Notice Board - News

Community Partnership Fund successful applicants announced

Office of Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban,

"64 innovative information and communication technology (ICT) community projects will receive over $10 million in funding from the 2007 round of the Digital Strategy Community Partnership Fund," announced Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Luamanuvao Winnie Laban today.

The Community Partnership Fund (CPF) is part of the Government's Digital Strategy, which focuses on connecting communities and building the confidence of people in the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

"This announcement is more great news for our communities. The 2007 Community Partnership Fund grants are for community-based ICT projects that bring communities closer together," said Laban.

"These projects will allow for some exciting new ICT initiatives such as:

• the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind's pilot study to convert school curricula texts into digital talking books;
• the Gisborne District Council's new Computers in Homes project;
• the Clutha Agricultural Development Board's programme of using existing ICT facilities at rural schools to run computer training courses for farmers; and
• Lee Wraggle Ltd's project which uses ICT to record and map noxious weeds," said Laban.

The Community Partnership Fund was established to distribute $17.4 million to communities over four years.

Laban said the Government was committed to building and supporting strong, sustainable and connected communities.

"The 2007 Community Partnership Fund is part of this commitment which pulls together central government, local government and business to help communities realise their ICT aspirations."

Four areas of key focus for the 2007 round were sustainability, community impact/benefit, innovative initiatives, and ICT development. Organisations were asked to incorporate these elements into their comprehensive applications.

Details of successful projects are attached in the file below.