From Tony Shawcross, Executive Director at Open Media Foundation:

“Please help distribute widely!

The Open Media Foundation invites Public Access partners to join us in applying for a Second-Round BTOP Sustainable Broadband Adoption proposal. With the deadline for the second and final round of BTOP grants approaching on March 15th, OMF was disappointed to learn just last week that, despite getting past the Due-Diligence phase of the first round, our proposal was not selected for funding. While the late rejection has left us with a short window of opportunity to re-apply, the process has been very informative and educational in revising the proposal for a second try.

The vision of the project involves updating Public Access TV stations into integrated on-line institutions that serve as a gateway for disadvantaged communities to begin creating multimedia content for the web and encouraging sustainable broadband adoption among communities with historically low broadband use. Participating stations will receive support in implementing the Open Media Project tools which, among other things, automate the process of posting all video content on-line. The Open Media Foundation will provide the development, integration, and if necessary, equipment required to implement the features of the Open Media Project (as outlined at http://openmediaproject.org/features)

Participating Stations will be asked to support early adopters in their local “disconnected communities” (neighborhoods with low broadband penetration rates) to produce content that conveys the relevance of broadband in their lives. Free Speech TV will produce a national TV series for both DishNetwork and DirecTV featuring samples from the participating stations. As with our first round application, we also plan to partner with the ACM to support a full-time staff evaluation expert, documenting best-practices in sustainable broadband adoption among member stations and developing a knowledge-base with search-able content on a wide range of related issues.

Because the window is so tight, interested parties have only one-week to complete the new application form at openmediaproject.org Keep in mind that completion of the application, and participation in the proposal does not guarantee funding, nor does it legally bind your station to any agreement. ?The application is required to be considered for participation in the grant, but it is not until the grant is awarded and a subsequent contract is signed by your ED and Board that your organization would be legally bound to any agreements.

Feel free to contact me or Maria(at)openmediafoundation(dot)org with any questions.”

Tony Shawcross
Executive Director
Open Media Foundation
700 Kalamath St
Denver, CO 80204
720-222-0160 x200
tony(at)openmediafoundation(dot)org