Investing in Innovation
Tech for Good programme invites applications to help more charities achieve social change through technology
Comic Relief and Paul Hamlyn Foundation are working in partnership to deliver the Tech for Good funding programme. The programme will support 10 charity organisations who are using technology to deliver new ideas and make their services more effective.
Successful applicants will receive £15,000 – £50,000 over four months, which will include £3,500 for dedicated technical support. In addition to the funding, projects will take part in an intensive development programme including a residential camp to connect them with leading tech for good experts. We hope that by the end of their funding, projects will have made significant progress and be connected to the right support to scale up innovation where appropriate and to bolster sustainability.
The Tech for Good programme builds on the success of Comic Relief’s 2015 pilot scheme which enabled six not-for-profit organisations to develop much needed digital products and services. Grantees included two innovative projects that recently won Tech4Good Awards — SafetyNets which helps sex workers notify one another of dangerous people, and the audio-based app Wayfindr which enables visually impaired people to navigate their world using directions delivered through their smartphone.
Paul Hamlyn Foundation is delighted to be working with Comic Relief to expand on this success through the 2016 Tech for Good programme. The programme will not only benefit the 10 organisations involved, but will also help develop wider learning across civil society about the application of technology for social good.
Moira Sinclair, Chief Executive of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation said: “We believe it is important to back innovation with monetary support and specialist expertise if we are learn from others and achieve better results. By partnering with Comic Relief, we can expand our collective support to charities wishing to address complex social issues through technological solutions. Together we hope the programme will result in improvements to service design and delivery that can have an impact on many people’s lives.”
Applications for the Tech for Good programme will close at 3pm on November 1st. Full application details are available at https://goo.gl/forms/ocPOi2tM9tc8Uzy13. Shortlisted video applications will be available online.