Local Digital Fund Round 5

The Local Digital Fund - Round 5

The Local Digital Fund aims to help councils transform their digital services in line with the Local Digital Declaration.

For its fifth round of funding, we invited local authorities to submit proposals in two thematic areas: development platforms and software.

Applications are now closed for this funding round and we are delighted to have awarded over £2.3million of funding to 9 council-led projects. You can learn more about the successful projects in this blog post.

Follow us on Twitter or read our Sprint Notes for updates on the progress of all of our funded projects.

Learn more

Funding themes

Theme 1 – Development platforms

Theme 1 is focused on modern user-friendly development platforms that enable councils to design and build different types of front facing services.

This may include:

  • low code platforms
  • open source technology
  • solutions aimed at end to end service transformation

 

Theme 2 – Software

Theme 2 is an open theme to tackle inflexible and expensive software in councils, develop new software solutions or services, and/or help reduce their cyber vulnerability.

This may include:

  • addressing problems posed by inflexible software
  • using new digital services that reduce cyber vulnerability
  • creating a service or solution that tackles out of support software

All projects must:

  • solve common problems and address user needs
  • create a working prototype, product or service
  • produce an output that can be used by another council
  • be in alpha or beta phase and:
    • if in alpha, deliver within 12 weeks
    • if in beta, deliver within 6 months
  • fit within one of the two thematic areas
Learn more

How to apply

Applications are now closed for this funding round. This page will updated with the successful projects once they have been announced.

Local Digital Fund Timeline

6 September 2021 - Applications open

Applications can be submitted online. You can save your application form as you go along.

To apply, go to the section above called ‘How to apply’ where you’ll find the application forms in different formats.

13 September 2021 - Q&A session

We had a live Slack Q&A session on Monday 13 September 2021.

Missed this session? Read the Q&As we received instead.

 

26 September 2021 - Applications close at 11:59pm

All applications must be submitted via the correct application form by 11:59pm on Sunday 26 September 2021. 

A lead local authority must submit the application.

Make sure to show how your project clearly meets the eligibility criteria outlined in the Local Digital Fund Prospectus 2021/22.

13-14 October 2021 - Panel Interviews

Applicants may be invited to a panel interview for final review and scrutiny.

October 2021 - Selected projects announced

We announced the successful projects in October 2021.