Funding to bridge the technology gap in community service sector

By Geoff Agombar – Local Journalism Initiative
Funding to bridge the technology gap in community service sector

The Quebec government has announced $5.4 million to fund a three-year project called DATAide. The Centraides of Quebec will partner with Open North to deliver skills and leadership training for 3,000 community agencies that fight poverty and social exclusion in Quebec.

Of this total, $3.6 million is earmarked for grants to participating agencies to support implementation and tech acquisition. As they advance through the program, organizations will be eligible for increasing tiers of support from $5,000 to $15,000, then $50,000.

“The community sector significantly lags other areas when it comes to technology,” says Claude Pinard, Centraide of Greater Montreal executive director. “Nearly 30 per cent of community agencies in Greater Montreal were significantly behind on their use of technology even before the health crisis.”

“It is great to train people on data literacy, but if they don’t have the proper equipment or support afterwards, what can you actually do?” says Maria Tomovic deputy director of program delivery for Open North. “The way this program is designed, it’s not just training but also grants. This is very significant.”

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