Online Briefing Workshop – UKSPF Digital Connectivity in Community Facilities Grants Programme

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Hosted by VOLA | 1:30 – 3 pm on Monday 23 & 10 – 11:30 am on Tuesday 24 January 2023 (Same session, run twice) | Online on Zoom

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s (LCR CA’s) local investment plan for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) programme – the UK’s successor to EU Structural funds – has now been signed off by central Government.

The local UKSPF investment plan includes a grants programme focused on Digital Connectivity for Community Facilities. VOLA has been appointed by the LCR CA to manage this programme.

The application process for the first grant round is due to open on Monday 30 January 2023, with a 2-week response deadline. Grants will be awarded to successful applicants before the end of March 2023.

Prior to the application launch, VOLA will be holding two online (Zoom) briefing sessions for interested applicants.

The briefing session will cover fundamentals such as the purpose of the fund, finer eligibility criteria and key requirements of applicants, the application process, etc. In addition, it will provide information and tips on sourcing appropriate digital equipment (computer hardware, software, etc.), cyber security and other key considerations.

Please email jack.shields@volamerseyside.org.uk to register for the workshop.

Further background information to help determine if the briefing session is of relevance to you:

The Digital Connectivity for Community Facilities grants programme will be open to grass roots, not-for-profit, Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector organisations with an operational (public access) base in the Liverpool City Region and with an annual turnover not exceeding £1.5 million.

The overall purpose of the grants programme is to support VCFSE organisations to improve their public-facing IT facilities (i.e. computer drop-in facilities), and to create a limited number new facilities in specified target areas where there is currently no, or sparse provision. It is not about improving organisations’ general IT infrastructure.

The aim of the grants programme will be to provide funding and support to:

1. Upgrade outdated and poor quality digital kit and/or improve broadband connectivity where current connections can be evidenced as being poor
2. Increase capacity, by providing funding to purchase more digital devices, where current facilities are insufficient to meet demand
3. Target neighbourhoods where there is currently a lack of community based digital facilities to help local community-based organisations to set up new drop-in facilities.

Grants of between £2,500 and £10,000 will be made to successful applicants.

Awards will be made to organisations based in all six boroughs of the city region – Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral.

This is the first in a series of grant rounds, with further application rounds to take place during 2023 and 2024.