The Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund (TIF)
"CN2 Community Networking Grant" Program now active

In May, 2001 the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund (TIF) released the Second Community Networking grant (CN2) RFP, offering $25 million dollars for Texas communities to plan and build telecom infrastructure resources for economic, educational and social development. This first phase of CN2 provides Planning Grants of $25,000 to develop a community-wide plan to use telecommunications; the second phase offers grantees up to $500,000 each to implement their plans. Applicants for this grant must include at least one TIF-eligible entity (school, library, nonprofit medical) working in collaboration with a broad range of local residents and organizations to build a strong, flexible, community-based network.

We strongly urge every community to consider this unique grant opportunity. While the short deadlines may regrettably mean many prospective applicants will not learn of this grant before the initial response date, chances of success can be very good for those who do apply. 

The first step for PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS was to establish eligibility by signing and returning the required "letter of intent" form by June 15, 2001.  TIF required that this be signed and returned by a TIF-eligible entity in the applying community.  Approximately 313 letters of intent were submitted by the deadline.

TIF reminds that submitting this form did not obligate the signer to apply or accept a grant; the letter of intent was required to help TIF estimate staff resources needed to effectively process CN2 applications. For prospective applicants, it provided a sort of placeholder, keeping them eligible to consider the grant and apply (by July 17, 2001) if they chose to pursue the grant application process.

Unofficial outreach assistance for this grant program was volunteered and provided by the TeleCommunity Resource Center, which made contact with as many potential applicant cities as possible.  TCRC sent notices of the CN2 grant by e-mail and post, and conducted workshops in several communities around the state, especially in those areas where the prior Community Networking grant round made few awards.

Though timelines were tight, we believe this means those communities who did apply have a good chance for success.  We hope many Texas communities win this grant.

The steps and dates in the CN2 grant process include:

August 31, 2001 – CN2 Planning Grants to be awarded on or before this date

October 1, 2001 – TIF-funded planning period begins

February 1, 2002 – funded planning period ends

February 15, 2002 – final CN2 plans due at TIF

(estimated) May, 2002 – Implementation grant awards announced

(estimated) June, 2002 – June, 2004 – Implementation grant funded period

 [NOTE: Through TCRC works to help inform communities of CN opportunities, we do not speak for TIF.  For official TIF CN2 information visit:  http://www.tifb.state.tx.us.

Download the CN2 RFP:   Word 2000 format        Word 95 format

Download the zipped CN2 Application:     Word 2000 format        Word 95 format

Copyright © 1997-2001 TeleCommunity Resource Center.
This project is made possible through the cooperation of Metropolitan Austin Interactive Network and the contributions of Broadwing Communications, Microsoft Corporation and Digital Voodoo, Inc..
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