Get the Funding to Get Connected!
| A reliable internet connection can make all the difference to community groups and community venues alike. To benefit from the benefits of being online there are several grant schemes which can be accessed by groups to install phone lines and internet connections |
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Get Connected: Grants Available for Providers of Adult Social Care to improve ICT ACCESS for users and staff
The Get Connected Investment Project offers grants of up to £20,000 in value to improve ICT access for users and staff of registered providers of adult social care in England. The funding is for capital expenditure that will support adult social care providers and organisations to extend personalisation through enhanced access to ICT.
CYCLE 2 of the Investment Project is now open for applications from private and voluntary sector adult social care providers offering services in England and registered with the Care Quality Commission, Companies House, Financial Services Authority or Charity Commission. The level of funding that you can apply for is dependent on the size of your organisation.
Micro and small organisations (employing up to 49 full-time equivalent staff) or domiciliary care agencies with 1–3 branches: Up to a value of £20,000 per grant to improve access to ICT in order to enhance quality of life and/or skills
Medium-sized organisations (employing 50–249 full-time equivalent staff) or domiciliary care agencies with 4–20 branches: Up to a value of £20,000 per grant to improve access to ICT in order to enhance quality of life and/or skills. This is subject to matched funding being identified by the organisation making the bid.
Registered care providers with 250 or more full-time equivalent staff or domiciliary care agencies with more than 20 branches are not eligible for investment in this cycle, but may be eligible in Cycle 3 or Cycle 4.
You can register your interest in the programme through the Social Care Institute for Excellence by 11th June 2010. Please see http://www.scie.org.uk/workforce/getconnected/cycle2.asp for more information.
Rural Broadband
SEEDA is currently running a funding programme whereby rural communities throughout the South East and London can apply for capital grants for support towards the establishment of a limited number of pilot broadband projects in rural areas. The total amount of funding available at the moment for rural broadband is £375,000 until the end of 2010. Ideas are now being sought for a limited number of pilot projects that will provide high-speed broadband access for rural areas that are losing out in broadband coverage. Given the need for projects to be contracted by the end of next year, SEEDA is seeking expressions of interest by the 31st May 2010.
Potential applicants must carefully read the guidance documents as only certain areas are eligible to apply. Expression of interest forms can be downloaded from the SEEDA website
For further information, please contact David Cooper at SEEDA on 01483 501304 or email ruralbroadband@seeda.co.uk
BT Community Connections
Through BT Community Connections community and charitable organisations, working in any field of community benefit, located throughout the UK or ROI can apply for a laptop and a year's free broadband connection.
In the past silver-surfers, cultural dance groups, conservation organisations, mountain rescue teams, family support groups, healthy living clubs, arts and music groups, sports teams and youth groups have all been award winners so don't miss your opportunity. The BT Community Connections grant scheme welcomes applications from any community organisation or group i.e. groups dealing with animals, the elderly, environmental, family issues, multi-cultural awareness, wildlife, youth groups etc.
The next closing date is 7th January 2010, with decisions made by March 2010. Further rounds are not yet confirmed.
Find out more: BT Community Connections Website
Nominet Trust
The Nominet Trust is a charity that provides funding to innovative projects which strive to improve and encourage the safe use of the Internet for educational, inclusion and other charitable purposes. It gives grants to organisations that can convince them that their innovative IT-related projects can make a positive difference to the groups listed below - in the UK, developing countries and around the world. The Trust is keen to increase internet use amongst young people, the elderly, the disabled and sick, and people in deprived areas.
To find out more and to complete a short eligibility questionnaire see the Nominet Trust website
