Digital Agenda Funding

Project Status: Live Project

Project Leader: Caitriona Strain

EU Programme: PEACEPLUS

Project Budget: €4,906,057

Start Date: Jan, 2026

Finish Date: Jun, 2029

Project Website: Coming Soon

The aim of the project is to:

To create future-ready rural communities in the North West City Region by integrating advanced connectivity, digital transformation and the green transition through coordinated cross-border digital hubs.

Specific objectives are to:

Establish and operationalise 6 new digital hubs in Derry/Strabane and fully integrate them with 6 existing hubs in Donegal, creating a cross-border network of 12 connected hubs that provide modern workspaces, advanced connectivity and shared digital services for rural communities.
Design and implement 12 Digital Transformation Action Plans and 12 Green Transition Action Plans, supporting rural hubs, communities and businesses to adopt digital technologies, data-driven decision-making and low-carbon solutions aligned with regional strategies.
Deliver 48 digital transformation workshops, 24 green transition workshops and bespoke 1:1 mentoring to at least 120 rural businesses, strengthening innovation capacity, competitiveness and long-term sustainability in rural economies.
Engage a minimum of 2,400 direct participants and approximately 5,740 indirect participants, with targeted outreach to underrepresented and marginalised groups, ensuring equitable access to digital services, skills development and green transition opportunities across rural border communities.
Support rural communities to adopt smart technologies and sustainable practices that improve quality of life, energy efficiency and environmental stewardship, contributing to measurable improvements in community wellbeing and resilience by the end of the project.
Strengthen cross-border cooperation between councils, education providers, digital hubs and enterprise stakeholders by establishing shared learning mechanisms, joint pilot actions and coordinated delivery models that embed long-term collaboration beyond the project’s lifespan.

Derry & Strabane, United Kingdom
Derry City & Strabane District Council(Lead Partner)
DCSDC are the Lead Partner of SVNP and all capital procurement.


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Derry & Strabane, United Kingdom
North West Regional College(Partner)
NWRC will lead WP1 - Digital Transformation and Smart Hub Development.


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Donegal, Ireland
ERNACT Network(Partner)
ERNACT will lead WP3 - Inclusive Engagement and Social Innovation.


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Donegal, Ireland

Donegal County Council (Partner)
Partner of the smart villages network projectPartner of the smart villages network projectPartner of the smart villages

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Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Ulster University (Partner)
UU will lead WP2 - Green Transition and Sustainable Hub Development.

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Establish 6 new Digital Hubs across Derry/Strabane
Develop & implement 12 Digital Transformation Action Plans
Develop & implement 12 Green Transition Action Plans
Engage over 2400 direct participants
Engage approx. 5,740 indirect participants

The ERNACT regions focus on adapting and transferring services, approaches or digital knowhow between regions. Please examine the following table to see a list of specific items transferred over the past few years

SVNP is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body, (SEUPB).

Derry City and Strabane District Council, working in partnership with Donegal County Council, ERNACT, Ulster University, North West Regional College, and 12 digital hubs across the North West City Region (six new hubs in Derry/Strabane and six existing hubs in Donegal), is delivering an ambitious cross-border initiative focused on digital and green transformation in rural areas.

The project harnesses advanced connectivity, digital innovation and data-driven decision-making to improve quality of life, support smart and sustainable development, and strengthen local economies. By placing environmental sustainability, social inclusion and economic resilience at the centre of regional development, the initiative supports rural communities to become vibrant, competitive and future-ready places to live and work.