A £400,000 fund aims to deliver faster broadband to rural communities in the East Midlands.

The East Midlands Development Agency (Emda) was awarded the money from the European Union which approved a European Economic Recovery Plan (EERP) last year to help reduce the impact of the recession.

It will be invested in rural broadband initiatives through the existing Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), which Emda manages on behalf of the region.

The funding will be used to support rural communities by upgrading existing broadband infrastructure and enable the early use of next generation solutions.

These include super-fast fibre-based connections, which are much quicker than broadband delivered using copper-based phone lines.

Andrew Morgan, Emda's skills and communities director, said digital technology would play a major role in boosting productivity and steering Britain out of recession.

He added: “The quality of broadband in many rural parts of the East Midlands is threatening competitiveness and could inhibit future sustainable economic development.

“This funding will help to address the problem, and we are keen to support projects that address market failure, improve local services and stimulate economic development and social inclusion.”

The coalition government was committed to ensuring that all parts of the UK had access to a minimum broadband speed of two megabits (mbps) per second, said Mr Morgan.

“It is important that we play our part in ensuring rural communities have the same broadband opportunities as those in urban areas.”

The launch of the £400,000 rural broadband fund follows an Emda-hosted event earlier this year.

It brought together 80 stakeholders from across the East Midlands to explore the digital issues facing rural communities and businesses.

Feedback from the event was used to set the criteria for accessing the fund.

It has also helped to shape a rural broadband manifesto, which sets out an agenda for future activity.

To apply for funding, applicants must complete an expression of interest form by Monday, 13 September 2010.

Expressions of interest will not be considered for projects which already have access to regular broadband speeds faster than 2mbps.

Projects that meet the criteria for funding will then be required to complete a full application form.

Guidance and all the relevant paperwork are available by clicking here.

Alternatively, interested parties can contact Lucy Pike or Melanie Fischer on 0115 988 8300 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .