Grantees: Spring 2000 Grants Pool Awards

Concerned Citizens for a Better Tunica County, Inc., Tunica, Mississippi, $7,500
Concerned Citizens works to build the leadership of African American citizens to impact the formation of education policy in the local school district. Concerned Citizens plans on building their technical capacity to impact local redistricting efforts and build their ability to do better online research and media outreach efforts.

Eastern Philadelphia Organizing Project, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, $8,500
EPOP works to impact local economic and education issues facing Philadelphia. EPOP's technology plan is to share information more effectively within the organization by building an EPOP network, a central database that can be accessed remotely by member institutions; and train staff and leaders to use the Internet, online databases and mapping software for research and analysis.

InterValley Project, Newton, Massachusetts, $7,500
IVP is a network that helps leaders of religious, labor, tenant and immigrant groups build the power necessary to address the economic and social justice issues that affect low-income members of their community. The IVP Mapping Project will use geographic information systems to advance member's ability to conduct research and education activities by identifying commonalities across lines of race, class, and geography. IVP mapping will also be used to coordinate issues campaigns including access to jobs, housing and public services.

Mothers on the Move, Bronx, New York, $8,000
MOM is a multi-issue membership organization fighting for to rebuild effective schools and communities. Building on a technology upgrade, MOM plans to upgrade hardware to enhance their ability to track and store data more effectively to assist in the evaluation and implementation of their program efforts.

Northwest Federation of Community Organizations, Seattle, Washington, $7,500
NWFCO is a regional collaboration of grassroots leaders and organizations working to build justice for low-income and moderate-income families. NWFCO plans to acquire computers and modems to lend to grassroots low-income leaders and staff in four states, providing them with computer training, and establishing online systems of communications.

People Escaping Poverty Project, South Moorhead, Montana, $8,000
PEPP engages in leadership development, public education and advocacy to empower low-income families to impact the policies and practices that affect their lives. PEPP will use e-mail and Internet to coordinate local organizing efforts.

People Organized to Win Employment Rights, San Francisco, California, $8,000
POWER works to build the collective strength of non-traditional low-income workers to fight for economic justice. POWER will increase their communication and evaluation efforts by redesigning their database to allow mobile access and build their basic technical infrastructure.

Speaking for Ourselves, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, $8,000
Speaking for Ourselves is an independent grassroots, self-help/self-advocacy organization run by and for people with disabilities. Speaking for Ourselves seeks to improve staff and leader involvement with their constituents through interactive uses of the Internet. SFO will undertake an organizational technology assessment and planning process.

Sunflower Community Action, Inc., Wichita, Kansas, $7,000
Sunflower provides leadership training and support for self-empowerment efforts of low-income people. Sunflower plans to improve their communication efforts by strengthening the technology infrastructure of the organization and providing training to its members.

Teamster Rank and File Educational & Legal Defense Foundation, Detroit, Michigan, $8,500
TRF provides education, training, and legal assistance to rank and file Teamster members working to strengthen union efforts. TRF will use their award to support the creation of a national "Rank and File Power Organizer" (RFPO) database. RFPO will help activists target and systematize their organizing, and outreach to new and broader constituencies.

Tennesseans for Fair Taxation, Knoxville, Tennessee, $8,500
TFT is a statewide coalition of organizations and individuals working for economic justice. TFT plans to strengthen their outreach and communications across the state through a web-enabled database and building their technological infrastructure.

Tennessee Industrial Renewal Network, Knoxville, Tennessee, $8,000
TIRN is an organizing alliance of workers, unions, community organizations, religious groups and organizations dedicated to economic and social justice. TIRN has completed an organization technology plan to enhance their organizing through the use of technology. TIRN plans to develop a website, purchase laptops and advance the use of their database in their organizing.

Video Machete, Chicago, Illinois, $7,000
Video Machete is a community-based organization consisting of activists, artists, students, and youth working for positive social change through media education, production and activism. Video Machete will use their funding to expand their community access computer studio and to complete their technical infrastructure for web-based activism.

Working Partnership USA, San Jose, California, $7,500
Working Partnerships is dedicated to rebuilding the link between regional economic development and community well being and developing state and national workforce development and employment policy that benefit working families. Working Partnerships plans to create and maintain a website and listserv for temporary workers to link them with organizing campaigns throughout the region.

Youth Ministries for Peace & Justice, Bronx, New York, $8,000
YMPJ fosters peace and justice through youth organizing and community development. YMPJ will create a training curriculum to build the capacity of youth to use technology in their social change efforts.