On January 11, the Department of Commerce’s Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) announced its FY2001 grant round competition. This year, TOP has approximately $42.5 million available to support projects that extend the benefits of advanced telecommunications technologies to inaccessible, rural, and underserved urban communities. Eligible entities include state, local, and tribal governments, as well as higher education institutions and non-profit organizations.

The maximum TOP grant award is $900,000, which must be matched by the applicant. The Department of Commerce will provide up to 50 percent of the total project cost, unless the applicant can document extraordinary circumstances warranting a grant of up to 75 percent. Grant funds under this program are usually released in direct proportion to matching funds utilized and documented as having been expended.

A copy of this year’s Application Kit, which provides the information and standard application form is available online at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/top/ or by calling 202-482-2048.

The TOP is administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is holding a series of free regional workshops to discuss TOP funding priorities, application requirements, and lessons learned from previous TOP grantees. The workshops will be held on February 2 in Washington D.C.; February 6, in Denver, CO; and February 8, in St. Louis, MO. Online registration for the workshops is available at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/top/conferenceworkshops/workshops.htm.

For further information, contact Rebecca Johnston, NCAI Digital Divide Grant Administrator, at (206) 788-9504 or at “rdjohnstongovaffairs@hotmail.com”.