What to know before you apply
Before applying, consider the following:
- Think carefully about the area you would like to explore, why you need to travel overseas, and what benefit your Fellowship would bring to Aotearoa New Zealand.
- When developing proposals and itineraries, applicants should consider the immense learning potential from cultures and experiences in the Pacific and Asia region as well as Europe and North America.
- Who you will ask to be your referees. You will require letters from two referees commenting on your ability to successfully achieve your Fellowship plans and how your proposal will benefit you and, on your return, the community and Aotearoa New Zealand.
- This online information session summarises the application criteria and requirements and features previous recipients talking about their Fellowships.
- Have a question? See our Frequently Asked Questions. Your question isn’t here? Contact us. We’re here to help!
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
Winston Churchill
When and How to Apply
Applications for Churchill Fellowships and the Winston Churchill McNeish Writers’ Fellowship can be made online once a funding round opens.
Applications must be made through the Department of Internal Affairs Community Matters site. This requires you to log into its grants management system, which will ask you for your ‘Real Me’ login or enable you to apply for a ‘Real Me’ login. Once you have a ‘Real Me’ login, you will be able to access the application form. For more information and/or assistance with ‘Real Me’, telephone 0800 824 824.
There is one funding round each year. Applications must be submitted through ‘Real Me’ within the funding-round window (usually the first Wednesday in July and mid-August). You may only submit one application to a funding round. Unsuccessful applicants may reapply in
a future funding round. Successful applicants may not reapply.
In your application, you will need to:
- Describe your project in less than 100 words.
- Estimate the total cost of your project and state how much you are requesting.
- Explain why your project is needed.
- Describe the expected benefits to you, the area you work and/or have an interest in, and the benefits to the community and Aotearoa New Zealand.
- Outline your experience relevant to the project.
- Explain how you will share the findings from your Fellowship experience.
Documents to submit
An application that does not include the required supporting documents will be ineligible.
The following supporting documents must be uploaded as part of your application:
- Evidence of your New Zealand, Cook Islands, Tokelau or Niue citizenship or permanent residency.
- Your curriculum vitae
- A letter from two referees commenting on your ability to successfully achieve your Fellowship plans and how your proposal will benefit you and, on your return, the community and Aotearoa New Zealand.
- Requests for a Winston Churchill McNeish Writers’ Fellowship must include a writing sample and evidence of one or more publications or writing success achieved to date.
Fellowship Reports
All Fellowship recipients must submit a report on their project within six months of their return. These are reviewed by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Board and published online. The Winston Churchill McNeish Writers’ Fellowship report is provided to the partner.
A copy of the Fellowship report guidelines can be found at the link below: