[NLA] Federal funding for community technology in jeopardy

[Stephen Ronan]

The major Federal grant program for community technology centers may,
within the next several working days, be deleted from the FY 2002 budget.
That, combined with the threated reduction in the Commerce Department's
TOP program, would signal a dramatic decline in government support for
innovative uses of technology to connect communities and opportunities for
residents of low-income communities to learn and utilize computer-related
skills.

Until a week or so ago, it looked like the community technology center
grant program (http://www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/CTC) would be expanded from
last fiscal year's $64.95 million up to $80 million for FY 2002, while
being shifted from the Department of Education over to HUD.

But we've now been informed by HUD and Department of Education officials
that a Congressional appropriations subcommittee has decided not to
include any funds at all for a community technology center grant program
at HUD.

And it appears that within the next several working days the decision
could be made to either sustain the program at the U.S. Department of
Education or to eliminate the program entirely. If the latter, that would
abruptly terminate many truly outstanding community technology programs
part way through their grants.

If you would like to receive a fact sheet providing background and
outlining one quick action (perhaps 10 minutes of your time) that you
might take to ameliorate the situation, would you kindly send an email
message with the subject line: "Fact sheet request" to info at ctcnet.org.

Since both the Bush administration and the Senate have earlier this year
supported an expansion of the community technology grant program either at
HUD or the Dep't of Education, the House/Senate conference committee may
be persuaded to continue funding grants for community technology, but that
is unlikely to happen unless they hear from citizens that equitable access
to computer-related learning opportunities in low-income communities is an
issue that continues to merit government attention. Please do drop a line
to info at ctcnet.org requesting the fact sheet.

Thanks!
The staff and Board of Directors of
Community Technology Centers' Network (CTCNet)
http://www.ctcnet.org
p.s. Please feel free to pass this message on to others who may be
interested.