Gloucestershire County Council has offered £200,000 to be shared among community projects to improve digital inclusion in the county.
It has opened applications for the third annual round of its Digital Innovation Fund, saying projects can receive up to £20,000 each to help people use technology to support their independence, health and wellbeing.
They can deal with new innovations or build on existing activity.
The council said it will consider partnership bids that can show the added benefits of collaboration, and that projects should be focused on supporting older people, disabled people, informal non-paid carers, refugees and people on low incomes.
It has also emphasised its desire to support people in areas at risk of digital inclusion, as identified in its Working Toward Digital Equity in Gloucestershire paper.
Important role
Cllr Carole Allaway-Martin, cabinet member for adult social care commissioning, said: “Technology can play an important role in supporting an individual’s health and wellbeing. We want to support projects that can help even more people across the county to experience these benefits.
“The fund has already supported many Gloucestershire projects and improved digital literacy across the county, while also ensuring residents can be more independent.
Since it was launched in 2020 the fund has provided grants to 33 projects.
