Wi-Fi kickoff in Minneapolis

The Minneapolis Foundation, Minnesota’s oldest charitable organization, has been named to administer the projected $1 million a year collected by the City of Minneapolis for its new “Digital Inclusion Fund.” The announcement was made yesterday evening at a Wireless Minneapolis kickoff event at the downtown library.

The fund is central to the deal struck earlier this year between Minneapolis and US Internet for providing affordable internet access, low-cost hardware, local content and computer training to low-income City residents. The City’s new wireless internet network, already installed and working in parts of the downtown area in the Seward/Riverside neighborhood, is expected to be operating throughout the city by the end of the year.

Wireless Minneapolis & Portal Project Meetings Midtown and South Neighborhoods 5:30-7 p.m., Thurs., June 28 Midtown Global Market, Lake St. and Elliot Ave. Southwest Neighborhoods 5:30-7 p.m., Thurs., July 19 and 5:30-7 p.m., Wed., Aug.15 Lyndale Farmstead Park, 3900 Bryant Ave. S. North Minneapolis Neighborhoods 5:30-7 p.m., Thurs., Sept. 13 Shingle Creek Commons, 4600 Humboldt Ave. N. Northeast and Southeast Neighborhoods 5:30-7 p.m., Thurs., Oct. 18 Logan Park, 690 13th Ave. N.E. South Neighborhoods 5:30-7 p.m., Thurs., Nov. 1 Nokomis Community Center, 2401 E. Minnehaha Parkway Send this announcement to a friend

The Digital Inclusion Fund will be money collected as 5 percent of US Internet’s pre-tax revenues during its 10-year contract as the wireless internet provider for the project. A volunteer group of community technology educators and providers will decide how and where the fund will be appropriated.

“I’m tired of people making money off technology without giving back to the community they serve,” said Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak at yesterday’s event.

“Cities across the country will follow us,” said Rybak.

The partnership of local government with a private interest--using the city’s technology infrastructure and the internet company’s know-how and profits for upkeep and upgrades--is the first of its kind in the country. Huge investment outlays and civil suits from private internet service providers plagued other City attempts at building and owning their own wireless networks.

“This is a first time making area residents benefit from an issued RFP,” said Minneapolis Council Member Elizabeth Glidden, DFL-Ward 8. A request for funding proposal (RFP) was the first step for the City’s creation of its wireless project. Glidden was a key task force member who helped ensure a community benefits agreement was part of the contract with US Internet.

Rybak also noted the added momentum that the new wireless network would give to municipal libraries that have been faced with budget shortfalls, forcing reduced hours or outright closings. One of the project’s initiatives calls for funding free wireless access for community technology centers, like libraries.

“Libraries will be a big part of this,” Rybak said.

The city is also developing community “portal pages” that will serve as a web portal presence for Minneapolis neighborhood and community organizations. The portals will coincide with the six wireless construction phases (Downtown, Midtown, Southwest, North, Northeast and South). A meeting schedule is included on this page for city residents to learn more about the wireless network and community portals and to give opinions about content for their local portal pages.
There is also a survey sheet provided on the city’s website, www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/wirelessminneapolis.

New Minneapolis Foundation President Sandra Vargas pointed out the divisions among the haves and have-nots in computer and internet usage that makes the inclusion part of the Digital Inclusion Fund so valuable to the community.

According to the Digital Inclusion Coalition, internet usage has a national average of 73 percent. Groups with significantly lower rates include 32 percent of Americans 65 and over; 57 percent of African Americans; 37 percent of Latinos; 40 percent of those without high school diplomas; 53 percent of households with less than $30,000 annual income; and 38 percent of Americans with disabilities.