Digital Divide: Useful Links
Digital Divide: In the News | Digital Divide: Effective Practices | Digital Divide: Useful Links
Here's our compendium of links in funding, technology, training, and project management.
Topics
- Funding and Grant Management
- Low-cost Hardware and Software
- Partnerships
- Online Training and Curricula
- Volunteer Management
- Measuring Your Impact
- Needs Assessment
- Research
- Discussion Lists
Corning Foundation Grants
The Corning Inc. Foundation, established in 1952, develops and administers projects in support of educational, cultural, and community organizations. Corning's areas of involvement have included community service programs for students, curriculum enrichment, student scholarships, facility improvement, and instructional technology projects for the classroom. All requests for support must be made in writing. Application deadline: ongoing.
21st Century Community Learning Centers
Funded by the Department of Education, this program is designed to provide grants to rural and inner city schools to allow schools to extend after school hours. Programs address the need to provide a safe learning environment and to provide activities that may include technology programs. These centers are housed in public schools and are open to adults and youth within the community. This site contains information related to the grant process to support or create community learning centers. Locations of sites are available by state.
Free or Low-Cost Hardware and Software
CompuMentor
Assists community technology nonprofits (and others as well) with technology, providing access to low-cost software among other benefits.
Computers for Schools Association
Addresses the critical need for classroom computers with quality computers donated by individuals and industry.
Community Technology Centers' Network (CTCNet)
A national nonprofit membership organization for community technology centers. The site offers rich materials for centers.
Computers in Our Future
This network of 11 community technology centers in California provides online resources for community technology policy action, as well as an impressive toolkit for starting and running centers.
SparkAction
Contains reports, tools and resources on youth and technology.
Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology (OET) develops national educational technology policy and implements this policy through Department-wide educational technology programs.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Neighborhood Networks
Initiative that encourages the development of resource and computer learning centers in privately-owned HUD-assisted and/or -insured housing.
Lumity (ITRC)
Provides a full array of consulting, training, and support services to nonprofit organizations and government agencies.
NetAction
NetAction Notes is a free electronic newsletter, published by NetAction. NetAction is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting use of the Internet for grassroots citizen action, and to educating the public and policy makers about technology policy issues.
Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network (N-TEN)
N-TEN seeks to help nonprofits make more effective use of technology to advance their missions. N-TEN supports the people who provide technology services to the nonprofit sector by creating opportunities to identify peers and develop professional support networks, share information and resources, and work collaboratively on a range of projects.
NPTalk
A service provided by the Nonprofits' Policy and Technology (NPT) Project at OMB Watch to improve communications linkages within the nonprofit sector in order to strengthen public policy participation.
Proposed Access Standards for Electronic and Information Technology
Under section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments, the Access Board published proposed standards for electronic and information technology.
TechFoundation and SmartForce Partnership
One of the largest e-learning resources for nonprofit organizations - bridging the gap between nonprofit organizations and their technology needs. Through the SmartForce e-Learning Foundation (SELF), they offer NPOs and those who serve them, access to e-learning content and services.
The Children's Partnership with the Markle Foundation has launched the Community Contentbank, an online resource that provides low-income communities with information and tools to serve their unique needs.
TechFoundation's TechConnect program is a series of educational events that help nonprofit decision makers effectively utilize information technology in suport of their mission. Their newsletter currently features information on granting organizations, discounted software, and research opportunities.
Technology and Young Children
Research, information and best practices regarding technology so it can be used to benefit children aged birth through eight years.
Technology Works for Good
Resources for nonprofits and technology vendors to connect in ways that reduce time, saves money and eliminates confusion involved in getting technology, training, and support.
The Beehive
The Beehive aggregates self-help oriented content (in both English and Spanish) for low-income people. The site offers information and interactive tools that focus on health, jobs, money, education, and family.
Byte Back
A training organization which partners with other social service organizations to provide computer training to under-employed and unemployed adults, and at-risk youth.
The College of Public and Community Service (CPCS)
Offers an On-Line Certificate in Community Media and Technology designed to provide students with the key competencies they need to incorporate a range of multi-media tools into their primary responsibilities. Most courses can be completed over the course of one calendar year. They include topics such as media literacy, community action, media & community building, using technology, and developing a media strategy.
