Overview

The Digital Hubs program will establish a Digital Hub in each of the 40 communities that first benefit from the National Broadband Network (NBN).

The Digital Hubs Program will provide residents in the local community with training in digital literacy skills to help them to participate in the NBN-enabled digital economy. The Digital Hubs Program will also demonstrate the opportunities presented by the NBN and how households can take advantage of these opportunities by connecting with it.

Community organisations—including public libraries, local councils, adult education institutions and others—are eligible to provide the activities of a Digital Hub.

Objective

To provide funding to establish a Digital Hub that will provide training to narrow the gap between those Australians who engage online and those who do not. Digital Hubs Program will enable local residents to increase their online engagement and better understand the opportunities presented by the NBN by demonstrating applications enabled by high-speed broadband.

Funding

The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (the department) will administer the Digital Hubs program. The total program funding is $13.6 million over three years.

The total amount of funding provided for the operation of a Digital Hub will generally be between $150 000 and $350 000 (GST-exclusive) for a period of two years.

The amount of Digital Hubs Program funding allocated to specific communities may be outside this range. The amount of a grant will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be proportional to the size of the area and the activities within it proposed by the successful applicant.

An additional $10,000 (GST-exclusive) over two years will be available for each Digital Hub specifically for raising awareness in the local community and encouraging participation.

Eligible activities

Digital Hubs Program Funding must be used specifically to establish a Digital Hub and provide training and support that allows participants to develop their digital literacy skills and experience an NBN-enabled online environment.

Digital Hubs Program Applicants can apply for Digital Hubs funding for the following activities:

• ICT equipment costs—to purchase, maintain and update hardware and software that takes advantage of high-speed broadband
• staff costs—to provide Digital Hubs staff to deliver digital literacy training to individuals and groups, including salary, superannuation and other staff costs
• program management costs—including administration, annual program audit and reporting requirements (this figure should not usually exceed 20 per cent of total program budget unless adequate justification is provided)
• NBN connection costs—to enable physical connection of Digital Hubs venues to the NBN
• internet costs—to cover ongoing connections to high-speed broadband
• promotional/communication activities—to promote the Digital Hub service to the local community

Digital Hubs Program Funding recipients wishing to use Digital Hubs funds for other activities must seek prior written agreement from the department, which will not release funding for other purposes without prior agreement.

Ineligible activities

Digital Hubs funding is not to be used for the following activities:

• costs associated with connecting to high-speed broadband for premises outside of the NBN footprint
• catering
• training for business-based activities
• providing technical support and advice to Digital Hubs participants regarding IT systems and maintenance
• providing commercial advice
• capital works, development of websites or software
• research and feasibility studies
• travel costs, including air fares, car hire or purchase or other travel costs.

A funding recipient who wishes to engage in activities outside the scope of the funding agreement must seek approval from the department.

Timing

Please lodge Digital Hubs Program applications electronically on 3 February 2012 using the application pack.

Expert Assistance

We have successfully assisted an LGA access NBN funding. If you require assistance with the Digital Hubs Program grant application, contact 03 9005 6789 to discuss how we can assist you.

The Digital Local Government (DLG) program (Draft) provides funding to local governments in communities that first benefit from the high-speed services which the National Broadband Network (NBN) will provide. The Digital Local Government (DLG) program assists local governments in these communities to deliver innovative online services—in particular, to homes and businesses.

The Digital Local Government (DLG) program encourages the development of online services that are replicable and scalable, and which other local governments across Australia can adapt for their purposes as the NBN is rolled out to them. It has the potential to encourage a step change in the quality, availability and speed of local government services.

Each of the local councils in the 40 communities in the NBN early rollout sites is encouraged to submit a detailed proposal for funding under the Digital Local Government (DLG) program. Round 1 will include the first eight councils representing communities in the NBN first-release sites.

• Armidale Dumaresq Council, New South Wales
• Circular Head Council, Tasmania
• City of Onkaparinga, South Australia
• Dorset Council, Tasmania
• Kiama Municipal Council, New South Wales
• Moreland City Council, Victoria
• Sorell Council, Tasmania
• Townsville City Council, Queensland.

Local councils are encouraged to partner with private sector vendors and/or form partnerships/consortia with other eligible local councils. By forming consortia, councils will access a larger pool of funds to enable the collaborative development of NBN‑enabled services to meet common objectives across the collective communities.

Each council (or consortium of councils) must submit a business case for funding from the Digital Local Government (DLG) program to provide transparency and consistency in funding allocation. The business case template is included at Section 11 of these guidelines.

Funding

The $17.1 million Digital Local Government (DLG) program will provide funding over the three years ending 30 June 2014 to local councils in communities that first benefit from the NBN.

 The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy administers the program and will make funding available through staged rounds, according to the NBN rollout schedule.

 Total funding available under Round 1 of the program is $3 million.

Funding is available to each local government (or council/consortium of councils) to assist with projects that will contribute to the DLG program objectives. The Digital Local Government (DLG) program provides funding of up to $375 000 (excluding GST) to each of the local councils representing the communities that first benefit from the NBN.

Each council or consortium must contribute a minimum of 25 per cent of the total estimated project cost from sources other than the Australian Government. A council contribution may consist of cash, or in-kind contributions, or a combination of both.

Examples of potentially funded projects

Some examples of potential projects for which the Digital Local Government (DLG) program could fund development include the following:

• A platform to host online video-based community forums on topical issues such as major development proposals. This would have the potential for enabling a larger number and wider cross-section of interested residents to participate in local government consultative processes.
• Enhancing or replacing an existing council service with an online service delivered to the home via the NBN. For example, many councils are responsible for the delivery of health care advice to assist new parents. This service involves maternal and child health nurses visiting parents to provide advice and support on issues with newborns such as sleep and settling difficulties. In some instances, the parents may have to visit the healthcare centre. If some of these consultations could be delivered via video conference using the NBN, it would be possible to deliver more timely advice, reduce travel costs and increase convenience.
• Local government services to the home using cloud-based applications that require significant bandwidth and assured levels of stability. The use of cloud-based services would ensure that councils always had access to the latest applications and could easily scale up services at periods of high demand.
• A video streaming platform that could help promote local tourism, events and businesses and which potential customers could access anywhere.

In the last 6 months we assisted a Local Government Authority secure over $150,000 in funding through a similar NBN grant called CIIF (Round 2). We are experts in obtaining government grants. Contact us to see how we can assist your LGA consortium.