Funds can be applied toward tuition for training that will result in new instructional techniques in the classroom. Public and private school educators serving children of all ages may apply for these grants. Projects that use multimedia applications are preferred, especially as they facilitate identification of additional resources for teaching the historical basis for legislative and regulatory rules. Proposals may be submitted at any time during the year. Successful applicants will receive one year of free access to an online database containing more than 400 technology training courses, which run the gamut from word processing, to web site design, to spreadsheets, to computer-aided drafting.
Applicants can be individual teachers or school district media representatives.
Applicants must file a short note indicating their reasons for wanting access to the online training program and their plans for using their knowledge in the classroom. Through a wide array of programs, the foundation tries promote computer literacy and computer access for all. Sponsors of the organization include such prestigious groups as MIT s Center for Information Technology and Society, the Detwiler Foundation, and the East West Foundation, as well as lesser-known organizations that have recycled and repaired thousands of used computers and distributed them in underserved communities. Bridging the Digital Divide, an initiative formed by such partners as the AOL Foundation, Waitt Family Foundation, Case Foundation, YMCA, and Corporation for National Service, seeks to serve underserved youth in the United States through technology education and training. Based in schools and community centers around the country, PowerUP centers will provide young people with access to the wide range of content and information on the internet and help them develop additional skills they need to succeed in the 21st century.