The Fund for the Digital Republic will be active again in 2025 with an allocation of 70 million euros. This initiative, promoted by the Government in collaboration with ACRI (Association of Foundations of Banking Origin), aims to finance digital training projects aimed at young people, women, the unemployed and inactive, with the aim of improving their skills and encouraging their integration into the world of
work.
In this guide, we learn more about what the Fund for the Digital Republic is, who can benefit from it and what will be the innovations introduced by the 2025 calls.
What is the Digital Republic Fund
The Fund for the Digital Republic is an initiative that stems from collaboration between the public and private sectors, in particular between the Ministry for Technological Innovation and Digital Transition, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and ACRI. The main objective is to support the digital training of Italian citizens in line with the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the Complementary National Plan
.
With a budget of 70 million euros for 2025, the Fund finances reskilling and digital upskilling projects, aimed at different social categories, including NEET, women and the unemployed, with particular attention to inclusion in the world of work and the reduction of inequalities.
Who is the Digital Republic Fund for
The Fund focuses on categories of people who need support to acquire digital skills and improve their employment prospects. In particular, the 2025 initiatives will be aimed at
:
• NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training): young people between 15 and 34 years old who do not work, nor are they enrolled in education or training.
• Women: between 18 and 50 years old, with the aim of increasing female participation in the labor market and reducing gender inequalities.
• Unemployed and inactive: people over 34 years old, on the margins of the labor market, to encourage their return and employment.
• Workers at risk: those employed in jobs potentially replaceable by automation and technological innovation, with interventions aimed at improving the digital skills and soft skills necessary to adapt to market changes.
How does the Digital Republic Fund work
The Fund is part of the National Strategy for Digital Skills, and its implementation is guided by the Operational Plan for Digital Skills, which provides for a total allocation of 350 million euros until 2026.
For 2025, the Government has already allocated 70 million euros through the Prime Ministerial Decree of 29 July 2024, which will be used to finance the first calls of the year. The resources come from deposits made by Foundations of banking origin, which receive a tax credit in return
.
The Fund pays particular attention to evaluating the impact of funded projects, to ensure that the initiatives actually contribute to the growth of participants’ digital skills and improve their chances of finding employment.
Calls funded by the Fund for the Digital Republic
Currently, there are no active calls open for the Digital Republic Fund. The last available call, called “Digital Social”, expired in July 2024. With the allocation provided for by the Prime Ministerial Decree of 29 July 2024, the new calls for 2025 will be published shortly. As soon as they are available, we will provide all the necessary details to participate
.
Objectives of the Digital Republic Fund
The Fund for the Digital Republic aims to train at least 100,000 people by 2026, through projects that aim to transfer digital skills useful for the labor market and to promote greater awareness of the importance of digital skills.
The Fund supports projects that combine technical training and soft skills, with the aim of preparing participants for the needs of the evolving labor market, in particular in sectors where digitalization and automation are becoming increasingly relevant.
The initiative is part of a wider framework of programs, such as the GOL Program and the New Skills Fund, to address the training deficit that Italy is trying to fill. Digital skills are now considered fundamental for most professions, as demonstrated by data from the Unioncamera Excelsior Information System and the Ministry of Labor, which highlight a growing demand
for these skills in the coming years.
The Digital Republic Fund represents a significant opportunity for young people, women and the unemployed who want to improve their digital skills and increase their employment prospects. Thanks to the allocation of 70 million euros for 2025, new calls will be activated to finance training projects
throughout Italy.
For those who fall into the Fund’s target categories, it is important to keep informed about upcoming calls and to seize the opportunities that will be offered to develop digital skills and adapt to changes in the labor market.