Round Three Opening
February 2026
The Workforce Futures Fund | Tahua Rāngaimahi Anamata will open Round Three on 23 February 2026.
Board Chair Jane Wrightson said: “We’re seeing real momentum across the care and support sectors, with organisations stepping forward with innovative, collaborative ideas that strengthen the workforce. Round Three is an opportunity to build on that progress. We’re looking for proposals that are grounded, achievable and designed with workers in mind, solutions that make a meaningful difference on the frontline and across the wider system.”
The Fund supports innovation in workforce development and demonstrates the value of strategic investment through enabling greater use of technology, collaboration across workforces, and projects that amplify workforce capacity and capability. These priorities continue to guide Round Three.
Eleven projects have been funded to date across two grant rounds showing increasingly strong alignment with the Fund’s purpose. Digital and AI‑enabled tools are gaining momentum, and many proposals focus on strengthening workforce capability, improving access to best‑practice resources and developing practical, scalable solutions. Early outcomes from Round One show strengthened sector engagement, high participation in design processes and growing demand for workforce‑ready tools.
Evaluation activity reinforces these trends, with strong early engagement and a clear focus on practical workforce benefit. Applicants continue to value early conversations with the Executive Officer to refine their ideas and ensure they meet the funding criteria. Round Two applications also demonstrated strong alignment with the Fund’s purpose, with survey responses highlighting high satisfaction with clarity, responsiveness and pre‑application support. While Māori and Pacific workforce benefits are evident across funded projects, disabled workers remain less well represented, and recruitment and retention continue to be under‑developed areas.
Evaluation also shows Māori and Pacific‑led applications remain under‑represented. To strengthen this pipeline and ensure equitable sector reach, the Fund is planning a fourth funding round in 2026 with funding priorities focused on Māori and Pacific‑led initiatives and those supporting disabled workers, supported by tailored pre‑application guidance and relationship‑based engagement to build proposal readiness and impact. Further details about the fourth round will be shared closer to its launch in August 2026.
Key insights informing Round Three applications
Timeframes and feasibility
Some Round Two proposals were overly ambitious or compressed. For Round Three, projects that can be completed within two years will be prioritised, with clear phasing and achievable delivery plans. Large‑scale proposals (over $1 million) will require more detailed scoping, including business plans, technical specifications and clear budgets.
AI guidance
More proposals are incorporating AI, but many require clearer thinking around safety, cultural oversight and technical feasibility. The application form now includes additional questions covering intended user experience, proposed models and sustainability, and privacy and cultural safety considerations.
Digital hubs
Digital hub proposals remain common. Applicants will need to demonstrate clear evidence of demand and long‑term sustainability, supported by stronger expectations around scoping, feasibility and sector need.
What we don’t fund
The Fund does not support the delivery of training, business‑as‑usual activity, service expansion, replacing lost funding or work already completed.
Looking ahead
Round Three opens 23 February 2026. All applicants will be required to discuss their proposal with the Executive Officer before submitting an application. Updated guidance, templates and the assessment framework will be available on our website.
With $15 million available, and $5 million already invested across Rounds One and Two, the Fund continues to support initiatives that strengthen Aotearoa’s care and support workforces.
We look forward to supporting the next wave of innovative, sector‑strengthening proposals.