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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Workshops offered for technology grants
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
1/12/2007 3:30:00 PM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Delia Burke - (206) 233-2751
D'Anne Mount (206) 233-8736
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Workshops offered for technology grants
Grants available to close the digital divide
SEATTLE -- Grant funds are now available for Seattle organizations working
on closing the digital divide. Seattle’s Community Technology Program
is currently seeking applications for the Bill Wright Technology Matching Fund
for projects to increase technology literacy and access in Seattle communities.
The City is also encouraging civic participation projects that use technology
to improve communication with government and solve community problems. The
application deadline is March 7, 2007 at 5:00 p.m.
The public is invited to attend grant information workshops on Wednesday,
January 31, at 6:00 p.m. at Bitter Lake Community Center, located at 13035
Linden Ave N, in Seattle and on Thursday, February 1, at 3:00 p.m. at Delridge
Community Center located at 4501 Delridge Way SW in West Seattle. Program staff
and past recipients will be available to answer questions about the grant program.
Download grant applications and guidelines at www.seattle.gov/tech or contact
Delia Burke at (206) 233-2751 or delia.burke@seattle.gov.
“Technology literacy is a crucial stepping stone to jobs, education,
and essential online services”, says Mayor Greg Nickels. “These
grants to community partners will give residents, young and old, creative opportunities
to build skills and contribute in new ways.” This year the total Technology
Matching Fund was increased from $100,000 to $150,000. The increase in funds
will allow the City to help more organizations create digital opportunities
for those who need it most. “This demonstrates the City’s strong
commitment to helping our underserved communities”, says Harry H. Hart,
III, Chair of Seattle’s Citizens’ Technology Advisory Board and
Chief Executive of Seattle's AWAREA Corp. “We need to ensure that all
residents are able to join us in using the Internet to stay engaged and to
find new opportunities both for them as individuals and as a help to small
business.”
The Technology Matching Fund was established in 1997 to support the community’s
efforts to close the digital divide and encourage a technology-healthy city.
Funds for the Technology Matching Fund come from city collected cable television
franchise fees. The City named the matching fund in memory of Bill Wright,
a Central District community leader who embodied the program’s goal of
creating digital opportunity for all and using technology tools to build strong
neighborhoods. Since the program began, the City has contributed over $1,285,000
to 106 projects, which have matched the City’s funds with contributions
totaling more than $2,800,000.
Prior year grant recipients include:
- Washington Asian Pacific Islander Families Against Substance Abuse (WAPIFASA)
$9,500 for young Asian and Pacific Islanders to learn media literacy skills
and how to use audio and video technology to engage their peers in conversations
about social justice and community development issues, such as gang culture
and the immigrant and refugee experience.
- Tigrean Community Association
$6,500 for Ethiopian immigrants and refugees to learn basic computer skills
in an atmosphere where technology is used as a dynamic learning environment
linking schools, government resources and instant communication to distant
families.
- Provail
$9,500 for children with disabilities to attend a summer camp where they learned
to use computers, adaptive equipment and specialized hardware and software.
Parents had an opportunity to understand the equipment and skills learned,
and learned how to obtain appropriate technology.
Other examples are available at www.seattle.gov/tech/tmf. For more information
on Seattle’s Community Technology Program visit www.seattle.gov/tech.
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Community Technology Program
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