Clarion Futures: Digital Grants

Overview

Clarion Futures is committed to getting residents online; giving them the basic digital skills, motivation, and access to the equipment and connectivity needed to safely and confidently access online services on a regular basis.

They will be investing £150 million over the next 10 years to deliver one of the biggest social investment programmes in the country, helping to create more opportunities for people living in their homes and communities.

Grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 are available to organisations seeking to deliver innovative, well designed projects that support Clarion residents and the wider community to address digital exclusion.

The Fund is designed to support Clarion residents of all ages to get and stay online and to use the internet as an everyday tool, safely and confidently.

What will they fund

They are looking to fund projects and activities that focus on:

• Supporting residents to discover the full scope of how the internet can assist them in their everyday lives, and to provide them with the skills and confidence to do so
• Supporting residents to access the digital resources that meet their individual needs and circumstances
• Building digital skills and confidence for all
• Encouraging residents to use the internet with confidence so they are safe, and avoid risky and/or illegal behaviour

They are looking to fund projects and activities that reach:

• Residents who have never used the internet before
• Residents who may have previously used some online facilities but who may not be aware of the full potential to use the internet in their everyday lives
• Residents with limited digital skills
• Residents who do not have access to appropriate digital resources
• Residents of all ages

Funding Priorities

They are interested in applications that can demonstrate an understanding of what is already going on in the community, and how the grant funded activity will, for example:

• Make the most of existing provision in an area, add value, i.e. by reaching new participants, those that may be missing out/are unaware of how the internet can assist them
• Address a gap in provision, i.e. where there is no existing support in a specific area
• Make the best use of other services, partnerships or networks and understands the Clarion Futures Digital offer and how these resources can be deployed to enhance the project

Awareness raising
They would encourage applicants to demonstrate how they are linking with and raising awareness of other Clarion Futures programmes, activities and online services. For example, any linkage with Digital Champions, and/or other local Clarion Futures community assets, Digital Hubs, projects, services or programmes.

Volunteering
Volunteer involvement is encouraged, particularly where Clarion residents have the opportunity to volunteer and develop their skills in the process.

Sustainability
They are particularly interested in proposals that plan for the longer term and consider how activities could be sustained after Clarion funding has come to an end. For example, plans for Digital Champions or other volunteers to run parts of the project, fundraising plans, building the project into other local services etc.

In-kind and match-funding
This may include grants from other funders, free venue hire, donations and so on. Volunteer time can be included as in-kind support at the rate of £10/hour.

Who can apply?

Not-for-profit organisations including constituted community groups, registered charities, companies limited by guarantee, social enterprises or Community Interest Companies (CICs) are eligible to apply to the Clarion Futures Digital Grants Programme.

Criteria

• Delivering a project primarily aimed at supporting Clarion residents and the wider community
• Have at least three (3) unrelated management committee members
• Have a governing document
• Have an organisational bank account in the name of the constituted group with at least two (2) unrelated signatories
• Have a record of income and expenditure or set of accounts
  • If you are a new group you will need a bank statement and an income and expenditure forecast
• Have a safeguarding policy if working with young people under the age of 18, or vulnerable adults
• Have the relevant insurance in place, including public liability and employer liability where required
• Have an online safety policy in place covering participants, tutors/trainers and volunteers If you do not have this in place you will be obligated to develop a policy as a condition of funding

What can I apply for?

Grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 are available towards your activity costs, these can include, for example:

• Connectivity (mobile and fixed)
• Training resources
• Venue hire
• Insurance
• Event costs
• Volunteer expenses
• Equipment and computer software
• Refreshments for project participants
• Project delivery staff time – including sessional IT tutors with experience of delivering digital inclusion training, and reasonable project management costs
• Publicity materials

Salary costs

a) In all cases where the Grant Amount is supporting partial or total costs in relation to a salaried post(s) Clarion Futures will not take on any employment obligations or become an employer of the post holder(s) or any third party as a result of the provision of the Grant Amount.

b) For the avoidance of doubt, the Recipient will remain responsible for all employment costs including (but not limited to) those costs associated with maternity, paternity, adoptive or extended sick leave, severance or redundancy costs in line with the Recipient’s standard organisational policies.

Funding existing projects

They are able to fund existing projects and continuation funding of the same project. However, please ensure your proposal demonstrates learning and development from previous iterations of the project delivery and/or new and creative ideas. They are looking for proposals that respond to community need and can demonstrate addressing a demand for the activities.

Funding equipment

They are able to offer equipment which can be loaned throughout the duration of your project (subject to availability). To find out more, speak to your local Digital Support Officer or contact digital@clarionhg.com

They are also able to provide funding for equipment provided that the full amount of the grant is not used solely to cover the cost of equipment, and the following criteria are met:

a) A clear demonstration of need for the items

b) The equipment will be used primarily for digital inclusion - the equipment may be used for computer training as well, but this will not be the primary use;

c) The equipment must be made available for the community benefit and cannot be purchased to benefit an individual;

d) There is somewhere safe and secure to store the equipment and it will be insured (you may apply for insurance costs)

e) Equipment (hardware or software) that you are applying for cannot be obtained for free or at greatly reduced cost elsewhere. A couple of examples of suppliers of hardware and/or software at reduced costs are:

• Tier1 online refurbish high quality laptops and desktops. They take machines in a working conditionfrom large corporations and remove all the data, clean and grade them. Details can be found at www.tier1online.com
• If you are a Registered Charity, consider using the Technology Trust to source your hardware and software at greatly reduced prices. You can visit the TT-Exchange website to find out more and register your organisation at www.tt-exchange.org/getting_started.

f) Equipment (in a useable state) must not already be available in the area - they are able to fund upgrades for existing equipment or where it needs to be made accessible to residents