Background

The Online Boost Project was developed in response to what we learned from neighborhood organizations putting up web sites and using social media for their organizations.  We conducted an inventory (Seattle Communities Online assessment) and held discussions at Neighborhood District Council and community group meetings. We looked at the current capacity of neighborhood groups to do effective outreach online, maintain their content, foster online engagement and use city widgets and tools.

We are looking for up to 15 projects who will receive up to $1000 in matching funds and will also participate in workshops with experts in using social media. Our goal is to boost their capacity through a project that takes them 3 months or less to complete.   This program is administered by Community Technology Program of the City of Seattle Department of Information Technology (DoIT).

Program Goals

The Online Boost Project is designed to help community and neighborhood groups implement a short term project that will increase their ability to post and manage online content, and foster more diverse participation. In coordination with the Seattle Communities Online initiative, we are seeking opportunities to enhance:

• Increased awareness of community issues;
• Increased community participation in problem solving; and
• Increased interaction with government.

Online Boost grantees will have access to:

• Up to $1000 mini-grants for a quick, specific project to be completed within 3 months.
• Workshop (required in order to receive funding) where participants would leave the workshop knowing what resources are out there, what their plan of action will be, and how to go about implementing.
• Mentorship and networking opportunities

The deadline is Tuesday, May 15 at midnight. The application is submitted online and all interested groups must register ahead of time in order to access the application.  You can register at: http://webgrants.seattle.gov.  If you have already registered for another grant with the City, you can log in with your user ID and password and select “Funding Opportunities” and then “Online Boost Grant.”

For help and resources visit the Online Boost Project at http://www.seattle.gov/seattlecommunitiesonline/boost.htm.

For in-person help please contact:

Vicky Yuki, vicky.yuki@seattle.gov, by phone at 206-233-7877.

The City of Seattle, Metrocenter YMCA and FUSE Labs Microsoft Research, are working together to get a better understanding of how people between the ages of 14 and 25 use technology for community or political activities with the goal of improving local community web sites such as Puget SoundOff.

This questionnaire is completely voluntary. Responses are confidential and used only for the purposes of the research project. The questionnaire takes about 20 minutes to complete and all survey respondents are entered into the Microsoft qweekpstakes and eligible to win software and games. The survey can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/YouthWebSurvey  

Over the April 26-28 weekend, some 120 developers, entrepreneurs and mentors from the public and private sectors participated in the first-ever Startup Weekend Government.  They worked for 54 hours nearly non-stop at City Hall to create apps that use open data from Seattle, King County and Washington State. Sol Villareal wrote a great account of it on the Mayor’s Blog: http://bit.ly/IVTNvI. Check out the winning apps.

This week the City of Seattle and the Washington State Council on Digital Inclusion submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on proposed changes in rules that would expand telephone support programs to include broadband deployment and adoption.

Comments support the FCC’s desire to use savings from the Lifeline Program/Universal Services Fund to support programs and services to improve digital literacy and broadband adoption among Americans who face barriers to benefitting from these technologies. 

Here are the key positions taken in the comments:

• A wide range of disadvantaged residents need these programs to help them access jobs, education, health information, and essential services. These include immigrants and refugees, disabled, communities of color, and seniors. Let local communities propose projects that best serve local needs and leverage community assets.
• Community based non-profit organizations and local governments should be eligible organizations in addition to schools and libraries.

• The FCC should build on organizations with training expertise and what has been begun by the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP) of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).  

• The FCC should develop other funding mechanisms, as well as encouraging industry incentives and partnerships that sustain digital literacy training programs and do not reduce funding for existing voice and broadband programs.
• The FCC should support sharing of best practices and training in delivery of digital literacy.
• We support the American Libraries Association position that money should also not be taken away from E-rate for this effort.

The City of Seattle has been a leader in digital inclusion efforts with programs including the Technology Matching Fund program, Seniors Training Seniors in Technology, RecTech/Parks Department computer learning centers, and Access for All cable broadband program for non-profit tech learning centers. See www.Seattle.gov/tech

See more about the Washington State Council on Digital Inclusion on the Communities Connect Network learning and resource hub at www.communitiesconnect.org. This includes a directory of technology learning centers across the state.

Link to the FCC filing:

http://bit.ly/JIO0vg or http://seattle.gov/tech/docs/WA_DigInclusionCouncil_City_of_Seattle_Comments.pdf

The first Startup Weekend aimed at connecting local application developers, entrepreneurs and community members with online government data will take place on April 27, 28 and 29, in Seattle City Hall. 

 “We’re asking the technology and start-up communities to help us find new ways to use government data. Startup Weekend Gov is a great opportunity to come build an application and make a difference in your community,” said Mayor Mike McGinn.

Startup Weekend Gov offers a 54-hour work session that begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 27. Developers will use data posted by the City of Seattle, King County and the State of Washington to create new mobile apps and business ideas that make government services more accessible and relevant to residents and businesses.

Data sets can be found at

• City of Seattle: http://data.seattle.gov
• King County: www.datakc.org
• Washington State: http://data.wa.gov

Share your ideas at https://opennw.ideascale.com

Register for Startup Weekend Gov at http://seattlegov.startupweekend.org

The SeattleWiFi free community wireless service will be discontinued on April 29, 2012. For the past couple weeks a notice has been provided when users log on to the system. The pilot project has been serving the University District, Columbia City and four downtown parks (Steinbrueck, Occidental, Freeway, and Westlake) since 2005. The service, provided in collaboration with the UW and neighborhood chambers of commerce, has been well-used and especially in Columbia City, helped contribute to the areas’ revitalization. The City would encourage other providers or sponsors to consider supporting free Wi-Fi service in these areas and other neighborhood business districts.

