 The
Illinois Broadband Innovation Fund will award up to $500,000 to
private, public and nonprofit organizations that submit creative
plans to increase computer usage and Internet adoption across the
state. While high-speed Internet services of some sort are available
to 99 percent of Illinoisans, only 63 percent have incorporated
broadband technology into their lives. These citizens are being left
behind and are missing out on job opportunities, education, health
care benefits and government services.
The Broadband Innovation Fund aims to close this gap, ensuring
that citizens have the high-speed resources and training needed to
succeed in the 21st century. Earlier this year, Gov. Pat Quinn's
Illinois Gigabit Challenge promoted broadband deployment and
infrastructure as a tool for economic development, and more than 40
applications were received. Now, the Broadband Innovation Fund aims
to stimulate proposals for broadband adoption and usage initiatives.
"The Broadband Innovation Fund targets broadband adoption
solutions for every sector," said Drew Clark, executive director of
Broadband Illinois. "High-speed Internet unleashes the savvy of our
entrepreneurs, the brainpower of our academics and the creativity of
our innovators. We're excited to work with organizations that will
develop innovative programs promoting ‘Better Broadband and Better
Lives.'"
Grants are open to any private,
public or nonprofit organization, and applicants may request $10,000
to $100,000 for Internet adoption projects that will stimulate job
creation, education, agriculture, health care, public safety, energy
conservation or e-government. Higher-capacity broadband creates
opportunity, and the following are just a few examples of projects
the Broadband Innovation Fund may entertain (more models are
detailed in the
request for proposals):
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Efforts to connect
health care professionals with their patients in a particular
Illinois region.
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Programs designed
to spur greater use of telework or telecommuting, saving on fuel
costs.
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Smart grid
applications designed to improve reliability and promote energy
saving.
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Training high
school students to think entrepreneurially and use technology
for growth.
-
"AgEd," or the ability to connect
university agriculture knowledge to local farmer needs.
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Applicants are encouraged to submit creative proposals that
demonstrate support from private and public organizations in the
community served and should show how the project best stimulates use
of broadband networks.
The deadline to apply to the Broadband Innovation Fund is 5 p.m.
Sept. 11.
In an effort to promote the new program statewide, Broadband
Illinois has embarked on the "Illinois Broadband Innovation Tour," a
cycle of webinars, stakeholder meetings and question-and-answer
sessions.
The tour began with a kickoff webinar Aug. 16 at the Illinois
State Library in Springfield and a noon webinar Aug. 17 at the
library with a question-and-answer session afterward.
The remaining stops scheduled on the
Broadband Innovation Fund Tour are listed below. For full event
descriptions, logistics and registration information, visit
http://www.broadbandillinois.org/innovation.
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Aug. 23 in Mattoon
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Aug. 24 in Carbondale
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Aug. 27 in Moline
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Aug. 28 in Godfrey
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Aug. 29 in Peoria
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Aug. 30 in Macomb
To download a PDF copy of the Broadband Innovation Fund's request
for proposals and application,
click here.
To keep up with program news and announcements, visit
http://www.broadbandillinois.org/innovation.
[Text from file received from
Broadband Illinois]
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