HP Selecting Three “Digital Villages” to Receive $15 Million

Through its Digital Village Program, Hewlett-Packard is providing up to $15 million in products and resources over a three-year period to three communities who need assistance to participate fully in the New Economy. East Palo Alto, CA already has been designated as a Digital Village; the remaining two will be selected through a competitive process.

To be considered, an applicant must meet the following criteria: 1) be an underserved community - facing geographic, technological and/or economic barriers to achieving the desired community vision, 2) have a population of no more than 50,000 residents, and 3) the applying community partnership must include: local school district(s); a local or nearby community college or four-year institution; and a public agency, community college, four-year college or university, or private nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

The program was established to make information broadly accessible in communities facing barriers to communication and also to provide assistance in the development of high-tech skills to the people living there. The components of the HP Digital Village program include initiatives targeting K-12 students at school; Neighborhood Community Centers where adults and kids can receive help before and after school exploring via the Net; and, home-based access to Internet tools and information to help families learn together.

Proposals, to be submitted on-line, are due November 8, 2000. Applicants must register their intent to submit a proposal by September 29. Decisions will be announced next February.

Applications will contain the following six parts: general project information; community partnership information; community vision; community demographics; community and technology assessment; and a project plan. To download the application or to find out more about this opportunity, visit http://webcenter.hp.com  and click on Hewlett-Packard Philanthropy.