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$12.4 Million Offered for Digital Divide Projects
The Department of Commerce's Technology Opportunities Program (TOP), an initiative that promotes the widespread availability and use of digital network technologies in the public and non-profit sectors, has approximately $12.4 million available in FY 2002.
As part of the Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), TOP gives matching grants for model projects demonstrating innovative uses of network technologies.
Applicants may request up to a total of $750,000 in funds from NTIA. TOP expects the federal amounts awarded to range from $200,000 to $750,000, with an average of approximately $500,000. NTIA will provide up to 50 percent of the total project cost, unless the applicant can document extraordinary circumstances warranting a grant of up to 75 percent.
Eligible applicants include any nonprofit organization, education institution or state, local or tribal government agency. Individuals and for-profit entities are encouraged to participate as project partners.
Supporting projects for distance learning, public safety, telemedicine, community information, and economic development, TOP evaluates and actively shares the lessons learned from these projects to ensure the benefits are broadly distributed across the country, especially in rural and underserved communities.
Since its creation in 1994, TOP has made 530 awards in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, totaling $192.5 million and leveraging $268 million in local matching funds.
In FY 2001, NTIA received over 660 applications collectively requesting more than $367 million in federal funds. From these applications, the Department announced 74 awards totaling $42.8 million.
The solicitation for FY 2002 TOP proposals is open until March 21, 2002. Potential applicants are invited to attend a Technical Assistance Workshop on January 14, 2002, at the Palace Station Hotel in Las Vegas. More information on the solicitation, the workshop and past awards can be found on the TOP website: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/top/index.html