Technology Opportunties Program (TOP)

The summary for the Technology Opportunties Program (TOP) grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Technologoes Opportunities Program, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Technology Opportunties Program (TOP): The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issues this Announcement describing the conditions under which applications will be received by the Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) and how NTIA will select applications for funding. As an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, NTIA is the Executive Branch's principal voice on domestic and international telecommunications and information technology issues. NTIA works to spur innovation, encourage competition, help create jobs and support policies that provide consumers with more choices and better quality telecommunications products and services at lower prices. TOP supports this mission through funding demonstrations of newp telecommunications and information technology applications for the provision of educational, health care, or public information in the Nation's public and non-profit sectors. The Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) is a highly competitive, merit-based matching grant program that promotes the use of advanced telecommunications and information technologies in the non-profit and public sectors. TOP provides organizations with the opportunity to explore the possibilities that new interactive technologies offer to improve the provision of "educational, health care, or public information." These projects encourage the deployment of broadband infrastructure, services, and applications throughout the Nation. With respect to educational information, TOP will support projects that expand training and learning opportunities or create innovative educational or training methods through the use of network technologies. In health care, TOP will support projects that use network technologies to improve the efficiency of, effectiveness of, or access to health-related services. TOP will support projects that enable the sharing and creation of a broad range of public information including, but not limited to, economic development opportunities; state, tribal, and local government services; community-based services; arts and humanities; and resources that promote self-sufficiency and an improved quality of life. TOP projects demonstrate innovative applications of technology to pressing needs in the public and non-profit sectors. Rather than simply requesting funds to build capacity or upgrade existing equipment each application must describe a project that pinpoints specific problems, proposes innovative solutions involving the application of telecommunications and information technologies, and provides realistic and measurable outcomes. All funded projects must be interactive and foster the exchange and sharing of information among individuals and/or groups, as opposed to one-way or broadcast systems. These projects are expected to serve as national models, even though the applicant may propose to pilot theproject at the local level. Accordingly, priority will be given to projects that address problems of national significance, expand economic opportunities, enhance productivity, increase worker skills, and create jobs for American workers. Funded projects must evidence a strong probability of replication in other communities throughout the United States. Priority also will be given to projects demonstrating the use of new telecommunications and information technologies. NTIA is especially interested in applications of wireless technologies including, but not limited to, WI-FI, unlicensed spectrum devices, and projects demonstrating the potential application of 3rd generation or Advanced Wireless Services. All projects are expected to advance the body of knowledge and expand service availability and effectiveness in their respective content areas. Each project must include provisions for a thorough, independent evaluation that will provide valid and reliable data as well as valuable lessons learned to be shared with others interested in the project.