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USDA Accepting Proposals Expanding Rural Internet Access

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The USDA Rural Development is still accepting applications from “state or town governments, cooperatives, incorporated organizations, Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations for Community Connect Grants” needing to finance the expansion of broadband internet access in rural communities.

Last October, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $190.5 million in grants and loans to make broadband and other advanced communications infrastructure improvements in rural areas. One of the first recipients of the USDA Rural Development Community Connect Broadband Grant is Lafayette, Tennessee’s North Central Telephone Cooperative (NCTC), which was awarded $1.77 million to increase connectivity for the areas residents.

The desired outcome of the grant is detailed on the USDA’s blog.

Upon completion, NCTC service area residents will have access to internet speeds ranging from 5 Megabits per second (Mbps) to a full 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps). This means businesses will be able to capitalize off of e-commerce business strategies and offer teleworking options to their employees; community members will have more efficient and reliable access to commercial and emergency services.

USDA Blog | World Accessibility in Rural America

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How Colorado is Supporting its Rural School Districts

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As rural school districts everywhere continue to struggle with acquiring and retaining quality teachers, Colorado’s Department of Higher Education has developed several unique programs to entice teachers to stay.

The department has five programs targeting schools in rural areas. It will expand Teacher Quality grants to support more professional development for teachers. The grants will also aid science, technology, engineering and math programs in rural districts — especially in northern Colorado.

The Department of Higher Education will also conduct roundtable meetings to develop a pipeline of teachers to rural school districts. The first meeting will be held in February.

“We’re going to sit down and say, ‘hey look, what can we do?'” Mitchell said. “What can we put in place to help develop this pipeline, to help strengthen the pipeline of teachers going into these rural communities?”

The Adams State University Foundation will work with DHE to help more teachers meet the requirements to teach concurrent enrollment programs. Concurrent enrollment allows students to earn college credit while still in high school.

The Colorado GEAR UP program will continue to work with the state to provide support to students from lower income families seek careers in education.

The Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative awards $3.4 million in grant money to support students across the state –including those in rural areas — to allow them to attend college and enter the workforce.

NBC 9 News Colorado | State offers help to rural school districts

Good Pitch
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‘Raising Bertie’ Selected to Present at Good Pitch Chicago 2015

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Raising Bertie has been selected to present at Good Pitch Chicago 2015!

The event is sponsored by Chicago Media Project and will bring documentary filmmakers together with “foundations, NGOs, campaigners, philanthropists, policy makers, brands and media around leading social and environmental issues to forge coalitions and campaigns that are good for all these partners, good for the films and good for society.” Filmmakers will have the opportunity to present a seven minute pitch and then receive feedback from an audience of 300 potential partners and investors. Good Pitch is based on a partnership between BRITDOC and Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program.

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