Women’s centre future in doubt due to funding shortfall
The Nelson Women’s Centre faces the prospect of imminent closure because of an $80,000 shortfall in funding.
“If we can’t find the funding, we have to close down,” manager Maria Busching told Stuff.
In a newsletter, the centre admitted shutting its doors was on the cards unless it managed to “urgently raise a minimum of $80,000 by April”.
Busching said the funding shortfall had been “ongoing”. At the end of 2022, Oranga Tamariki pulled a funding contract that had been standing since the 1990s, she said.
In a statement, Darrin Haimona from Oranga Tamariki said the government department had funded the centre about $37,000 annually until 2022, when a comprehensive evaluation of contracted services was carried out and the decision was made to discontinue funding.
Over the past year the centre had tried to fill that gap by talking to government funders and trying to get contracts. However, some of the funding applied for had “just fallen through”, Busching said.
The centre cost $250,000 a year to run. About 3500 people a year came through its doors for different services such as social work, counselling, workshops, and the op shop.
Some days, between 10 and 20 women would approach the centre with nowhere else to go, Busching said. Those women might be dealing with a plethora of issues such as marriage breakups, grave physical and mental health issues, and a loss of housing because of flooding or slips.
“They’re people with multiple things going on in their lives, and it could be anyone. It could be you or me at some point,” she said.
“We get hit by a tragedy, any unexpected event, and don't know who to turn to or don’t want to share it with friends or family.”
The centre employs a social worker, an administrator, a counselling co-ordinator, a manager and a cleaner, and staff were feeling tense about the situation, Busching said.
“We’re a tiny team and we have open communication, but it’s obviously very disheartening.”
Governance committee chairperson Angela Tait said the centre was undergoing a “financial crisis”.
“It’s got financial difficulties and we have to seriously consider the options before us,” she said, adding that the committee was working hard behind the scenes.
The centre had a “wonderful history” and had supported many women in the past and had a “profound impact” on many women’s and children’s lives, she said.
But needs changed over time, and the centre would be investigating how to best use the resource with the most impact, and how to make the centre more relevant for women in the community, she said.
A special general meeting is planned for the centre next Thursday where potential pathways will be laid out.
In a newsletter seen by Stuff, those included winding up the organisation, temporary closure, a loan, spending cuts, merging with another community organisation, fund-raising, and/or leasing the property.
While the meeting is open to all, only current centre members will be able to vote.
Nelson MP Rachel Boyack said she would be very concerned if the centre was forced to close and noted the facility had received an “outpouring of support from the public”.
However, she was pleased that it had publicly sought support because that allowed the community to “look at whatever options could be available to keep the organisation running”.
Boyack said her hope was those who attended next week’s meeting, including herself, could work together to find options to keep the centre running.
She also said she had written to Oranga Tamariki to “push back” on its decision to discontinue funding at the time the decision was made, and she would be writing to the minister for women.
Nelson mayor Nick Smith said it would be disappointing if the centre had to close, as it had been a successful service provider and advocate on women’s issues in the community.
Last year, the Nelson City Council provided more than $23,000 of support, which was made up of a base grant plus some other discretionary grants.
“The council is keen to be supportive and use its communication channels to help in their fundraising efforts,” Smith said.
A council representative would be sent to the special general meeting next week, he said.