COVID-19 Challenge - Rules and Process

How to enter

Submit the application form at BD@digital.je before 12:00:00 on 24th April 2020.

You are responsible for:

making sure all the project details, application questions and finances are completed
submitting the application before the deadline
meeting all your own costs incurred by completing the application

If you have any questions about the application process, please email BD@digital.je

Applications must be submitted before midday on the day of the submission deadline. Late submissions, or applicants which do not complete the whole form, will not be considered.

Applications are now closed!

How your application is assessed

Part 1

After the deadline, valid applications will be sent for assessment. Only applications that meet the eligibility criteria and scope of the challenge will be sent for assessment. You will be notified if your application is out of scope with full reasons as to why. Digital Jersey reserves the right to declare applications as out of scope.

Applications are assessed by up to 5 independent assessors. The assessors may include experts from both business, health, academia, and the Jersey Government.

Applications are assessed against the same set of qualitative criteria. Assessors will provide written feedback for each scored question in the application on request. All applications are assessed on individual merit.

Once all applications have been assessed you will be notified by email if you have been selected for round 2, invited to partner with a similar team, or been unsuccessful.

Part 2

Immediately following part one you will be invited for a remote interview with a panel of assessors. Members of the digital community will be invited to watch the pitch, questions posted in the chat will be moderated by the panel and Digital Jersey team. The interview will consist of a 15 to 20–minute pitch or presentation to cover your proposal in more detail, especially:

The ways in which your project will address the concerns listed as priorities
Your target market (size and needs) and how you will reach them
Other support or input needed for success
Your business plan and budget allocation for the grant monies
Your team background and expertise

What resources you are committing to the project
Your long–term aspirations for the project
Further questions from the panel

The assessors will then review the final applications and make funding decisions based on individual merit and the full portfolio of applications. The assessors reserve the right to make grant allocation decisions. Where projects are assessed highly but can’t be accommodated by this round of funding, every effort to find alternative funding and support mechanisms will be made.

What happens if you are successful?

If your interview is successful you will be notified by email and asked to provide any additional information required to process the grant and implement any other support (e.g. in marketing) required.

At this point we will need to know:

The name of the project manager / contact going forward
Finance contact
Bank details

We will provide you with a point of contact who will work with you on any aspects of Digital Jersey or Government support, including press and media enquiries. They are not responsible for project management.

Evaluation criteria

Community Innovation grant applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

Innovation:

Does the project use inclusive, collaborative and resourceful processes to pursue an innovative solution to one of the community challenges outlined?

Inclusive:

meaningfully engaging key stakeholders – thoughtfully identifying those needed to create the intended change and, whenever possible, including those directly affected by the problem.

Collaborative:

a true joint effort, with partners willing to share ownership and decision-making.

Resourceful:

using existing resources and assets creatively to make the most of what our community already has.
Is the process likely to lead to a breakthrough in addressing a community need that is more effective, equitable or sustainable than existing approaches?

Local Social Impact:

Is the project likely to make a significant, sustainable difference, now or in the future?
Will the project inspire or inform others?
Will the project reach many people lightly, or make a big difference to a few?
Will the project help to directly or indirectly save lives?

Implementation and Delivery :

Is there a well thought-through and realistic project plan? Does the plan deliver the project completely?
Are all project risks considered with realistic management, mitigation and impact minimisation plans?
Does the applicant or group have the capacity to execute the work effectively or have a plan to meet the needed capacity?
Is the plan cost effective?

Funding rules

Digital Jersey will provide funding to support and stimulate innovation in the local economy at this time of crisis. We do this by encouraging businesses to work with other commercial organisations, Charities, individuals and Government. We largely require that projects are led by businesses, but other types of organisation can apply, ideally in collaboration with a business partner.

1. Every team must have at least one Jersey-based participant.

2. The grant is intended to defray technology costs such as:

- Maintaining servers

- Accessing (micro)services or essential software

- Purchasing or gathering data

- Hardware

- Marketing and media

3. Applications with the following elements in their grant budget spend will not be considered:

- Purchase or hire of vehicles

- Training and development

- Early stage research or technological development with little immediate application

- Projects which take place off-island

4. Projects must be suitable for deployment in the current regulatory and legal environment.

5. Due to pressure of Government at this time projects which require significant integration with administrative, educational or clinical services will not be considered.

6. The proposal must be focused on Jersey or involve a Jersey pilot phase of a larger project. Projects relevant to the COVID-19 crisis with global focus may be eligible for alternative funding, we encourage applicants to contact us for more information.

7. The application may be for the Jersey-customisation of an established product in a different market or jurisdiction.

Confidentiality

Information security and confidentiality

For submissions through the document-based application process, Digital Jersey uses secure sites such as https for you to upload your application and appendices safely. Secure sites enable information between your browser and our server to be encrypted and decrypted.

Assessor confidentiality and potential conflicts of interest

Assessors must accept confidentiality agreements and declare any potential conflicts of interest. All applications must be treated in confidence. Independent assessors must assess all applications themselves and should not allow any other person to assess the application on their behalf.