KC Digital Inclusion Fund Showcase and Call for Applications

by | Aug 5, 2014 | Digital Skills Training

The Kansas City region is fast becoming a leader in next generation technology. Thanks to the availability of gigabit Internet speeds, folks like app developers, startup founders, healthcare providers, data centers and other tech players are thinking big.

But if those leading the charge don’t think inclusively, many in the community could get left behind.

Case in point: In a town where Google Fiber is connecting homes with unprecedented broadband speeds, 25% of Kansas Citians don’t have broadband Internet at home, and 17% don’t have Internet access at all.

That’s why the Kansas City Digital Inclusion Fund was created. Its purpose is to support local organizations and projects that will do things like provide computer access, teach digital literacy skills necessary to succeed in an online world and, in general, bridge the digital divide in Kansas City.

This Thursday, August 7, 2014, at the Google Fiber Space, the first round of grantees of the Digital Inclusion Fund will report on their progress.

Featured presenters:

  • Connecting for Good – Digital Inclusion Support Program, $40,000
  • Kansas City Public Library District – Mobile Digital Media Lab for Youth, $98,400
  • Trinity Community Church – Digital Access KCK, $60,500
  • Hispanic Economic Development Council – Digital Life Skills Training for Low-Income Latinos, $77,770
  • ArtsTech – Digital Connectors Intergenerational Project, $35,000

To RSVP for the Grantee Showcase, visit the Fiber Space’s calendar and find the event on Thursday. More Funding on the Way

The Kansas City Digital Inclusion Fund is looking for applicants for its next round of funding. The deadline for submissions is September 26, 2014. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)3 public charities performing work in the Kansas City region. To learn more about the grant restrictions and requirements and how to submit your organization, visit the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation.

The fund is made possible by Google Fiber, Sprint Foundation, The Illig Family Foundation, Polsinelli, Global Prairie and JE Dunn.

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