huridocs-tech New Grants for Technology & Comm Policy

Edited/Distributed by HURINet - The Human Rights Information Network
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## author     : jillaine@BENTON.ORG
## date       : 05.08.99
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From: Peter Miller <peterm@ctcnet.org>

For immediate release and distribution
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    CTCNet and the Civil Rights Forum to Distribute $70,000
          to Rural Community Technology Centers for
             Telecommunications Policy Projects

                Guidelines for Third Round
                Applicatons Due October 8, 1999

The Community Technology Centers' Network (CTCNet) and the
Civil Rights Forum on Communications Policy, as part of a
grant from the Kellogg Foundation's Managing Information
with Rural America (MIRA) program, are overseeing the
distribution of $70,000 over the remainder of 1999.

This grant program seeks to support low-income and other
disenfranchised people in rural communities who have had
some experience with computers and the Internet to educate
their communities and advocate telecommunications policies
that support technology equity and universal service.
CTCNet affiliates, MIRA clusters of community teams, and
other low-income center-based education and access programs
are all well qualified to argue that funds and other kinds
of support are important in helping this constituency become
involved in communications policy decisions at the local,
state, and federal levels.

These CTCNet/MIRA funds are to support involvement in
telecommunications policy decisions.  Successful applicants
will receive $1,000-$5,000 for community center-based
projects involving students and participants in rural job
training or literacy programs, 4-H or Boys and Girls Clubs,
libraries, Indian councils, multi- service agencies,
community cable access centers, health centers, community
networks, or other similar efforts.

Current CTCNet rural affiliates are eligible to apply for
these grants, and rural programs not currently affiliated
with CTCNet are encouraged to join as well as apply.
Non-rural CTCNet affiliates that have a clear rural impact
and/or partner will also be considered.

Applications should describe a project on telecommunications
policy in rural communities.  A community technology center
may undertake this either as a stand-alone effort or one
that is integrated with an on-going program.  Projects may
range from public policy advocacy and grassroots organizing,
to research and analysis, to efforts that build the capacity
of those who are not ordinarily involved in public policy.
The most recent Round 2 grant recipients are:

*       The National Association of Partners in Education
will be developing a curriculum and inclusive community
leadership teams involved with telecommunications policy in
White River and the small communities surrounding
Vermillion, SD.

*       The South Carolina State University 1890 Extension
Service will be training youth to involve rural citizens in
telecommunications policy through forums across the state.

*       The Allegany County Public Schools in western
Maryland will be involving rural Appalachian residents in
communications policy through a fall regional conference and
outreach through area technology access centers.

Previous grant recipients include:

*       In Covington, KY, the Media Working Group for
designing a curriculum and training program for Adult
Literacy students on how the state's communications policy
process works, who the players are, and how to intervene and
have a voice in the process.

*       In Las Vegas, the Rural Telecommunications Task
Force for publishing a report to catalyze its work and
broaden citizen participation with the state legislature's
implementation of its Universal Service program.

*       In Blacksburg, the Virginia Cooperative Extension
and the state's 4-H clubs for collaborating in running a
summer computer camp on the Internet as a Civic Forum.

In addition, the current issue of *The Community Technology
Review* is devoted to communications policy
(http://www.ctcnet.org/review99.htm) and offers a wide
selection of projects that are suggestive.

Applications should include:
1)  a statement of the rural telecommunications policy
problem to be addressed, articulating 1-2 specific
telecommunications policies to provide focus for this work;
2)  description of the target audience to be involved;
3)  description of the project that will address this problem;
4)  expected outcomes from the project;
5)  description of organization's qualifications;
6)  description of involvement of other partners in
implementing this project; and
7)  a budget summary.

Successful applications will address:
1)  relevancy of community problem to broader rural issues
in telecommunications policy;
2)  capacity of the project to educate target audience and
involve them in communications policy activities;
3)  technical and practical feasibility of the project;
4)  effectiveness of the project in addressing the stated problem;
5)  appropriateness of the match between organization and project; and
6)  involvement with other community partners and constituents.

Award recipients will be expected to publish final reports
on their Web site within one month of the project's
completion.  CTCNet will provide space for any organization
without a Web page of its own.

Applications are limited to 1,000 words to be preceded by a
project summary of no more than 100 words and may note
additional material that can be found on Web sites and
elsewhere.  Applications should be submitted electronically
to ctcnet@edc.org by October 8, 1999.  Grant recipients will
be announced in late fall.

There will be two 800 # group teleconferences for those
wishing additional information, one on Thursday, September
23 at 11:00 a.m. EST, and another on Wednesday, September 29
at 4:00 p.m. EST.  If you are interested, please contact the
program coordinator and indicate your preference time.  For
further information about these awards, see
http://www.ctcnet.org/mira or contact CTCNet public policy
project coordinator Peter Miller at peterm@ctcnet.org,
617/734-1910.

##




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