The January 4, 2021, deadline is rapidly approaching to apply for funding to provide digital literacy instruction and devices from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). To assist organizations serving senior, low-income, and non-English-speaking clients, CTN recently hosted a free webinar sharing important background information and specific details relevant to this funding cycle. The CPUC is in its fifth year of funding intended to bridge the digital divide in unserved and underserved communities with its California Advanced Services Fund (CASF).
If you were unaware of the webinar or unable to participate, please use the links provided below to learn more about the program and how to apply.
CTN brings a wealth of experience to help organizations submit strong applications and successfully deliver digital literacy programming and has partnered in over 80 funded applications. Since it is anticipated that the pool of funding will be exhausted in 2021, we want to help organizations and potential partners submit persuasive applications by the January 4 deadline.
What makes these grants special is that they fund devices for participants to keep, providing them the same freedom that most of us take for granted: 24-hour-a-day internet access from home or anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection. The importance of this funding is even greater now that traditional access points for public computers in libraries and senior and community centers are not currently available.
The application asks for experience providing digital literacy instruction and requires a sample curriculum. CTN staff, volunteers, and contractors are prepared to train a Basic Digital Literacy curriculum in seven languages: Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. In March 2020, CTN adapted its curriculum for remote instruction to continue providing skills and devices to individuals isolated by COVID shelter-in-place restrictions.
Use this link to view the recorded webinar using the passcode CPUCfund2020! when prompted. Follow this link for a copy of the slide deck that includes three budget examples not seen in the webinar (slides 27 – 29). If you have questions or would like help in submitting one or more applications for the 2021 round of funding, contact Laurie Sanchez as indicated below. Thank you.
Laurie C. Sanchez |Development Director
510.295.8616 | laurie@communitytechnetwork.org
Comments are closed.