Big funding round for Canterbury region

Big funding round for Canterbury region

InternetNZ is today launching a new funding round, offering over $100,000 to support Internet projects that will benefit the Canterbury region. The money is the last part of the half million dollars that InternetNZ has contributed to the region following the major earthquakes in 2010 and 2011.

The Canterbury funding round is to help fund projects that will extend the availability, use and benefit of the Internet in and around the Canterbury region. Two such areas would be projects that support more widely available access to the Internet, and projects which deliver better use of the Internet.

Chief Executive Jordan Carter says that community funding is one of the best parts of the job.

"Working alongside some of the best and brightest in New Zealand's Internet community is such a highlight. Canterbury is an important region where people are thinking hard about how to build the sort of city and region, and the sorts of businesses and other organisations, that suit the 21st century.

“We are aware that there is still much to be done in the rebuild, but the major focus of this round is towards projects that look beyond the rebuild and help answer this simple question: ‘what will the Internet’s contribution be to Canterbury for the next 15 years?’

“By contributing this money to the work of others we're helping them to grow Internet capability in Canterbury. We've previously provided money to groups who have set out to map the Internet in New Zealand and provide free wireless to some of New Zealand's poorer communities.

"The Internet is such a dominant part of our society now that any work we can do to help grow Canterbury’s capabilities will definitely contribute to the region’s economic and social progress," says Mr Carter.

The funding round was launched at NetHui South; the South Island version of New Zealand’s premier Internet event.

The application processes will be in 2 stages:

• Stage 1 - Expressions of Interest
Applicants submit an Expression of Interest, with a brief outline of their request.
Shortlisted applications will be invited to proceed to Stage 2.

• Stage 2 - Detailed Project Proposal
Shortlisted applicants submit a detailed project proposal.
Final decisions will be made by InternetNZ's grants committee.

The first stage – Expressions of Interest – closes on 5 January 2015, details and application forms are at https://internetnz.net.nz/content/Canterbury-Funding-Round

ENDS

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