NetDayCompass
A web-based directory of education technology resources.
PC Show and Tell
Allows anyone to download short tutorials on how to use popular software for free.
SeniorNet
The nonprofit SeniorNet provides adults 50+ access to and education about computer technology and the Internet to enhance their lives and enable them to share their knowledge and wisdom.
Tech Corps
TechCorps is the leading national nonprofit mobilizing technology volunteers into schools, offering tech support and teacher training. They offer high-quality technological resources that enrich K–12 teaching and learning and prepare tomorrow’s workforce.
TechSoup
TechSoup, a CompuMentor initiative, is a portal about technology for the nonprofit sector. TechSoup provides a rich repository of technical information and an active online community.
United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS)
UNITeS is a new global volunteer initiative that allows volunteers from any country to give their skills and time to extend the opportunities of the digital revolution to developing countries. Volunteers under the UNITeS initiative work directly with people and institutions in developing countries to build their capacity on the applications of information and communications technologies (ICT) to human development. Online volunteers will be part of the UNITeS community as well, supporting on-site volunteers and those they serve.
Youth Development Collaborative Pilot
A project of the Morino Institute offers youth, particularly those left out of the digital revolution, the skills, knowledge and confidence to participate in the New Economy.
Community Engagement and Volunteer Management Resources for School Settings
A resource guide to help teachers and school administrators involve volunteers and other community members in the classroom and in support of student achievement. This resource can also help teachers guide students in volunteering activities, and help volunteers already engaged in school-based activities. Includes examples of AmeriCorps volunteers using the Internet to recruit and involve volunteers in schools.
EBase
"Relationship management" application to track individual donors and a way to track and communicate with volunteers. It is a product of the Technology Project mentioned above.
Volunteer Training
From Idealist.org
"Working with Technical Volunteers: A Manual for NPOs" (Tech Soup)
Technology support providers and nonprofits, especially small nonprofit organizations, often find themselves challenged to effectively manage volunteers to deliver services and support administrative functions. In recent years, many people with technology skills have become increasingly motivated to donate their time and expertise to nonprofits. In many cases, these sorts of volunteer/nonprofit matches have had positive results, moving organizations with little technological capacity into a whole new league, making them more efficient, opening up new possibilities about how to do their work. But there can be many pitfalls in relying on volunteers that make offers of help not too helpful.
ServeNet
Youth Service America created ServeNet for the youth service movement.
ServiceLeader.Org
Provides information and links to resources on volunteer screening, matching, record-keeping and evaluation, legal issues/risk management, volunteer/staff relations, policy development, online activism by volunteers, volunteer management software, using the Internet to recruit volunteers, university and college level courses in volunteer management (including distance learning information), and much, much more.
The Virtual Volunteering Project
Provides comprehensive, detailed information to encourage and assist in the development and success of volunteer activities that can be completed, in whole or in part, via the Internet. The Project is not a matching service; instead, it provides the critical information and background to help both organizations and volunteers engage in effective, meaningful, mission–based online service.
Volunteer Match
Volunteers use this site to find opportunities in their community, while nonprofit organizations use it to post opportunities.
Basic Guide to Program Evaluation by Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD
Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology, Evaluation and Assessment
The Department's Office of Educational Technology works to assist the education community with meeting the national goals for educational technology. Achievements in access and connectivity have been significant; now educators must be trained to use technology to improve teaching and learning.
Needs Assessment and Project Management
AllPM.com — The Project Manager's Homepage
Contains a variety of free resources focused on project management.
How to "Take the Pulse of Your Community"
From the Laboratory for Community and Economic Development at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Needs Assessment Strategies for Community Groups and Organizations
Describes needs assessment techniques. From the Iowa State University Extension.
Annual US Department of Commerce Digital Divide Study—Falling Through the Net: Toward Digital Inclusion
Pew Internet and American Life
National Center for Education Statistics, Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms: 1994-1999
National Center for Education Statistics, Teachers' Tools for the 21st Century: A Report on Teachers' Use of Technology
Online Content for Low-Income and Underserved Americans (a report by The Children’s Partnership)
DigitalConnections
A cross-stream national service discussion forum for programs addressing and narrowing the digital divide. Temporarily suspended as of April 30, 2004. Browse or search the archives.
