Murphy encourages Open Data grant applications

Finance Minister Conor Murphy today encouraged individuals and businesses to apply for grants of up to £5,000 as he launched the Open Data Innovation and Outreach Fund.

Whether it’s building an app or interactive data visualisation, organising a hackathon or coming up with a new way to examine the impact of Covid 19, the annual £40,000 funding scheme is aimed at promoting the innovative use of open data.

Encouraging people to apply, Finance Minister Conor Murphy said: “This Innovation and Outreach Fund is a real opportunity for people to come up with new and innovative ways to use government data.

“From increasing accountability and transparency to improving public services and helping citizens bring about social change, open government data can have a positive impact and this Fund is an opportunity to showcase that.

“Last year, we had a range of projects including one aimed at tackling online disinformation about Covid 19 and I look forward to seeing what proposals this year brings.”

Welcoming the latest cycle of the fund, Paul Braithwaite from the Northern Ireland Open Government Network said: “Transparency, accountability and citizen participation are crucial hallmarks of good government. It’s great to see this fund being opened again, giving people and organisations an excellent opportunity to make use of government data for public benefit.” 

Further information about the Innovation and Outreach Fund can be found at: www.finance-ni.gov.uk/niopendatafund. Deadline to apply is 4 March 2022.

Notes to editors: 

1. Photo caption: Finance Minister Conor Murphy meets some of last year’s winners of the Open Data Innovation and Outreach Fund. Pictured with the Minister is L to R: Dr Orna Young, FactCheck NI, Nick Gaywood Queen’s University Belfast Analytics Masters Student and Anne Orr from Digital 54.

2. The Open Data Strategy 2020-2023 was launched on 14 October 2019 and is available here.

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