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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Seattle offers funds for community technology projects
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
4/8/2002 9:40:00 AM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Emily Bancroft (206) 233-2751
Katherine Schubert-Knapp (206) 684-0909
Kathy Sugiyama (206) 684-0909
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Seattle offers funds for community technology projects
SEATTLE — Seattle’s Department of Information Technology is seeking applications for the Technology Matching Fund (TMF). This year’s fund has approximately $150,000 available for community technology projects around the city. The TMF provides cash to Seattle organizations and neighborhood groups to help fund citizen-driven information technology literacy and access projects.
The application deadline is 5 p.m., May 13, 2002. Applications and guidelines are available on-line at http://cityofseattle.net/tech/tmf/, at Neighborhood Service Centers, or by calling (206)684-0600. An applicants’ workshop, set for April 23, 2002, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Miller Community Center, 330 19th Ave. E., will assist potential applicants.
Although workshop attendance is not mandatory, all applicants need to be aware of the information presented at the workshop. Those who cannot attend the workshop should contact either Emily Bancroft or Joan E. O’Brien at (206) 684-0600 for assistance. For Metro bus routes that run near the community center, visit this web site: http://tripplanner.metrokc.gov/ or call (206) 553-3000.
The Technology Matching Fund was established to support the community’s efforts to close the digital divide and encourage a technology-healthy city. Seattle’s recent technology studies (http://cityofseattle.net/tech/indicators/default.htm) show that although many residents have access to computers and the Internet, some groups — such as seniors, limited-English speakers, and those in low- to moderate-income households — are being left behind. The same studies also found that while basic computer literacy levels in Seattle are generally high, there is a continued need for more advanced training.
Local groups are encouraged to think creatively about how they can use technology to meet the needs of their own communities. "Most projects start with a community need, then apply technology to solve it. For example, projects may use technology for community organizing, create multi-media projects, or help the public understand policy issues, such as privacy on the Internet," says Community Technology Planner David Keyes. "As in the past, we are looking for projects that increase technology literacy in underserved communities and meet specific community needs. There are public technology labs in community centers and nonprofit organizations throughout Seattle. This year, we would like to see local groups come together to use these existing resources to improve the health and strength of Seattle communities."
Keyes adds, "We especially encourage applications for projects that provide or enhance services to technology underserved communities. Of course, other projects will be considered for funding and innovative projects are always encouraged."
Sample project lists are available, and applicants are encouraged to contact city staff with their ideas by calling Emily Bancroft or Joan E. O’Brien at (206) 684-0600. Prior grant recipients include:
- Jack Straw Productions.
$4,400 to teach Spanish-speaking youth at Kimball Elementary school audio production through the collection of family oral histories.
- Digital Promise.
$18,615 to equip two Plymouth Housing Group facilities with small computer labs and provide train-the-trainer sessions for residents in using the Internet to access resources specifically for communities in transition.
- Wallingford Community Senior Center.
$9,249 to work with disability experts to create an accessible computer lab and class curriculum for senior citizens.
For more information, an application or to review previous projects, visit the Citizens Technology Literacy and Access web site at http://cityofseattle.net/tech/
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Citizens Technology Literacy and Access
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