Nearly half (46%) of persons aged over 75 years had never used the internet, according to CSO (2021). To help bridge this digital divide, Rethink Ireland and the Vodafone Foundation have launched the €540,000 “Hi Digital Fund”.
This two-year fund will support five innovative organisations that are providing services for older adults aged 65 and above to develop essential digital skills. Applications for the fund are open from today (14 April) and close on 26 May 2025. Applications can be made here: Hi Digital Fund – Rethink Ireland
The fund will provide cash grants and business support for social innovations that enhance digital literacy and inclusion for older adults in their community, bridging Ireland’s digital skills gap. It promotes innovative approaches to ensure no one is left behind, teaching essential skills like smartphone use, e-health and smart home tech.
The Hi Digital Fund has been created by Rethink Ireland – the funding body thinking differently to create a more just, equal and sustainable Ireland – and is supported by the Vodafone Foundation, private donors and Department of Rural and Community Development via the Dormant Accounts Fund.
“Digital exclusion is a silent crisis affecting thousands of older adults across Ireland,” said Deirdre Mortell, CEO of Rethink Ireland. “Through the Hi Digital Fund, we’re not just teaching tech skills—we’re reconnecting people to essential services, reducing isolation, and enabling independent aging. This fund represents a critical investment in ensuring no older person is left behind in our increasingly digital society.”
Head of Vodafone Foundation, Liz Roche stated: “At Vodafone Foundation, we believe that everyone, regardless of age or ability, should have access to the digital world. By funding Rethink Ireland, we will grow to support five new organisations across Ireland so that they have the resources to help older adults improve digital literacy skills and online confidence. We’re dedicated to reaching even more isolated people and making technology accessible for all”.
Also supporting the launch, Roisin Mills, Programme and Training Commissioner from the Irish Girl Guides, said:
“At Irish Girl Guides, we believe in creating an equal and inclusive world for all. We are proud to partner with the Vodafone Foundation to deliver the Hi Digital programme, an initiative designed to empower older people with essential, real-world digital skills. Through this experience, not only our youth members are helping others to grow in confidence and ability, but they are also developing invaluable personal skills themselves, including communication, empathy, patience, and leadership”
This fund will support diverse community initiatives and sustainable digital literacy programmes that remove barriers for older people who are unfamiliar with the digital world. The Vodafone Foundation will donate €250,000 over two years, with an additional €20,000 from private donors, totalling €270,000. The Department of Rural and Community Development will match this amount via the Dormant Accounts Fund, resulting in a total fund of €540,000.
