Community groups express delight at opportunity to invest in new technologies
Five community groups in Cavan have received a quick cash injection thanks to the RISE Community Fund supported by National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company delivering the National Broadband Plan (NBP).
The five successful community groups are amongst some of the first recipients of the RISE Community Fund after it was launched earlier this year.
Established by NBI Chairman and technology entrepreneur, David McCourt, RISE is providing monthly grants across the country for small businesses, social enterprises and charities in rural communities seeking to boost their digital ecosystems.
Receiving the grants of €1000 each were the community based development association, Shercock Killann Rural Development, which plans to build a website for its rural regeneration programme; Templeport Resource Centre, which will be investing in laptops and tablet devices to provide skills training for elderly residents; Cavan Federation Irish Country Womens Association, which will be funding an IT instructor to train volunteers in social media and other digital areas in order to upskill other members; Mullahoran Community Centre, which will be bolstering its connectivity with new broadband boosters; and Country Market Cavan, which will be creating a series of digital templates to support and promote seasonal foods.
David McCourt, founder of RISE and Chairman of NBI, commented: “When we launched the RISE Community Fund supported by NBI, we were looking for community groups, small businesses and charities in rural areas who were exploring how technology could scale the impact of their work. I’m delighted to say that since opening up applications in Cavan and the surrounding townlands, the response has been incredible and today we’re excited to be awarding grants to these five successful applicants. Each one of them is an inspiration, volunteering their time and committing a huge amount of energy and passion to bring pride of place to their local community.”
Following the route of the NBI deployment, The RISE Community Fund supported by NBI calls on small businesses, community groups and social enterprises to use technology in creative and entrepreneurial ways to deliver maximum impact.
Imelda Mullen from the Cottage Market Cavan, commented: “We are delighted to receive this grant from the RISE Community Fund and NBI. We are hugely passionate about empowering our community and finding innovative ways to support small-scale growers, food producers, crafters and artists in the Cavan area, and with this grant funding we will be able to introduce some fantastic new initiatives to benefit our members.
Peter Hendrick, CEO of NBI, added: “At NBI, we’re on a mission to connect over 1.1 million people in rural Ireland who don’t have access to high-speed broadband to a world-class, superfast network. Whilst connectivity is a vital utility and a critical first step, it alone can’t solve all of the challenges for businesses, community groups and social enterprises trying to expand the positive impact they’re able to have – both to the local community, and to the wider economy. That’s why we’re incredibly excited to engage local communities with the RISE Community Fund and celebrate innovative uses of technology here in Cavan.”
Read more about the Community Fund at www.riseglobalfoundation.com
