Tariana Turia is urging Maori health providers who have innovative ideas to tackle health problems among Maori to apply for a new fund before it closes this Friday at noon.

"There are so many Maori health groups out there doing great work and I really hope that they will see this new initiative as something that will support them in their pursuits," Mrs Turia said.

"This fund will help them get the resources they need to grow those innovative services or develop new ones that have a whanau ora approach and that will help improve Maori health outcomes."

$5 million a year will be made available under Te Ao Auahatanga Hauora Maori (Maori Health Innovation Fund) for Maori health providers wanting to develop and implement a pilot or new service, share and spread innovative information.

Maori providers can submit registrations of interest by noon on October 23 for one of the three funding categories under the fund. Further information and forms are available at http://www.moh.govt.nz/maoriinnovation