 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
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
Milner
Managing
Director,
UK
online
centres
M:
07901716146
I E:
hmilner@ufi.com
I W:
www.ukonlinecentres.com
Pauline
Bennett
(PA) T:
0114 227
0028 I
E:
pbennett@ufi.com
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
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