Regional Digital Fund
The $3.5 million Regional Digital Fund aims to support a broad range of important small-scale digital projects boosting digital technology infrastructure, skills and capability across regional Victoria.
Overview
The $3.5 million Regional Digital Fund aims to support a broad range of important small-scale digital projects boosting digital technology infrastructure, skills and capability across regional Victoria. It is helping businesses and the community in regional Victoria by funding projects identified as priorities by each local Regional Partnership.
Many of these projects were shared as part of the Regional Growth Showcase, held during the Digital Innovation Futures (DIF) Festival in August-September 2021.
The Regional Growth Showcase highlights the key digital and innovation projects happening across Victoria. This page is a collection of the various projects involved, showing their key focus, the stakeholders involved, their impact and how to get in touch.
The Regional Digital Fund is now closed.
Objectives of Program
Objectives of the Regional Digital Fund are to:
- act as a flexible grant program to support a broad range of small-scale digital projects - all projects are in, or for the benefit of, regional Victoria.
- help build digital technology infrastructure, skills and capability in regional Victoria, support ongoing competitiveness of regional businesses, emerging industries and help to create local jobs.
- help residents, communities and businesses move beyond geographical and social barriers to gain skills and build capability and economic growth.
- address digital objectives, priorities and gaps identified in the Regional Digital Plans.
There are 31 different projects that were funded by the Regional Digital Fund and are underway across Victoria. They fall into the categories of:
Funding Details
The Fund supports a broad range of small-scale digital projects identified as priorities by the local Regional Partnerships through the Regional Digital Plans, investing up to $390,000 in each partnership region.
The Regional Digital Fund is closed to new applications.
Connectivity and infrastructure projects
The collection of Connectivity projects are all about the importance of digital connectivity to support regional and rural communities.
Who can I Turn To? Getting Connected in the Barwon Region (Lifeline Direct Ltd)
Lifeline will develop an online directory of health and community services across the region. It is expected the site will be used by 200,000 people on a weekly basis.
Connecting Bonegilla (City of Wodonga)
Installing a stable internet connection for the large scale historical Bonegilla site will help the existing offices, as well as attract further exhibitions, visitors, and events to the area.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
Connecting Neighbourhood Houses Online (Neighbourhood Houses Gippsland Inc)
The project comprises design and construction of a website for NHG to promote courses and events, volunteer opportunities and resources for communities and Neighbourhood Houses across 5 Gippsland LGAs.
IoT Starter Kit (Rural City of Mildura)
This project is a multi-council Smart Cities pilot program that focuses on capturing and providing data to 4x regional councils consistently in real-time.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
Great South Coast IoT and Digital Connectivity (Southern Grampians Shire Council)
This IoT project will build on the experience and expertise developed by Southern Grampians Shire to develop a digital ecosystem and Smart Communities framework for their region. Several use cases for sensors including weather forecasting and foot traffic in major towns will also be investigated.
Bendigo 100 Gig City (City of Greater Bendigo)
Preparing the Bendigo region for the fastest and cheapest internet in Australia using the existing assets and infrastructure in the region.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
Benalla 10 GIG City Project (Benalla Rural City Council)
Undertake a feasibility study to scope, design options, evaluate and estimate capital costs required to implement a 10 Gigabit network in Benalla Rural City
Bridging the Gap (Moira Shire Council)
Identifying the extent of fixed and mobile digital connectivity gaps across Moira Shire - looking at the the impact on businesses and their ability to grow, and how this can be addressed.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
Digital capability and inclusion projects
The collection of Digital Inclusion projects are all about programs to support communities build career pathways, capability and various other business support systems.
Building Digital Capability (Harvest Human Resources)
Delivering the HR Index for the Greater Geelong region highlighted the lack of digital specialists. This project looks at the attraction and recruitment of digital specialists regionally.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
Colac Otway Digital Economy Transition Project (Colac Otway Shire Council)
This three-part project will increase the digital literacy of local SMEs and low skilled workers, along with reducing the digital infrastructure divide that exists within the Colac Otway region.
