This letter was sent to over 100 organizations which were contacted to complete the survey:
Dear :
The Tahoe Center for a Sustainable Future (TCSF) and the Tahoe Truckee Community Network (TTCN) have collaborated to bring a grant from the National Telecommunications Information administration (NTIA) to the Tahoe/Truckee region. This grant's organizing focus is improving access to Regional information important to securing a future with a healthy environment, sustainable economy, and involved community. This grant will fund accelerated development of the ability to use information technologies in our Region by working intensively with 25 organizations to assist in their effective use and creative applications. The program consists of two elements; one on the internet and one on the TTCN. This letter investigates your interest in being considered for inclusion into the initial group of organizations sharing information and resources using electronic communications.
This project will result in the creation of a Tahoe Basin wide-area network (TBWAN) with linked web sites on the internet. TCSF staff will be available to provide intensive training, support and trouble-shooting for all those included in the program. Throughout the one year grant period, all participants will share information over this network and learn together to develop and demonstrate its applications in improving communications, saving time and money, and improving the quality of public service and work products. The overall effort will create the foundation and infrastructure for a successful region-wide communications system for the future.
This project will also facilitiate more use and better access to the local bulletin board system, the TTCN. Those organizations working with TTCN staff will receive support in the system's use, including such functions as posting public announcements, community dialogue concerning topical questions, and Regional email. Through the one-year grant period, TTCN will be developing an Internet link to allow internet email and other Internet access.
Your organization may be chosen as one of the first 25 local organizations for immediate participation with either TCSF or TTCN. We are looking for members of our community (government agencies, businesses, nonprofit organizations, schools, etc.) who need better access to local information, have information to share with others in the community, and need support and training to make it happen. We will create a group of organizations with common interests to insure that the demonstration of this technology meets with success. Inclusion, therefore, will be based on the type and quality of each organization's information to share, the type of organization and how its needs fit with the initial group, its interest level and commitment to use the technology to develop applications. Although the grant funding limits us to an initial group of approximately 25, we will create an infrastructure which will allow all of us in the region to work together to promote better communications abilities as we expand the initial effort. Even if not selected for this initial group, the opportunity will be available to participate with the TBWAN in the future.
We would like to survey your organization to determine what you need from electronic communications and how best to work towards connectivity in our region. The survey will be conducted over the phone and take less than an hour. It will involve questions on the current status of hardware and software used by your organization, the type of data you have to share and that which you need from the program, the type and quantity of the support and training your organization needs, and the level of committment to using the systems you can offer. The TCSF Program Coordinator will contact you to determine if you are interested and to whom to direct the survey. Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely,
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