Technical Assistance Workshop – Fiscal Year 2004 TechnologyOpportunities Program Program.

Technical Assistance Workshop – Fiscal Year 2004TechnologyTechnologyOpportunitiesOpportunities ProgramProgram


Technical AssistanceWorkshop

Fiscal Year 2004


MissionTo support demonstrations of how newtelecommunications and informationtechnologies can provide educational,

health care, or public informationin the public and non-profit sectors


Strategy

• Foster innovation through competition

• Support potential national models

• Learn from funded projects

• Share lessons learned & best practices


• Job Creation

• Economic Development

• New Ways of Doing Business

• Wireless Technologies

• Broadband Deployment

FY04 Program Priorities


• Local Economic Development

• Lifelong Learning

• Telehealth and Public Health

• Public Services

Job Creation



Fiscal Year 2004



Fiscal Year 2004The Basics


2004 Competition

Funding Level: Approximately $12.9 million(FY2003: 28 grants, $13.95 million)(Average Grant: $500K)

Maximum Request: $700,000

Deadline: April 27, 2004


Eligible Applicants

• Non-profit Entities

• Public Sector Organizations

• State, Local, and Tribal Governments


Eligible Applicants• Faith-Based Organizations• National Organizations & Associations• Non-Profit Community-Based Organizations• Non-Profit Health Care Providers• Schools & Libraries• Museums• Colleges and Universities• Public Safety Providers• Other Providers of Public Services


The Timeline• Deadline: April 27, 2004• Review: June, External Peer Review• Negotiations: August, Clarify Issues• Selection: September, Selecting Official• Announcement: September 30, 2004


• Single-Organization Projects• Infrastructure Development Projects • Hardware and Software Development• Training Projects• Voice-based Systems• Curriculum Development• International Components

Scope: A Word of Caution About...


Essential Elements• Standard Form 424 (“The Application”)• Executive Summary (One Page Maximum)• Project Narrative (Eight Pages Maximum)• Standard Form 424A (Budget Categories)• Budget Narrative (Individual Budget Items)• Statement of Matching Funds (Identify Sources)


Doing Your Homework


Doing Your Homework


Doing Your Homework


Doing Your Homework


Doing Your Homework


Doing Your Homework


Doing Your Homework



Fiscal Year 2004



Fiscal Year 2004The Project Narrative


• 20% - Project Purpose• 30% - Innovation • 10% - Community Involvement• 10% - Evaluation• 20% - Project Feasibility• 10% - Project Budget

Review Criteria and Weights


Problem

Solution

Outcome

Problem Resolution

20% - Project Purpose


• What problem(s) are being addressed?

• What solution(s) are proposed?

• What outcome(s) are expected?

20% - Project Purpose


30% - Innovation

• Introduce New Technologies

• Introduce New Applications

• Better and Less Costly Service

• Explore Untested Strategies


• Job Creation

• Economic Development

• New Ways of Doing Business

• Wireless Technologies

• Broadband Deployment

FY04 Program Priorities


Community Content

Technology

10% - Community Involvement



• Partners

• Public and Private

• Contribute to Match

• Sustained Involvement



• End Users

• Awareness

• Involvement

• Training


• Develop an Evaluation Plan

• Focus on Problem-Solution-Outcome

• Independent Evaluator Required

• Work with Evaluator Early

10% - Evaluation


10% - Evaluation

• Project Documentation• Evaluation Questions• Data Collection Plan• Resources Devoted• Independent Evaluator Qualifications• Human Subjects Research


Planning Tools and Evaluation Resources

Website Search Engine

Evaluation Resource Page

• GuidesGuides• Completed EvaluationsCompleted Evaluations


• Technical Approach

• Applicant’s Qualifications

• Milestones

• Protect Privacy

• Sustainability

• Dissemination

20% - Project Feasibility


• Reasonable

• Clear

• Cost-Effective

• Eligible

10% - Project Budget



Fiscal Year 2004



Fiscal Year 2004The Project Budget


• Matching Funds

• Matching Ratio is Fixed – 50/50

• Consistent with Project Narrative

Budget Basics


The Budget Pyramid


A Sample Budget Narrative


The Budget Pyramid


A Sample Statement of Matching


The Budget Pyramid


A Sample SF424a


The Budget Pyramid


A Sample SF424

Total Project Cost

Federal Share

Applicant Share


A Sample SF424

Total Project Cost

Federal Share

Applicant Share


A Sample SF424

Total Project Cost

Federal Share

Applicant Share


• Reasonable

• Clear

• Cost-Effective

• Eligible

Attributes of a Good Budget


• In-kind Contributions

• Ownership and Date of Purchase

• Professional Services

• Program Income

Budget Mistakes to Avoid



Fiscal Year 2004



Fiscal Year 2004Advice and Resources


Why Proposals Fall Short

Users Not Clearly Identified

No Real Partners

Doubtful FeasibilityProblem Is Unclear

Cannot Be Sustained

Capacity Building


The Golden Rules

Get to the Point

Be Specific

Be RealisticNever Assume

Proofread

Find a Neutral Reader


TOP Grantee Responsibilities

Share Information

Reporting Requirements

Achieve Project Goals


TOP’s Online Tools

Will Help You Complete Forms

Must Still Mail Signed Copies

Not Required to Use Online Tools


• Peer Review• Staff Analysis• Program Priorities – Job Creation• Geographic Distribution• Economic Downturns• Partnering with Commercial Entities• Redundant with Other Federal Agencies• Availability of Funds

Factors Used by Selecting Official


Reviewers Needed

Experts

Honoraria

No Conflicts

Signup at Website


ApplicationPostmark Deadline:

April 27, 2004


Contacting TOP

Website: www.ntia.doc.gov/top/

Phone TOP: (202) 482-2048

Fax TOP: (202) 501-5136

Send email: [email protected]



Fiscal Year 2004

Technical Assistance Workshop – Fiscal Year 2004 TechnologyOpportunities Program Program.

Documents