[comradio-l] Fwd: New Funding Available for ICT Support Centres in England

[CMA-L]

[England only]

Potentially £22.5m available, deadline 10 February 2010 - please see below.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Helen Milner <hmilner at ufi.com>

Dear Colleague

As you may be aware, December’s Smarter Government report pledged £30
million to UK online centres to get one million digitally and socially
excluded people online by the end of 2012.  You many not be aware that
our plan for the funding is that 75% of it should go directly to ICT
delivery and support centres.

I am writing today to let you know that applications for funding are now open.

The funding is to engage digitally and socially excluded people, help
them use government websites and online services, and support them to
become confident internet users.  It is at the grassroots where
digital inclusion really happens, and where it’s made to reach the
most excluded, and it seemed obvious to me that this is where the
majority of this investment should be spent.  The remainder will
support technology platforms, administration of the grant process, and
marketing to help local centres drive new footfall.

I want to work with partners to ensure all digital inclusion providers
get their chance to bid for the Smarter Government money.
Applications for funding are open now. Applications are welcome from
any digital inclusion provider meeting the funding criteria who is
willing to become a member of the network to deliver their funded
project.  Membership will be vital in helping us administrate and
monitor the funding process and subsequent progress towards the one
million.

We’re delighted to have been able to kick-off activity so quickly, and
momentum will build over the course of the three years.  During that
time many hundreds of centres will benefit from grants, and all new
centres will benefit from being part of the growing network - sharing
resources and expertise, and taking advantage of new products,
services, training opportunities and high profile marketing campaigns.

I want to ask your help in promoting this opportunity at the beginning
of the three year programme, and the benefits of adding UK online
centres membership to what digital inclusion providers in your
networks already do.  To spread the word, we have provided you with a
pack to help.  This can be found at:

http://www.ukonlinecentres.com/corporate/regions-and-network/funding/partners

and includes:

- A Q&A document to answer any questions centres might have about the funding
- Two articles, one short and one longer which can be included on
websites, blogs or in your newsletters
- A short PowerPoint presentation introducing the funding.

I do hope you are able to make use of these materials.  Getting one
million people online by the end of 2012 is an ambitious target.  By
working together, I believe we can make the Government’s investment
work its hardest for real people in real places, and prove the value
of our work as a digital inclusion community.

Do get in touch if you have any questions.

Best wishes

Helen
-- 
Helen Milner
Managing Director, UK online centres
The Quadrant I 99 Parkway Avenue I Parkway Business Park I Sheffield S9 4WG
UK online centres are managed by Ufi, the organisation also behind learndirect