Urban challenge grants (telecomm, USA) [fwd]

["Whitney A. Finnstrom" <whitney20@mindspring.com>]

I just received this today- it might one of many of many useful resources
in developing a system in Pittsburgh.  Whitney Finnstrom, East Liberty
Development, Inc.
>
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>Urban Challenge Grants Offered to Narrow the Urban Digital Divide
>
>3Com Corporation and the U.S. Conference of Mayors have announced
>$100,000 Urban Challenge technology grants for up to ten cities.
>Application deadline is October 15th.
>
>3Com Corporation today announced that through its Urban Challenge
>program the company will donate a total of $1 million in network
>equipment, technology training, and consulting services to ten U.S.
>cities. The funds are earmarked to help the cities use networking
>technology to enhance education, government and health care services.
>"Urban Challenge is an innovative program to promote the concept of
>'connected communities' and the benefits that will become available to
>residents in the nation's urban centers," said David Katz, global
>director of market development at 3Com Corporation. "We are developing
>close working relationships with strong mayors who can serve as brokers
>to bring together key constituents to build modern, high speed
>Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN). Working with government officials,
>3Com is using innovative MAN networking technology to connect municipal
>facilities, including public schools, libraries, utilities, hospitals,
>and police and fire departments."
>
>The 3Com Urban Challenge, in collaboration with the U.S. Conference
>of Mayors, is designed to help mayors employ 3Com's networking
>technology and communications services to connect disparate educational,
>health care, and governmental facilities to each other and
>to the Internet. The program will enable mayors to improve
>the efficiency and responsiveness of government agencies, offer faster
>access to information and technology for city residents, and promote an
>improved learning environment for teachers and students in public
>schools.
>
>The deadline for Urban Challenge grant applications is October 15,
>1999. To apply for an Urban Challenge grant of $100,000, city mayors can
>download an application from 3Com's Web site at
>
>	http://www.3com.com/urbanchallenge/
>
>The 3Com Urban Challenge program goes far beyond networking computers
>and connecting buildings to the Internet. One key benefit of the pro-
>gram includes 3Com's NetPrep program, an educational training program to
>prepare high school and college students for high-skill and high- paying
>jobs in computer network management - the fastest growing high-tech job
>category in the United States today. The program will help prepare both
>students and teachers for a future where network technology enhances the
>learning process both inside and outside the classroom.
>
>3Com's NetPrep program is a vendor-neutral, standards-based
>curriculum that focuses on the design, implementation, management and
>integration of computer networks. The program is expected to reach 500
>schools and 50,000 students over the next two years.
>Successful NetPrep pilot programs have already been implemented in
>California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania
>and South Carolina.
>
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