Communications charity Media Trust  has been appointed by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) with leading the Community Voices programme. 

Over the next two years, 27 grassroots projects will be given grants ranging from £1,500 to £61,000 to use digital media – such as the internet, social networking, film, radio and television – as a means of empowering and bringing together some of England’s most isolated and deprived communities. 

Ten grants worth £1,500 are up for grabs, plus a similar number worth £7,000 and six awards worth £14,000. In addition, one flagship project will receive a £61,000 cash injection. 

Projects should fall into one of the following categories: 

• Projects already using digital media to develop their work with a specific community (for example a library with an online access programme looking to work with an isolated community).
• More formal community organisations looking to develop digital media to promote community cohesion and empowerment (for example a carers' trust using digital technology to support isolated carers in their homes).
• Informal communities looking to embrace digital media (for example a residents' or tenants' association in a deprived community looking to use digital media as a mechanism to bring people together). 

Media Trust also plans on running a separate fund which will offer 40 more £500 grants linked to local projects in the 27 successful areas. 

For further information about the Community Voices programme and to register an interest in carrying out a digital media project, visit the Media Trust website (opens a new window)