Project Title:
UWA Connecting Minority Communities
Funding Program:
Connecting Minority Communities Program
Project Purpose/Type:
University of West Alabama (UWA)'s Connects Minority Communities Project aims to enhance broadband access, capacity, and adoption, and increase digital skills in Sumter and Greene Counties through a collaborative partnership of key stakeholders. With enhancements in these areas, the UWA CMC Project will spark new investment, create and cultivate jobs, support existing industry, and promote positive economic development in a rural region.
City/Town/Service Area:
State(s):
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$1,649,440.00Funding Amount$1,649,440.00Total Project Cost0.00Non-Federal Cost Share
The UWA Connects Minority Communities Project will build the broadband IT capacity of UWA and upgrade and expand network capabilities of UWA satellite facilities at the Development Center and the West Alabama Center for conservation and Agriculture. The project will provide broadband education, awareness, training, access, equipment, and support to students and patrons at UWA and tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations in the community. It will Improve use of broadband services by eligible MBEs and community-based organizations to deliver digital skills, digital inclusion, workforce development programs, and technology services in anchor communities. Finally, the project will provide digital/connected devices such as laptops, hotspots, tablets, video conferencing rooms to UWA facilities and tax-exempt organizations or eligible institutions in anchor communities for digital skills trainings, facilitation of remote/virtual education, telehealth, etc.
The UWA Connects Minority Communities Project will increased access to educational services for K-12 students and enhance educational opportunities for virtual learning. The project will increase work-based learning opportunities and internships for UWA students enrolled in the College of Business and Technology. It will also make telehealth offerings more readily available to residents in the areas where access to healthcare is limited.
Student, faculty, and staff at University of West Alabama will benefit from improved broadband connectivity. Community members of Sumter and Greene Counties of Alabama will have access to education and training through community partners.
Sumter County Chamber of Commerce will be a subrecipient for this project. Sumter County Chamber of Commerce was established in 2009 as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization and will be providing support with data collection and resources throughout all the proposed activities.
The applicant does fund a consortia. The applicant’s activities do occur in the surrounding anchor communities. Details of community involvement are described below.