This decision was made with several considerations:
- The existing equipment has passed its end-of-life and can no longer be maintained effectively.
- The cost to buy and install new commercial-grade equipment and to support continuing Wi-Fi service and support are high at a time when the economy has forced the city to make budget cuts.
- An increasing number of people have Internet access with their mobile cell plans (“smartphones “), and there is greater availability of Wi-Fi in neighborhood cafes and businesses that provide alternatives to a City-managed Wi-Fi program.

Free Wi-Fi will continue to be provided at libraries, City Hall, and Seattle Center. The City is also continuing to provide free use of public computers at Neighborhood Service Centers, libraries, and selected community centers, in addition to the community access and training provided through our Technology Matching Fund grant partners.

The City can provide a list of assets used for our Wi-Fi project, referrals to community partners for potential providers, and a list of assets used for our Wi-Fi project. Please contact communitytechnology@seattle.gov or leave a message on our Wi-Fi Infoline at 684-8070 for more information.

The City would like to thank the Rainier Chamber of Commerce, Columbia City Business Association, University District Chamber of Commerce, University of Washington, Homesight, Atlantic Street Center and the residents that participated in the program. We were glad to be able to provide the service for longer than our initial five year pilot program.

The City and our Community Technology staff personally feel very fortunate to be able to do our work; helping to ensure technology access and literacy for all. Our efforts to close the digital divide do more than put technology and access and skills into people’s hands. They level the playing field of opportunity for access to jobs, health and consumer information, and education. While the divide over some basic access to computers has closed, there are still many who have yet to touch a computer mouse for the first time or are challenged to use the web to look for a job, to use it to learn English, or be able to effectively comparison shop for the prices. Many of these activities for those who can afford the latest and greatest, or have the community of techie friends, are taken for granted. In 2011, we were able to apply your money–the cable franchise fees that the city collects–and provide services including the following:

• Provided more than 2600 hours of public computer use at the City Neighborhood Service Centers. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, a few locations were closed, though we were able find a new location in Greenwood at the foodbank, thanks to Volunteers of America.
• Fifty-three new free cable broadband connections were installed at community organizations, thanks to our agreements with Comcast and Broadstripe/WAVE.
• Twenty-two Technology Matching Fund projects were completed, thanks to our community partners.
• Awarded $320,000 in 23 new Technology Matching Fund grants.
• Our new Boost mini-grants and training increased the online capacity of 16 neighborhood organizations.
• Provided 10 public educational sessions on computer safety and security.
• Ten community computer labs and volunteers helped us hold Get Online Week, where residents could get an orientation and training in computer and Internet use.
• We helped launch the new CommunitiesConnect web site and the implementation of the public computing projects funded by the federal BTOP program, with the EdLab Group.

As we look to 2012 and beyond, we know that the economy is making it very tough for a lot of families and the community organizations that help people with their daily needs and paths to new opportunity. With great support from the Mayor and Council, we will keep working hard and working closely with the community to ensure technology access, skills and effective electronic public engagement for all Seattle residents.

–David Keyes, Community Technology Program Manager, City of Seattle

David Keyes will be presenting in a national webinar on digital inclusion: Tuesday, March 6th ♦ 1 pm Eastern / 10 am Pacific. This will cover the national framework, local government roles, and building partnerships. Register and more: http://www.webjunction.org/events/webinars#mar6

In FCC Chairman Genachowski’s announcement of the sweeping Connect2Compete initiative to increase broadband connectivity and Internet access across the nation, he listed an impressive array of partners who are joining in the effort. Although he singled out libraries as “vital centers for digital literacy,” any effective actions must involve the whole community of players. Join us to hear about the key role that the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is playing in the broadband adoption challenge and the actions already underway for building digital communities. And also hear insights on the collaborative roles and efforts of city/county governments and public and private organizations. Learn how to get started with inclusion efforts from organizations who have taken the steps to implement practical programs which meet local needs and share your ideas about collaborative efforts which lead digital inclusion.

Presented by: Mary Chute, deputy director for libraries, Institute of Museum and Library Services; Ron Carlee, chief operating officer, International City/County Management Association; and David Keyes, community technology program manager, City of Seattle.

The City of Seattle is offering Technology Matching Fund grants up to $20,000 for projects that increase online civic engagement, broadband adoption, internet and digital media skills.

The deadline for applying is April 3rd. These funds are available to Seattle community organizations to help close the digital divide, especially for vulnerable residents. Get more information or see the press release.

 Join Mayor Mike McGinn, the City Council, City Attorney, and City departments for a day at City Hall.                            ……………………. Saturday, January 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m…………………. 

The Department of Information Technology will provide information on the Cable Customer Bill of Rights, eligibility for cable discounts for seniors and handicapped customers, the Seattle Channel, Community Technology Fund grants to help close the digital divide, the City’s website (www.seattle.gov), and the Citizens’ Telecommunications and Technology Advisory Board (CTTAB).

Here’s what else will be going on:
Live Music
Farmers Market
Food Trucks
Animal Shelter
Q&A with Elected Officials
Tours of Mayor’s Office
Tours of Council Offices
Information from City Departments
Civic Engagement: How a Bill Becomes a Law
Workshop: Understanding Credit Reports

http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/openhouse/