Deadline: 06-Jul-2026
The Digital Neighbourhood Network Scheme provides grants of up to £2,000 to help community organisations improve digital access, skills, and connectivity for residents in Birmingham. The scheme especially supports older people and individuals with long-term disabilities by expanding access to digital tools, training, internet connectivity, and community-based digital support.
Overview
The Digital Neighbourhood Network Scheme is a digital inclusion project run by Northfield Community Partnership.
The scheme is commissioned by Birmingham City Council’s Prevention & Communities team within the Adult Social Care Directorate.
It aims to strengthen digital inclusion across Birmingham by supporting community organisations, Neighbourhood Network Schemes, social workers, and social prescribers to build digital capacity and support residents who may face barriers to online access.
Key Details
- Scheme: Digital Neighbourhood Network Scheme
- Location: Birmingham
- Delivery partner: Northfield Community Partnership
- Commissioner: Birmingham City Council Prevention & Communities team
- Directorate: Adult Social Care Directorate
- Grant amount: Up to £2,000
- Eligible applicants: Community organisations and groups
- Main beneficiaries: Older people and people with long-term disabilities
- Focus: Digital inclusion, training, marketing, and internet connectivity
Focus Areas
The scheme supports projects that improve digital inclusion and community digital capacity.
Key focus areas include:
- Digital inclusion
- Digital skills development
- Community support
- Digital training
- Marketing for digital inclusion activities
- Internet connectivity
- Access to digital tools and services
- Capacity building for community organisations
- Support for social workers
- Support for social prescribers
- Digital access for older people
- Digital support for people with long-term disabilities
Key Concepts Explained
What is Digital Inclusion?
Digital inclusion means ensuring that people can access, understand, and use digital tools, services, devices, and internet connectivity.
It is especially important for people who may be digitally excluded due to age, disability, cost, lack of confidence, or limited skills.
What is Digital Maturity?
Digital maturity refers to how prepared an organisation or network is to use digital tools effectively. This may include staff skills, internet access, digital services, online communication, and the ability to support others with technology.
What are Neighbourhood Network Schemes?
Neighbourhood Network Schemes support local communities by connecting residents with services, groups, and activities that improve wellbeing and independence.
What is Community Digital Support?
Community digital support helps residents use digital tools for everyday needs such as accessing services, staying connected, finding information, managing appointments, or participating in community life.
Who is Eligible?
Eligible applicants include community organisations and groups.
Applicants must not be:
- Individuals
- Sole traders
Projects should support digital inclusion for residents, especially older people and those with long-term disabilities.
What the Grant Can Support
Grants of up to £2,000 can support projects focused on:
- Digital inclusion activities
- Marketing digital support services
- Training community members or staff
- Improving internet connectivity
- Building digital skills
- Supporting digitally inclusive organisations
- Helping residents access digital tools and services
What the Scheme Does Not Support
The scheme excludes several types of activity.
Ineligible areas include:
- Capital projects
- Statutory obligations
- Political promotion
- Religious promotion
- Applications from individuals
- Applications from sole traders
- National charities
- Other restricted activities listed in the programme guidelines
How the Scheme Works
The project supports Birmingham’s wider digital inclusion goals by assessing the digital maturity of Neighbourhood Network Schemes and helping organisations improve digital access and skills.
It works by:
- Identifying digital inclusion needs across communities.
- Supporting community organisations to expand digital activities.
- Helping social workers and social prescribers build digital support capacity.
- Providing small grants for training, marketing, and connectivity.
- Encouraging organisations to become more digitally inclusive.
How to Apply
Step 1: Check Eligibility
Confirm that your applicant is a community organisation or group, not an individual or sole trader.
Step 2: Define the Digital Inclusion Need
Identify the digital barriers faced by residents, especially older people and people with long-term disabilities.
Step 3: Choose the Project Focus
Develop a project focused on marketing, training, internet connectivity, digital access, or skills development.
Step 4: Prepare the Budget
Create a clear budget of up to £2,000 showing how funds will support digital inclusion.
Step 5: Show Community Benefit
Explain how the project will improve access to digital tools, technologies, services, or support.
Step 6: Check Exclusions
Make sure the project does not fall under excluded categories such as capital works, statutory duties, political or religious promotion, or national charity activities.
Step 7: Submit the Application
Complete and submit the application according to the scheme guidelines.
Why It Matters
Digital exclusion can prevent people from accessing services, information, support networks, and opportunities.
The scheme matters because it helps:
- Older people access digital services.
- People with long-term disabilities use online tools.
- Community organisations become more digitally inclusive.
- Social workers and social prescribers provide better digital support.
- Residents stay connected and informed.
- Birmingham communities build stronger digital confidence and capacity.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid:
- Applying as an individual or sole trader
- Requesting more than £2,000
- Proposing capital projects
- Applying for statutory obligations
- Submitting political or religious promotion activities
- Failing to explain the digital inclusion need
- Not showing how older people or disabled residents will benefit
- Providing unclear training, marketing, or connectivity plans
- Ignoring the programme’s exclusion criteria
Tips for a Strong Application
Applicants should:
- Clearly define the digital barriers in their community.
- Show how the project will improve access, confidence, or connectivity.
- Focus on practical outcomes for older people and people with long-term disabilities.
- Explain how community workers or volunteers will support residents.
- Keep the budget realistic and within £2,000.
- Align activities with training, marketing, or internet connectivity.
- Demonstrate how the organisation will become more digitally inclusive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Digital Neighbourhood Network Scheme?
It is a digital inclusion grant scheme supporting community organisations in Birmingham to improve digital access, skills, and connectivity for residents.
How much funding is available?
Grants of up to £2,000 are available.
Who can apply?
Community organisations and groups can apply. Individuals and sole traders are not eligible.
Who does the scheme aim to support?
The scheme especially supports older people and people with long-term disabilities who may face barriers to digital access.
What activities can be funded?
Funding can support marketing, training, internet connectivity, digital skills development, and community digital inclusion activities.
Who runs the scheme?
The scheme is run by Northfield Community Partnership and commissioned by Birmingham City Council’s Prevention & Communities team within the Adult Social Care Directorate.
What activities are excluded?
Excluded activities include capital projects, statutory obligations, political or religious promotion, national charities, individuals, sole traders, and other restricted activities listed in the programme guidelines.
Conclusion
The Digital Neighbourhood Network Scheme helps Birmingham community organisations improve digital access, skills, and connectivity for residents who may be digitally excluded. With grants of up to £2,000, the scheme supports practical projects that build digital confidence, strengthen community support, and improve access to essential online tools and services for older people and individuals with long-term disabilities.
For more information, visit Heart of England Community Foundation.