The Connecting South Yorkshire Fund

The South Yorkshire Digital Inclusion Network and Citizens Advice Doncaster are pleased to make up to £1,000  available for projects running in 2024 and 2025 for groups wishing to improve their own digital connectivity, or the offer they provide to their community. Grants will be issued on a first come, first served basis to groups who meet the eligibility criteria noted below.

Who is The Connecting South Yorkshire Fund for?

These grants are intended for small, developing, grass roots groups and organisations from across South Yorkshire, where small amounts of funding can make a real difference.

Organisations / groups do not have to be a registered charity and the majority of grants will be one-off payments up to £1,000.

We welcome applications from all community and voluntary groups and organisations operating for the benefit of South Yorkshire communities. Groups must therefore have beneficiaries who live in South Yorkshire and be locally led and run. This includes locally constituted and managed branches of national or large charities. The last financial annual income of the group should not be more than £10,000.

What can I spend the money on?

This grant is intended to help groups improve their broadband/internet connection or your digital offer to your community. The grant could be for:

• Support providing and improving public access to internet connections and public access to technology. 
• Support with the costs associated with the delivery of community based digital inclusion activities, enhancing digital skills, and improving access to online services and information. 

This might include:

• Laptops or IT equipment (routers, cables, webcams, audio equipment etc.)
• Broadband connectivity for you or a group you support
• Project costs for digital literacy programmes
• Improving connections and mobile communication with the people your group and organisation supports

How do we apply?

 Before sending in your application you will first need to:

• Sign up to the Good Things Foundation network as a registered digital inclusion hub - Link to their web page here www.goodthingsfoundation.org/network/join/
• Complete the South Yorkshire Digital Inclusion Survey https://forms.gle/K1U2wS4bTVrAqSk4A
• Sign up to the South Yorkshire Digital Inclusion Network to receive updates and invites to relevant events https://forms.gle/FuKKjMETdszCsh1v8

There will then be two forms to be completed. We can accept these forms online, or by hand.  You need to:

• Complete the SYCF Connecting South Yorkshire Application Form online linked below (you can also request this form to complete by hand by contacting us on grants@sycf.org.uk or by telephone on 0114 242 4294.)
• Send us a reference if you are new to SYCF. The reference form is attached to the registration online form or can be sent to you/your referee directly. Please ask them to complete and return the form to us via email or post. We only need a reference from you if you have not applied to SYCF for funds in the past, or it was more than 3 years ago.

Groups applying for the fund are also required to provide:

• A copy of your group’s signed Constitution or Rules which should tell us the names of at least three unrelated Trustees or Directors. If you are a registered charity, or have supplied this on previous applications to SYCF you do not need to resend this document as we will have it on file.
• Your most recent set of audited accounts, or a 12 months income/expenditure sheet so we can understand the finances at your organisation.
• A copy of a recent bank statement in the name of your organisation
• if you would like to purchase any single item over £200 we will need to see two quotes for that purchase wiith information in your application to tell us why you have chosen the particular supplier.
• If you work with vulnerable adults and/or children we will need a copy of your Safeguarding Policy.

We aim to come back to you with 6-8 weeks of receiving an eligible application (i.e. all requested supporting documentation received).

Funds will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. £40,000 will be available in 2024 -2025 to groups working in South Yorkshire.