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Eliminate the Digital Divide
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The goal of the Digital Divide Grant Program is to increase access to computers, telecommunications technologies, and related training for populations residing in low-income communities. Under this program, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is authorized to make grants to plan, establish, administer, and expand Community Technology Centers (CTCs) and to support technology access programs. CTC programs provide computer access and educational services using information technology to individuals, communities, and populations that typically would not otherwise have opportunities to use computer and telecommunications technologies.
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Employer Training Investment Program
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The Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP) supports Illinois workers’ efforts to upgrade their skills in order to remain current in new technologies and business practices, enabling companies to remain competitive, expand into new markets and introduce more efficient technologies into their operations. ETIP grants may reimburse Illinois companies for up to 50 percent of the cost of training their employees. Grants may be awarded to individual businesses, intermediary organizations operating multi-company training projects and original equipment manufacturers sponsoring multi-company training projects for employees of their Illinois supplier companies.
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Employer Training Investment Program - Incentive Component
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The ETIP Incentive Program is designed for Illinois businesses applying for training funds as part of an ILDCEO Business Development Project to which the company is operating or locating in Illinois in conjunction with planned permanent expansion, location or retention activities.
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High Technology School-To-Work
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The goal of the High Technology School to Work Program is to improve education and to prepare Illinois’ students to transition from school to high skilled, high paying jobs in the areas of science, mathematics, and advanced technology. Increasing the number of trained students entering technology occupations will help meet the workforce demand of Illinois’ high technology businesses.
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Advanced Technology Program (ATP)
(external link)
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The ATP views R&D projects from a broader perspective - its bottom line is how the project can benefit the nation. In sharing the relatively high development risks of technologies that potentially make feasible a broad range of new commercial opportunities, the ATP fosters projects with a high payoff for the nation as a whole - in addition to a direct return to the innovators.
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Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program
(external link)
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SBIR is a highly competitive program that encourages small business to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization. By including qualified small businesses in the nation's R&D arena, high-tech innovation is stimulated and the United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets its specific research and development needs.
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Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program
(external link)
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STTR is an important new small business program that expands funding opportunities in the federal innovation research and development arena. Central to the program is expansion of the public/private sector partnership to include the joint venture opportunities for small business and the nation's premier nonprofit research institutions. STTR's most important role is to foster the innovation necessary to meet the nation's scientific and technological challenges in the 21st century.
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Employment Opportunities Grant Program
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The goal of the Employment Opportunities Grant Program (EOGP) is to expand the number of individuals in historically underrepresented populations who enter and complete building trades apprenticeship programs and achieve journey-level status within building trades unions. These are careers that are physically and mentally demanding, but which offer wages and benefits on which a family can be supported.
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Innovation Challenge Program
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The purpose of the Innovation Challenge Program is to increase the number of Illinois companies that apply for federal research grants. The federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and its parallel Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program provide over $2 billion a year to small companies developing leading-edge technologies of interest to 11 federal departments and agencies. The Illinois Innovation Challenge Program provides grant writing assistance to eligible Illinois technology-based entrepreneurs, innovators and new venture startups to access federal SBIR and STTR funding opportunities.
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Eliminate the Digital Divide
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Local Exchange Carriers (LECs)
Collection and Remittance of Voluntary Contributions
During the rewrite of the Illinois telecommunications law, the Illinois General Assembly incorporated language into the Public Utilities Act (“PUA”) requiring the Illinois Commerce Commission (“Commission”) to develop a rule that requires each telecommunications carrier to notify its customers that if the customer wishes to participate in the funding of the Program to Foster Elimination of the Digital Divide they may do so by electing to contribute on a monthly basis through their telephone bill. Governor Ryan signed Public Act 92-0022 into law on June 29, 2001.
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