Broadening Horizons (ArcBlue)
A learning model delivered through high-quality industry school partnerships - students are able to build 21st-century enterprise skills that increase engagement and learning across Gippsland, Ballarat and Warrnambool regions.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
Marketing Digitalisation & Digital Skills (GippsTech)
Undertake a marketing campaign promoting the benefits and opportunities of digital skills and digitisation of small to medium sized (SMEs) business in Gippsland
Understanding Digital Literacy in the Ovens Murray Region (Wangaratta Rural City Council and Startup Shakeup)
A regional study of the digital literacy of those working in the SME sector will tell us what the issues are for the North East Vic region and what the focus should be moving forward.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
Animated Training Videos for All Abilities Workforce (North East Tracks LLEN)
Proposing to provide 10 vulnerable young people with digital technology skills whilst creating accessible training resources (animated training videos) for all abilities employees at Merriwa Industries
Virtual Industry Careers Experience (Goulburn Murray LLEN)
Goulburn Murray LLEN (GMLLEN) are working on a virtual reality project which is aimed at promoting skilled shortage occupations within the local region, focussing on six key industries, and four occupations within these industries.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
Understanding and Addressing Digital Disadvantage (Wimmera Development Association)
Funding will support research and workshops to further understand the intersection of digital disadvantage across three key demographic groups in the Wimmera - low-socioeconomic families, migrants and small/micro businesses.
Buy From North East Victoria (Benalla Rural City Council)
A collaboration between Benalla Rural City Council, Issimo, Startup Shakeup and Rural City of Wangaratta, building a whole-town online marketplace - “it matters where you shop”
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
Visitor Economy Destination Training (Destination Gippsland)
This project was created to address the digital skill shortages that are a persistent issue across the region, both in terms of basic digital literacy as well as specialist technical skills to support business growth and competitiveness.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
360 Industry and VR Showcase (Gippsland East LLEN)
This project is aimed at raising the aspirations of young people, to improve their knowledge about available local pathways and enhance their engagement and connections with industry and technology.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
Digital hub projects
The collection of Digital Hub projects are all about physical buildings or spaces that support the business community - using high-speed internet, meeting rooms and other business community support services.
Ararat Community Digital Hub (Ararat Rural City Council)
The Ararat Community Digital Hub project will be co-located with the new Ararat Jobs and Technology Precinct site. A cutting-edge research facility that will explore value-added opportunities to grow the local agriculture sector.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
Avoca Digital Hub (Pyrenees Shire Council)
Establish a Digital Hub within the existing Avoca Information and Community Centre where the community and businesses can access digital technology and high-speed broadband to improve community connectivity, digital literacy and digital skills
Smythesdale Well Digital Hub (Golden Plains Shire Council)
The Digital Hub at Smythesdale provides business owners, residents and community groups with high-speed internet, scalable meeting rooms, coworking and hot desk facilities, theatre rooms and event spaces.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
Digital Skills Hub (South West TAFE)
Undertake a feasibility and scoping study of the benefits of digital hubs. The feasibility and scoping study will investigate the rollout of a network of digital hubs across the Great South Coast region to support digital access, skills and training development.
Digital health projects
The collection of Digital Health projects will be looking at connectivity and technology solutions, digital adoption and support in the provision of regional and remote health solutions. Stay tuned for more!
Integrated Primary Health - Paediatric Telehealth for Wimmera Southern Mallee (Wimmera Development Association)
This project establishes partnerships between pediatric specialists, local professionals and families, aiming to deliver high-quality local care and improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
iManage My Health (North East Tracks LLEN)
The iManage My Health project will focus on increasing participation in community-based telehealth services and remote patient ‘self’ monitoring programs to address lower levels of digital inclusion and poorer health outcomes in Central Hume.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
Aged Care Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) (Bendigo Health)
Bendigo Health is teaming up with La Trobe University and investigating using the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) for remote patient monitoring, to understand how to help older Australians manage chronic conditions in the comfort of their own homes.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.
Digital Health Acceleration for Positive Health Outcomes (Futureye Strategy)
This project looks at how to accelerate positive health outcomes as well as economic growth in the regions, mitigated forecasted job loss, and deliberately grow the community area.
A transcript for this video is not currently available. Please contact us if you need further information.