IT Funding for Social Care Organisations

SCIP is now an approved supplier of computer equipment, support and training for the Get Connected scheme that funds providers of care for adults in England to offer IT access to their staff and clients. Grants of up to £20,000 are currently available, but the next cycle of expressions of interest of the fund closes at midnight on 10th September so check now whether you are available and give us a call to get a quote to submit with your bid.

The third cycle of the Investment Project is for private and voluntary sector adult social care providers offering services in England and registered with the Care Quality Commission, Companies House, Financial Services Authority or Charity Commission. All bids must cover one or both of these objectives:

• improving access by people who use services, carers and staff to ICT to enhance the quality of life offered within the service
and/or
• improving access by people who use services, carers or staff to ICT that will support their learning, training and development.

The level of funding that you can apply for depends on the size of your organisation (see below). The fund is for capital expenditure on IT equipment and software for private and voluntary sector adult social care services and providers.

The next cycle will open in November 2010. There are slightly different eligibility criteria for each cycle, so check carefully.

Micro and small organisations (employing up to 49 full-time equivalent staff) or domiciliary care agencies with 1–3 branches

• Up to a value of £20,000 per grant to improve access to ICT in order to enhance quality of life and/or skills

Medium-sized organisations (employing 50–249 full-time equivalent staff) or domiciliary care agencies with 4–20 branches

• Up to a value of £20,000 per grant to improve access to ICT in order to enhance quality of life and/or skills. This is subject to matched funding being identified by the organisation making the bid.

Large organisations (250 or more full-time equivalent staff) or in the case of domiciliary care agencies, more than 20 branches.

• Up to a value of £20,000 per grant to improve access to ICT in order to enhance quality of life and/or skills. This is subject to matched funding being identified by the organisation making the bid. In addition to meeting the overall aims of the Get Connected Investment Project, large organisations seeking funding under the innovative category for developing or transferring innovative uses of ICT to extend personalisation will need to demonstrate that their application brings a new approach to the use of technology, which delivers greater or different value for staff and service users.

Give Andy a call at SCIP on 01273 234049 if you want us to supply a quote and talk about how to bid - and visit the website to check full details of who is eligible. http://www.scie.org.uk/workforce/getconnected/index.asp