Purpose

The Innovation Fund provided an opportunity for agencies to collaborate and invest in early stage cross-agency pilots and prototypes.

Agencies identified a common problem or opportunity and presented the initiative through the DGP Innovation Fund lean canvas.

The Innovation Fund was administered by the Digital Public Service (DPS) branch at the Department of Internal Affairs. 

Governance and support

Oversight of the Innovation Fund was provided by the:

• Digital Government Leadership Group (DGLG) — responsible for supporting the Strategy for a Digital Public Service
• DGP Innovation Fund officials panel.

Focus areas for 2021/22

Initiatives funded from the 2021/22 round were cross-agency and clearly aligned with the outcomes of the Strategy for a Digital Public Service, the Data Roadmap and the intent of the Public Service Act 2020. 

• Strategy for a Digital Public Service
• Data Roadmap — data.govt.nz
• Public Service Act 2020 reforms — Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission

How the 2021/22 applications aligned with the focus areas

The 2021/22 applications showed:

• how the initiative aligned with government priorities and the Strategy for a Digital Public Service focus areas
• how the investment would contribute to New Zealanders’ seamless and integrated experience of, and trust in, public services
• how the initiative demonstrated innovation — this fund is not for business-as-usual costs
• the level of cross-agency collaboration required as part of the initiative
• benefits to the public service or sector that support transformation, including being able to reuse initiatives or parts of initiatives
• initiative costs, and outlined options for sustainable funding if the initiative were to become business-as-usual.

Applicants also demonstrated how the:

• initiative would be evaluated
• work aligned with agile values and principles, including how any collaboration would benefit the agencies involved
• work aligned with relevant standards, for example the New Zealand government Digital Service Design Standard.