For Immediate Release
December 17, 1999
Contact: Ranjit de Silva
(202) 482-7002

Washington, D.C., - Assistant Secretary Gregory L. Rohde announced that the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) Telecommunications Information and Infrastructure Assistance Program (TIIAP) will hold a series of workshops in January and February next year to discuss the goals and priorities of its grant program that funds innovative projects aimed at extending the benefits of advanced telecommunications and information technology to underserved Americans in rural and urban areas.

"Since 1994, TIIAP grants have helped to close the digital divide in hundreds of underserved communities nationwide," Assistant Secretary Rohde said. "This exciting program enables us to establish effective partnerships with the private sector and state and local governments to identify innovative applications to broaden access to telecommunications and information services in underserved communities," he said.

*On-line Registration Starts Today at www.ntia.doc.gov, click on grants, then TIIAP*

The Technical Assistance Workshops will be held in three locations for schools, libraries, hospitals, public safety organizations, state and local governments, and other non-profit organizations eligible to apply for information technology grants. The purpose of these workshops is to provide the public with information about this federal grant program and enable interested parties to establish a partnership with the Commerce Department to enhance access to telecommunications and information technology applications.

The series of workshops are free and will focus on the Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program (TIIAP), introduce FY 2000 grant round, discuss funding priorities, application requirements and lessons learned from previous TIIAP grantees. They will present interested parties with a major opportunity to understand the program goals and processes and to meet representatives of other organizations interested in TIIAP.

The Technical Assistance Workshops will be held January 31, in New York City, New York; February 2, in Houston, Texas; and February 4, in Los Angeles, California. Additional details on the workshops, including registration information can be found at the NTIA web site or by calling the TIIAP office at (202) 482-2048.

Congress has appropriated $15.5 million for the FY 2000 grant round. The Notice of Availability ofFunds announcing the upcoming competition will be published in the Federal Register in early January.

TIIAP is a competitive, merit-based grant program that provides seed money for innovative, practical projects that extend the benefits of advanced telecommunications and information technology to rural and urban underserved Americans. Since its inception in 1994, the program has awarded more than $135 million in matching grant funds.

TIIAP is administered by the NTIA. NTIA serves as the principal adviser to the President, Vice President and Secretary of Commerce on domestic and international communications and information issues.