MAYOR NEWSOM, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ANNOUNCE $7.9 MILLION STIMULUS FUND GRANT TO IMPROVE BROADBAND TECHNOLOGY ACCESS

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 28 -- The office of the San Francisco Mayor issued the following news release:

The U.

S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and Mayor Newsom today announced award of the $7.9 million Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) competitive grant to increase access to technology. Entitled the San Francisco Community Broadband Opportunity Program (SF CBOP), the project is part of a nation-wide effort to increase sustainable adoption of high-speed Internet applications and encourage subscribership to broadband services. The program will provide extensive training, computers, and broadband connections throughout San Francisco, through partnering organizations, including senior centers, adult day and supportive housing sites, after school programs, youth organizations, digital media partners, and City College of San Francisco.

"San Francisco is at the center of the information and communications revolution that is changing the world, but too many people still don't have access to broadband technology," said Mayor Newsom. "I would like to thank Secretary Locke and the NTIA for their vision in awarding this grant, and Speaker Pelosi for her support and leadership."

"Today's announcement of almost $8 million to expand broadband access recognizes our City's culture of innovation and forging creative partnerships to transform urban life, particularly for those most in need," said Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. "These funds will serve to provide broadband resources for seniors and the disabled, increase broadband adoption, and provide in-home business skills and Wi-Fi training. This project will create nearly 200 jobs and serve as a model for other communities."

The grant funds are part of the $4.7 billion provided to NTIA through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 to support broadband infrastructure projects under the Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program (BTOP). The San Francisco Bay Area region previously received a $50.6 million grant for the Bay Area Wireless Enhanced Broadband (BayWEB) project, which will provide Bay Area emergency responders with a dedicated and prioritized broadband communications system.

While San Francisco enjoys generally high rates of technology adoption, this is not true among the City's economically and socially vulnerable populations. Less than 42% of seniors and only 41% of low income residents subscribe to broadband services. Through access to broadband and instruction for non-users in the value and benefits provided by broadband, the program seeks to reduce economic and social isolation among seniors, low income and other populations and open up a window of opportunity for renewing family connections, accessing services, and exploring employment options. The grant will also provide a unique opportunity for advancing multi-media innovation and its economic potential, by providing high end digital media training for students and low income residents across the City.

The City's Departments of Technology; Aging & Adult Services; and Children, Youth & their Families, along with City College, Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC) and other key partners in the nonprofit, educational, and for-profit sectors, will provide broadband-oriented training and services to seniors, adults with disabilities , low-income and ESL youth, and other economically and socially vulnerable groups in several languages. The partners will engage in broadband training to seniors, adults in residential treatment, low income and ESL youth, and other economically and socially disadvantaged groups. Project partners include Community Living Campaign, Community Technology Network, Self Help for the Elderly, National Council on Aging, Conard House Inc., City College of San Francisco, San Francisco Adult Day Services Network, Northern California Presbyterian Homes and Services, San Francisco Housing Authority, Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and the Bay Area Video Coalition.

SF-CBOP will offer training sessions to reach 8,000 residents with over 300,000 teacher-led training hours in senior centers, group homes, San Francisco's Beacon Centers and at City College. A volunteer "digital literacy corps" will be formed for training and support, and empowering the local community to develop its own digital literacy. Annual surveys will track progress and metrics.

"We look forward to working with the NTIA and our community partners to roll out innovative programs that reach those left behind by the digital age and to expand access to relevant community generated digital media tools and content. We believe that these programs will serve as a replicable national model for other communities," said San Francisco Chief Information Officer Chris Vein.

"We are thrilled that we are going to be able to provide funding to our neighborhood partners to bring these valuable new services to their communities. Senior centers have been flooded with requests for this kind of program and this grant will help us offer them what they so badly need," said Anne Hinton, Director of the Department of Aging and Adult Services.

Key project components include: (1) neighborhood based broadband training for seniors and adults with disabilities (2) digital media training and tools to engage economically disadvantaged youth and adults in creating and showcasing digital content through broadband, and (3) training in creating home-based online businesses. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com