NTIA/TIIAP '95 grants USA relevant

[David Farber <farber@central.cis.upenn.edu>]

An announcement from Communications Catalyst, a nonprofit clearinghouse.


We encourage nonprofits to apply for these federal funds, especially in
partnership with other private and nonprofit organizations.




             $64 MILLION FOR "INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY" GRANTS
                    FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


                   APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE IN EARLY FEBRUARY
                    COMPLETED PROPOSALS DUE IN EARLY APRIL




The Department of Commerce's Telecommunication and Information
Infrastructure Assistance Program will "provide matching grants to state
and local governments, health care providers, school districts,
libraries, universities, community organizations, public safety
services, and other nonprofit entities to help them access and use new
telecommunications technologies."




FOR APPLICATION FORMS BY MAIL: Send name, position title, organization,
address, phone, fax, e-mail (if available) and request for application
package to:


    DOC\NTIA\TIIAP
    14th and Constitution Ave, N.W.
    Washington, DC 20230
    Tel 202-482-2048
    Fax 202-501-5136
    e-mail tiiap@ntia.doc.gov


FOR GRANT AND APPLICATION INFORMATION ELECTRONICALLY:


* NTIA BBS via Internet: ntiabbs.ntia.doc.gov or iitf.doc.gov
* NTIA BBS via dial up: 202-482-1199; modem set at either 2400 or 9600
  baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit
* Internet gopher: iitf.doc.gov or gopher.ntia.doc.gov (login as gopher)
* Internet ftp: iitf.doc.gov in the /pub/grantinfo directory or
  ftp.ntia.doc.gov in the grantinfo directory (login as anonymous,
  password is your e-mail address)
* Internet WWW: http//www.ntia.doc.gov or http://iitf.doc.gov




We expect the 1995 guidelines to be very similar to those issued last
year by NTIA. Key elements from LAST YEAR'S guidelines:


SIZE OF GRANTS:         $20,000-$500,000 (approximately)
DURATION:               12 to 18 months
GRANT CATEGORIES:       Planning projects
                        Demonstration/application projects
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS: Requires matching support (cash or in-kind services)
                        Emphasis on building partnerships among organizations
                        Emphasis on online electronic networks




Excerpts from LAST YEAR'S NTIA guidelines:


LAST YEAR'S NTIA SUMMARY: "... funds for planning and demonstration
projects to promote the goals of development and widespread availability
of advanced telecommunications technologies; to enhance the delivery of
social services and generally serve the public interest; to promote
access to government information and increase civic participation; and
to support the advancement of an advanced nationwide telecommunications
and information infrastructure."


LAST YEAR'S NTIA PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: "NTIA announces a competitive
grant program, the TIIAP (Telecommunications and Information
Infrastructure Assistance Program) initiative. Major goals of the NII
initiative include: the promotion of private sector investment through
appropriate tax and regulatory policies; the extension of universal
service so that information is available to all at affordable prices,
using the widest variety of appropriate technologies; the promotion of
technological innovation and new applications; wider access to
government information; and guarantees of information security and
network reliability..."


"Grants will be awarded after a competitive merit review process and
will be used to fund projects that connect communications networks and
systems that are already operational, establish new networked
capabilities, and permit users to interconnect on-line. Equally
important, they will help leverage the resources and creativity of the
private sector to devise new applications and uses of the NII. The
success of these pilot projects will create an ongoing process that will
generate more innovative approaches each year."




This alert is posted by Communications Catalyst and its NII Clearinghouse
Project, which is supported by private foundations to track federal
funding of communication programs and to increase access to government
information. We receive no federal support.


We are not currently staffed to handle inquiries about the NTIA grant
guidelines ourselves, so please address questions directly to NTIA.
However, as we develop our capacities, we hope to play useful roles in
identifying common interests among nonprofits that use the NII and in
referring potential new users to appropriate technical assistance
providers.


Tom Freebairn
Communications Catalyst
NII Clearinghouse Project
1742 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20009
Tel 202-234-8494
Fax 202-234-8584
e-mail freebair@rtk.net




TO REQUEST FUTURE ALERTS of communication grants from COMMUNICATIONS CATALYST:
e-mail or fax the following information to freebair@rtk.net:


  Name
  Position title
  Organization
  Address
  Phone number
  Fax number
  E- mail address.


Indicate whether you would like to:


 ___  receive online ANNOUNCEMENTS about communications grants
      and contracts


 ___  participate in an online DISCUSSION about communication grants
      and contracts


 ___  be added to our MAILING LIST to receive print information


 ___  ALL of the above.