guidance in Key document section.

Excellence

The Fund seeks excellence by developing, retaining, and attracting talented people and organisations through undertaking high quality scientific research, and innovation solutions relevant to science, innovation and technology.

Development of People, Partnerships, and Skills (25%)

Key Question: To what extent are longer-term capabilities and networks likely to emerge to generate excellent science which support economic outcomes, including environmental outcomes with clear economic benefits?

When assessing this question, Assessors will consider:

• Will the project build research capability networks and partnerships for generating excellent science?
• Will the project go beyond ‘business as usual’ for the organisations involved? For example, establish a new long-term research collaboration.
• To what extent will the project substantially develop capability and skill of the participants?

Ability to Deliver (25%)

Key Question: What is the likelihood that the outputs of the proposed project will be achieved?

When assessing this question, Assessors will consider:

• How does the calibre, experience, and skills of the team relate to the subject area(s) proposed for the work programme?
• Does the team have the appropriate mandate to conduct this work?
• Are all involved parties and the work programme appropriately resourced and supported, including management and facilities?
• Have challenges to delivery been identified and mitigated?

Impact

The Fund seeks impact through programmes of work that explore the ways in which scientific research and its development and commercial application can benefit whānau, communities, the Māori economy and New Zealand.

Science, Innovation and Technology Outcomes (25%)

Key Question: Will the project deliver SI&T relevant research leading to economic outcomes, including environmental outcomes with clear economic benefits and what are the expected impacts of the research?

When assessing this question, Assessors will consider:

• Does the SI&T relevant research have the potential to lead to tangible economic outcomes, including environmental outcomes with clear economic benefits and impacts?
• Will the project uplift Māori science capability and capacity to benefit the Māori-facing organisation(s)?
• Do the expected science outcomes align with the aspirations of the Māori-facing organisation(s)?
• Will the science outcomes be disseminated to wider Māori and/or other stakeholders?

Science, Innovation & Technology Benefits and Vision Mātauranga (25%)

Key Question: Will the increased science capability and capacity benefit the science, innovation and technology (SI&T) sector, and to what extent does the project support the Vision Mātauranga policy?

When assessing this question, Assessors will consider:

• Will the project develop excellent science and partnerships which enables Māori-facing organisations to deliver benefit to New Zealand?
• Will the project uplift Māori science capability and capacity to benefit the SI&T sector?
• Will the project identify and support future opportunities for Māori to participate in the SI&T sector?
• How well does the project address the Vision Mātauranga policy theme(s) selected?

Conflicts of Interest

If you are submitting a proposal, check the list of Assessment Panel members for any potential conflicts of interest. If you identify an actual, potential, or perceived direct or indirect conflict of interest, declare this in the Conflicts of Interest section of your application. If you discover a potential conflict after the proposal submission, you must notify us immediately by emailing HAWCF@mbie.govt.nz.

Conflicts of interest may occur on two different levels:

1. A direct conflict of interest, where an Assessor is:
   • directly involved with a proposal (as a participant, manager, mentor, or partner) or has a close personal relationship with the applicant, for example, family members
   • a collaborator or in some other way involved with an applicant’s proposal.
2. An indirect conflict of interest, where an Assessor:
   • is employed by an organisation involved in a proposal but is not part of the applicant’s proposal
   • has a personal and/or professional relationship with one of the applicants, for example, an acquaintance
   • is assessing a proposal under discussion that may compete with their business interests.

Assessment Panel members

A list of Assessment Panel members will be published on the He Ara Whakahihiko Capability Fund webpage in July 2026.

Funding decisions

Research Funding New Zealand makes investment decisions after considering the information provided by the Panel Chair’s Report, and may:

• set pre-contractual conditions which must be met before the investment is contracted
• set special conditions in addition to the general terms and conditions set out in the Fund’s Funding Contract
• vary the contract title (in consultation with the applicant)
• vary the Public Statement (in consultation with the applicant)
• vary the proposed term of the project
• vary the funding allocated from that proposed
• require the proposed project plan be negotiated to MBIE’s satisfaction to reflect the changed funding
• consider prior performance in MBIE funded science contracts. Where an applicant has an outstanding reporting requirement, or unmet contractual obligations, at the time of contracting, RFNZ may instruct MBIE to withhold the funding contract until such a time as previous contracting obligations are fulfilled. Please note that the new contract start date could be delayed where earlier contractual obligations are unfulfilled.

We will advise the proposal’s Application Administrator of the funding decisions in March 2027. The successful applicants will be published on our He Ara Whakahihiko Capability Fund webpages and announced via a press release, or announced by the Ministers for Science, Innovation and Technology and Māori Development.

Contracting, payment, reporting, and monitoring

The contracting process

Successful applicants will enter into a Funding Contract with us (subject to any pre-contractual conditions being met).

This agreement must be signed and returned to us within one month.

The terms and conditions of the Rangapū Rangahau Contract Template 2027 will apply to the provision of funding agreed between us and the contracting organisation. By submitting a proposal, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of the Rangapū Rangahau Contract Template 2027. This template is available in our Key resources section above.

Payment

The contract holder must manage the funding to ensure delivery of the contracted work programme and adhere to any reporting requirements. Subject to specific contract conditions, MBIE funding will be provided as follows:

• 50% at the start of the work programme,
• 50% at the mid-point (after submission of a progress report to our satisfaction).

Reporting and monitoring

Successful applicants will be required to submit a progress report and a final report in Pītau. These reports will be evaluated by MBIE.

These reports should be prepared jointly and include information provided from both the contract holder and Partner organisation(s). The report must include a signed co-development letter(s) from the Partner organisation(s) to confirm that the report has been prepared in conjunction with that organisation(s) and that the information contained in the letter is accurate. The letter(s) provided must match the Partner organisations listed in the contract.

Progress report

The progress report should include information on the status and progress towards delivering on the work programme as contracted. This is due one month after the mid-point of the work programme (i.e. 30 June 2028) and covers the period 1 June 2027 to 30 May 2028.

Final report

The final report should include information on:

• the status and progress towards delivering on the Deliverables and Tasks as contracted
• key achievements
• emerging risks and what is being done to address them
• public statement
• an assessment of whether the work programme has or will lead to further science, innovation and technology opportunities, the project’s success in building science capability and capacity, and the effectiveness of the overall work programme.

Final reports are due one month after the end date of the work programme (i.e. 30 June 2029) and covers the period 1 June 2027 to 30 May 2029.

See the combined Progress and Final Reporting template in the Key resources section.

Contact

Application queries: HAWCF@mbie.govt.nz or info@mokokauri.co.nz 

Pītau queries: imssupport@mbie.govt.nz 

Phone: 0800 693 778 (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm) 

You can also subscribe(external link) to our Alert e-newsletter.