UKSPF Digital Connectivity Grants

11th June 2025

Round 6 is now open. Skip to application documents and briefing session slides and recordings. Or if you are not sure what the fund is about, watch these short films and read the online intro first.

Digital Connectivity for Community Facilities: Introduction

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s (LCRCA’s) local investment plan for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) includes a grants programme focused on Digital Connectivity for Community Facilities.  VOLA has been appointed by the LCRCA to manage this programme.

In the first phase of the project (2023-25), 182 grants were awarded to 161 grass-roots, not-for-profit community organisations across the Liverpool City Region, with £1,314,850 invested in supporting the development of 170 new or improved community digital facilities.

A further two funding rounds are planned for 2025, one launched on 11th June, and one planned for September.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applications are invited from constituted, VCFSE sector organisations, run on a not-for-profit basis, with operational (public access) base in the Liverpool City Region, whose income in the most recent financial year did not exceed £1.5 million.

In addition, applicant organisations/groups must have been in existence for at least 12 months and be a going concern.

Further detail is provided in the FAQs document further down this page.

Watch this short film to see how the grant has helped Wirral Change.

Round 6 – application deadline 5pm, Wednesday 9th July 2025

The sixth funding round is now open for applications!

Completed applications and any enquiries should be emailed to: ukspfgrants@volamerseyside.org.uk.

If you don’t already know what the funding is aimed at, watch this short video to find out more and see if it could be an opportunity for you. Note, some changes have been made since this film was made, so you will also need to refer to the FAQs document below.

Grants of between £2,500 and £10,000 are available, which will be awarded to successful applicants in early August.

For Round 6, £150,000 is being made available across the Liverpool City Region, with indicative borough funding allocations as follows:

  • Halton £11,805
  • Knowsley £15,210
  • Liverpool £49,755
  • Sefton £25,185
  • St Helens £18,285
  • Wirral £29,760

Significantly less funding is available this year than in the previous two years – £226,500 in total. Depending on the volume and quality of applications in Round 6, initial plans are to hold back £76,500 for Round 7, which will essentially be used as a ‘mop-up’ round. Therefore, interested organisations are strongly urged to apply in Round 6. 

Application form & supporting documents

Online briefing sessions

These sessions have now taken place. Slides and recordings are available below.

General Briefing

This session summarises key information relating to the grants fund (purpose, eligibility criteria, what it can/ can’t fund, etc), and are useful in helping to decide on whether or not to apply, and how to submit a good application

Technical Tips Session

The technical tips session provides essential information and advice on important issues to consider and dos & don’ts in relation to planning your IT facility – extremely useful if you aren’t an IT expert! Feedback from previous successful applicants that attended this session has been overwhelmingly positive in terms of how useful and important it was in helping them to carefully plan their project.

We hope that the breadth of information provided will be sufficient in supporting you to plan a strong project and submit a good application. If you need any further assistance with your application, please contact your local CVS or other support organisation. 

If you have any queries, please email ukspfgrants@volamerseyside.org.uk.  We will endeavour to respond to your query within 3 working days.