15 December 2023

Community Fund

RISE Community Fund Awards Cash Grants in Donegal

Community groups, social enterprises and small businesses receive cash injections to invest in new technologies

15 December 2023: Four community groups and a small business in county Donegal have received a quick cash injection to invest in new technology thanks to the RISE Community Fund.

Established by Granahan McCourt and NBI Chairman, David McCourt, RISE is providing monthly grants across the country for rural community organisations seeking to boost their digital ecosystems. The fund is further supported by corporate sponsors including KN Circet, KPMG, Test Triangle, DreamDev Technologies, and TLI Group.

Receiving the grants of €1000 each were the Rossnowlagh Community Group, which will utilise the funds to improve its online presence after launching earlier this year to create a welcoming space for the community; Castlefinn Tidy Towns, which is establishing barcode points around the community allowing people to use their mobile phone to access information about historical features; Greencastle Community Development CLG, with plans to invest in new equipment to support its digital hub with hot-desking facilities and meeting spaces for community use; Milford & District Resource Centre, to install digital keypads and remote monitoring cameras for the old church building it was recently gifted; and Yoyo’s, a startup food business from Burnfoot specialising in authentic Malaysian food, which is looking to digitise its order management and bring jobs to the community.

David McCourt, founder of RISE and Chairman of Granahan McCourt and NBI, commented: “When we launched the RISE Community Fund, we were looking for community groups, charities, small businesses and social enterprises in rural areas who were exploring how technology could scale the impact of their work. I’m delighted to say that since opening applications in County Donegal, the response has been incredible and now we’re excited to be awarding grants to our successful applicants. Each one of them is an inspiration, with many volunteering their time and committing a huge amount of energy and passion to bring pride of place to their local community.”

The RISE Community Fund supported by NBI and Granahan McCourt calls on small businesses, charities, community groups and social enterprises to use technology in creative and entrepreneurial ways to deliver maximum impact.

Nina Fern, a volunteer at the Rossnowlagh Community Group, commented: “Communities are the heart of rural towns and villages, and we are delighted to receive this grant funding from RISE to support ours. Like so many community groups, we’re working hard to encourage open and sociable interaction and participation within our community and this cash injection from RISE will help us to use digital channels more effectively.”

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 in Donegal.”

NBI is reminding Donegal residents to also visit their website at www.nbi.ie to check whether their home, farm or business is included in the National Broadband Plan and to sign up for Eircode specific updates on the rollout.

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