Great news! Digital Promise has funding to get started - mission is to fund education/library projects

The Digital Promise Project, also known as the National Center for Research in Advanced Information and Digital Technologies, has announced that it is up and running with its initial $500,000 in funding. It was created by Congress in 2008, but was on hold until it its first seed money was allocated. Now that this is a reality, it can seek private funds as well as public funds, and will likely grow in size and importance.

Its intent is to fund digital projects for universities, schools and libraries. It is modeled on the National Science Foundation which also started with a six figure seed fund. NSF is now a multibillion dollar funding source.

From the Digital Promise Project:

After more than a decade of nationwide effort, the Digital Promise Project has achieved an essential goal – the creation of the National Center for Research in Advanced Information and Digital Technologies.  This year the Department of Education, as provided by their 2010 appropriations legislation, will make available the initial funding required to launch the National Center.   In the words of the Center’s authorizing legislation, “The purpose of the Center shall be to support a comprehensive research and development program to harness the increasing capability of advanced information and digital technologies to improve all levels of learning and education, formal and informal, in order to provide Americans with the knowledge and skills needed to compete in the global economy.” 

 

Congress voted overwhelmingly to establish this Center, the first new national research center in many years, as an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.  Authorized in 2008 by amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965, the National Center will have a governing board of nine members, which will include outstanding representatives from the public and private sectors and from varied professions and disciplines.

 

 The National Center will be eligible to receive private as well as public funds.  It will fill a critical gap by funding practical, advanced learning research that is unlikely to be undertaken entirely with private funds.  To help the efficient launch and operation of the new Center, the Digital Promise team has developed a suggested management plan.  In addition, a suggested learning research “road map” has been produced under the supervision of the Federation of American Scientists in workshops attended by distinguished educators, scientists, technology experts, and other stakeholders. 

 

Co-chairs of the Digital Promise Project are Lawrence K. Grossman, former president of NBC News and PBS; Newton N. Minow, former FCC Chairman and Chairman of PBS, and Anne G.Murphy, former president of the American Arts Alliance.  The principals of the Digital Promise Project are pleased to work with the Department of Education and other experts to provide assistance in organizing and establishing the new National Center.  Original sponsors of the Digital Promise Project included the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Century, Knight, and MacArthur Foundations. 

 

Lawrence K. Grossman                  Anne G. Murphy                       Newton N. Minow

 

Comments

[Mary M]

Peter - I reworked the title to this blog post based on your comment - thx

[Mary M]

Newton Minow responds: The $500,000 is to get the organization launched and won't be enough to make significant grants to libraries, schools etc. Once the organization is launched, it will then have to raise money from both public and private sources (Congress, Foundations, etc) and then invite applications for grants, with established criteria and standards to be developed and made public.

[Peter Hirtle]

Mary, this is great. But is the $500,000 seed money for library projects, as your title suggests? If so, what are they looking for and how do you get it? Or will the seed money fund the start-up and operations of the National Center, which will then try to get more money to fund library projects?