Dunedin offers not-for-profits $20k for innovative UFB usage ideas
Dunedin is offering up to $20,000 to each of five Dunedin organisations and charity groups that can come up with innovative community project ideas using gigabit technology.
- 13 March, 2017 11:35
Dunedin is offering up to $20,000 to each of five Dunedin organisations and charity groups that can come up with innovative community project ideas using gigabit technology.
The total funding of about $100,000 is the fourth of five funding rounds to distribute a total of $500,000 given by Chorus to Dunedin to “assist the city’s community groups to create initiatives using gig and UFB technology to enhance the development, experimentation and implementation of community, learning and workforce opportunities.”
It was part of Dunedin’s prize as winner of the Gigatown competition launched by Chorus in 2013 in which 50 towns vied to become the country’s first Gigatown and of which Dunedin was the eventual winner.
To be eligible for funding, projects need to be able to be delivered within a 12-month timeframe, be concepts that can be picked up by other organisations and must demonstrate how they will add value to the community and city.
To date, $268,086 out of the $500,000 pledged by Chorus has been awarded to community projects ranging from VR through to programming workshops and application development.
Chorus Dunedin liaison manager, Kim Stewart, said: “We’re looking for community innovators exploring the use of UFB technologies that will make a difference to people’s everyday lives and will make this great city even better.”
The fund is open to registered charity groups, incorporated societies, or state-funded education entities. Applications must be made online before 7 April 2017. Projects will be reviewed by a community panel and decisions announced in June.
In October applications were called for the fourth and final round of funding under a separate Gigatown Dunedin fund, the $200,000 GigStart Fund provided by Chorus and Nokia (formerly Alcatel-Lucent).
This fund, managed by Startup Dunedin, provides money to Dunedin startups with innovative ideas for new businesses that exploit UFB services.