Comic Relief: 'Explore' (Tech for Good)

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Overview

The £230,000 Explore programme will allow charities to engage in a 12-week learning journey to scope out the kinds of digital services they might provide and to explore how digital technology could transform the ways they work. The programme includes grants of £5,000 for individual organisations, or £7,500 for collaborations.

It will offer organisations the chance to:

Identify the user need they are trying to address
Examine whether a digital solution is the best idea
Identify the key implications of implementing a new solution
Design a prototype which can be tested and made ready for further development
Look at how it might be possible to obtain funding for further work.

The application process is open to UK charities and not-for-profit organisations with incomes of between £75,000 and £10 million.

Applications should address one of the following core issue areas -

A Safe Place To Be,
Fighting For Gender Justice,
Children Survive and Thrive,
Global Mental Health Matters.

Applications addressing challenges related to disability outside of the themes specified above are also welcome, acknowledging the critical potential of digital technology in tackling this issue.

What does the programme offer?

If successful you will gain access to:

A rich 3-month structured and tailored support programme, helping you to:
- Carry out effective user research
- Examine whether a digital solution is the best idea
- Identify the key challenges of any such solution, and their implications
- Design a prototype which can be tested and made ready for further development
- Look at how it might be possible to obtain funding for further work.
£5,000 grants for single organisations and £7,500 for collaborations to cover your staff’s time, and any associated costs developing your digital solution.

They expect to make 40-50 grants of £5,000 - 7,500, totalling up to £230,000.

The support programme will include practical learning, peer support and one-to-one expert guidance. It will give each participant access to the tools and resources needed for their specific project. All support will be delivered online or via video / phone calls.

(Please note that if successful you will receive funding from and be a grantee of CAST, not of Comic Relief or Paul Hamlyn Foundation.)

What are the programme dates?

The programme offers a choice of two start dates:

20th July (finishing 9th October) or
7th September (finishing 27th November).

Applicants will be asked to select their preferred date when filling out the form.

Who is eligible to enter?

Not-for-profit organisations with an annual income of between £75,000 and £10 million, operating charitable activities within the UK. To be considered for this programme, charities and not-for-profit organisations must fulfil all eligibility criteria:

Be a not-for-profit with annual income of between £75,000 and £10 million, operating charitable activities within the UK.
Align to one of Comic Relief’s core themes: Children Survive & Thrive; Fighting for Gender Justice; A Safe Place to Be; Global Mental Health Matters. Applications addressing challenges related to disability outside of the themes specified above are also welcome, acknowledging the critical potential of digital technology in tackling this issue.
Be able to name an individual/s who will take responsibility for leading the project.
Be able to commit the time to engage fully with the programme, with evidence that the charity’s board and senior team have approved the commitment and time of the project lead over the 12 weeks. Note: the minimum time commitment required from each grantee is 1-2 days per week, over 12 weeks.
Be able to identify a specific challenge that the charity would like to address, and the beginnings of a rationale for why digital may present a solution. Applications referencing innovative back-end service delivery ideas, or ones that re-use existing technology, are welcome.
Be able to identify and collaborate with service users affected by the stated challenge.
Be committed to and have a clear approach to equal opportunities and safeguarding.
Be ready to begin the 12 week programme on one of the following dates:
Cohort 1 programme start: 20th July - 9th October
Cohort 2 programme start: 7th September - 27th November