Apply for a capital grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund

This grant is for improvements to facilities that end users and local residents (within Kirklees) will benefit from. It does not support work_related IT equipment for staff use.

To apply for the digital infrastructure grant, you will have to:

• outline how you will use it to improve digital equipment or infrastructure
• explain why this upgrade is required
• estimate how many residents the upgrades will assist monthly

All costs will be assessed by Kirklees Council and must be deemed as fair and reasonable.

Examples of improvements

These are examples of the type of improvements that we would expect the capital digital fund to support. The lists are not explicit or exhaustive and should be used as a guide only.

Equipment

• Network server
• Desktop PCs, laptops or Chromebooks
• New software
• New monitors
• IT peripherals (for instance: mouse, keyboard)
• Smart TV
• Interactive white screen
• Computer chairs and desks
• Printers

Infrastructure

• Installation of broadband or upgrade to fibre
• New or additional Wi-Fi connector or access points
• New or improved networking or trunking
• Networking hardware
• Hubs, routers, switches
• Fibre-optic cabling

Organisations will have to evidence how their digital infrastructure has been improved to meet UK Shared Prosperity Fund outcomes. Specifically:

Improvements to existing, community and neighbourhood infrastructure projects. This means projects aiming at improving or creating facilities and infrastructure. As this is aiming to measure change, it will only be relevant where the individual could experience it previously (meaning, it existed previously and isn't new).

We expect to measure this through a series of before and after surveys, and a case study.

• The sample surveyed should be large enough to enable accurate results based on the centre usage size.
• You must ensure that respondents are representative of the local population as a whole, in terms of age, sex and other characteristics.
• We will also require before and after photos as evidence that the improvements have taken place.

Example of providing evidence of outcomes

Improvement needed

The centre has Wi-Fi available to users through a standard broadband connection. A survey captures users indicating that it is not reliable. The centre reports that footfall and its offer to support residents has decreased or is at risk.

Result

Funding is approved for the installation of fibre broadband. A survey captures users reporting that the Wi-Fi is more reliable and faster. Footfall is either increasing, with services no longer at risk, or additional services are now available.