According to the news today, the Kenya ICT Board has issued a call for proposals from Kenyan firms and software application developers for grants to support local content and software applications. The grants are being coordinated via the Kenya ICT Board for the Transparency and Communications Project (TCIP) which is funded by the International Development Association to the Government of Kenya. The TCIP has a total of US$ 114.4 Million of which the Kenya ICT Board will apply for US$ 4 Million for the grants towards local digital content development and software applications.
The grants have been broken into two distinct opportunities. The first is for the Government Information Portal at www.information.go.ke as well as other web and mobile services that provide Government Agencies and the General Public better access to content and information. Therefore, these grants will be focussed on specific content and information, innovative new content and applications and finally urban and rural community based applications.
The second set of grants are focussed on private sector content and applications that include SMS, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and E-Services. More specifically, this set of grants will support both individuals and firms that develop innovative communications and information applications that harness mobile and web-based technologies. The grants will cover the expenses for service and content development, as well as awareness building.
The grant amounts for both sets of grants will be US$ 50,000.00 for firms and US$ 10,000.00 for individuals. Each grant one awarded will be valid for a period of one year and grant initiation will commence no later than 2 months from the date of award.
The Kenya ICT Board will be taking written questions on grants and their application procedure between the 3rd June 2010 and the 24th June 2010 for which answers will be posted online on the Kenya ICT Board within 7 days of receipt. ALL questions have to be submitted via email to grants@ict.go.ke
In addition to questions being submitted, the Kenya ICT Board will be holding four grant pre-application workshops as follows:
- Mombasa Polytechnic: Mombasa, 18th June 2010
- Maseno University: Kisumu, 22nd June 2010
- Moi University: Eldoret, 25th June 2010
- Kenyatta International Conference Center (KICC): Nairobi, 29th June 2010
The grant application procedure will all be done online and full details as well as instructions can be downloaded from the Kenya ICT Board web site at www.ict.go.ke. In addition, prospective grant applicants can visit the Kenya ICT Board offices if required.
Seriously this will be a major breakthrough for some software development folks. Am not sure about IVR applications though – rather old school – considering the impending broadband explosion. Would have had same reservations for SMS applications but remembered M-PESA is an SMS application
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Please inform me about this issue as soon as possible
It is important that all systems must be global. They must be usable in all third world countries. What a great project. Let us only hope selection is based on merit and not on corruption or nepotism. Alex weir. Harare
Animation is a field that is relatively becoming more and more popular in the country. With the artistic talent that is evident among the youth in Kenya’ are these young entrepreneurs also included in the plan with regards to this specific field as long as they can bring forth great ideas and have adhered to the stipulated rules?
This is a good step but i hope it will be implemented.There was digital village sometimes back and i hope it will be implemented too!!
good move to encourage innovation!