SCVO Launches Digital Pioneers Housing Fund (Scotland)

Housing associations, local authorities, charities, and organisations delivering landlord, supported housing, or special housing advice services across Scotland can apply for funding to help support digital inclusion activity in a housing context.

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is offering grants of up to £50,000 for housing associations, social enterprises, charities, CICs, and local authorities across Scotland to deliver projects that support meaningful digital inclusion activity in a housing context, with a particular focus on people with protected characteristics or experiencing multiple deprivations.

Funding will support digital inclusion work which aims to develop, test, and implement digital inclusion models in the housing context and that:

  • Support people to have greater access to and awareness of digital services and resources that can support them in their health and well-being.
  • Support people who are digitally excluded and those working with them, eg staff, peer supporters, and volunteers, to be digitally confident and develop essential digital skills.
  • Support people to have access to opportunities online and connections to communities that are important to them for their well-being.
  • Contribute learning to support the development of a sustainable model of digital inclusion at scale in the housing context.

Proposals are expected to achieve the following outcomes using a person-centred approach to digital exclusion:

  • Tenants or customers have improved access to housing support and wider services (eg services supporting health and wellbeing) through digital tools.
  • Tenants or customers have improved digital skills and feel more digitally confident.
  • Tenants or customers have improved well-being and increased connections because of digital inclusion work.
  • Staff and/or people connected to housing organisations will have improved skills and confidence to engage tenants or customers and support them to be digitally included.
  • Digital Pioneer organisations will contribute to developing a sustainable model of digital inclusion, at scale, in the housing context.

Funding can be used for both revenue costs, such as salaries and other delivery costs, and capital costs, such as the purchase of digital devices and connectivity.

The deadline for applications is 26 May 2023 (11:00).

(This report was the subject of a GRANTfinder Newsflash.)