Louisville City Wire

Mayor Craig Greenberg today announced the award of $150,000 in digital inclusion outreach grants, $15,000 each for nine different nonprofit organizations. The purpose of the grants is to empower these organizations with the resources they need to help reduce the digital divide in our community.

“This funding is a one-time grant for each organization, but we hope that it will help create a more robust environment so these organizations will be better prepared to receive the Digital Equity Act funding coming from the federal government in the near future,” Mayor Greenberg said.

"We are honored and excited to receive this Digital Inclusion Grant, which will enable us to drive positive change by ensuring that technology becomes a tool for unity rather than a divider. This grant reaffirms our commitment to fostering inclusivity, empowering underserved communities and building a future where every individual can harness the opportunities of the digital age," Patricia Williams, president and CEO at Wesley House Community Services, said.

The grant funds were available to the city’s technology department, Metro Technology Services, in the aftermath of the Google Fiber project. The money will be used differently by each organization for such work as repairing computer labs, hiring part-time trainers and providing affordable connectivity outreach.

Organizations receiving the grants and how the funds will be used include:  

• Somali Community of Louisville, Inc. – Technology upgrades
• Kentucky African Achievers, Inc.– Tech Center upgrades
• Wesley House Community Center, Inc.– Digital skills training
• Americana Community Center, Inc.– Technology upgrades
• Von Spiegel Missionary Baptist Church, Inc.– Digital skills training
• Academy of Music Production Education and Development, Inc. (2 awards) – ACP outreach and digital skills training
• See Forward Ministries Corporation– Digital skills training
• Animus Foundation, Inc. – Tech Center upgrades
• La Casita Center, Inc.– Affordable connectivity program outreach

These organizations must report back after six months and again after one year to make sure the funds are used appropriately and meet the grant funding guidelines.

To learn more about the city’s digital inclusion efforts, visit: https://louisvilleky.gov/government/digital-inclusion.

Original source can be found here.