Last week, the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville hosted a GivingTuesday celebration and announced the 2023 recipients of the Google Fiber Digital Inclusion Fund. This year, six Huntsville-area nonprofits were awarded a total of $45,000 to support programming that teaches digital literacy to residents of all ages, fund technology and STEAM lab needs, support workforce development, prepares students for technology careers, and more.
Digital Inclusion Fund 2023 recipients include:
Girls Incorporated of Huntsville – Girls In STEM (science, TECHNOLOGY, math)
Girls in STEM is a workforce development program that will teach digital skills and develop a new talent pool of black girls in middle and high school. This grant allows girls from under-resourced communities to connect with technology in an impactful way while interacting with technology mentors.
Huntsville Learning Center – High School STEAM Lab Smart Boards
Huntsville Learning Center’s new High School Program will include a new state-of-the-art STEAM lab as well as specialized ACT prep classes. Grant funding will provide Smart Boards to support each of these two new initiatives.
His Way Recovery Center – Resident GED and Educational Programs
His Way will establish an in-house GED Program for residents, which will include an instructor to teach the classes at their facility, Adult Basic Education software, and Chromebooks for resident use in completing the lessons. Certification programs will also be included.
Huntsville Library Foundation – Equitable Access
The Huntsville Library Foundation will break down language and access barriers and connect people with resources needed to not only secure a job, but also gain skills needed to sustain employment. They will ensure patrons with disabilities or limited English proficiency have equitable access to workforce development programs.
Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama – Digital by Design
Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama will expand the scope of digital programs that will provide relevant pathways to technology careers. Currently youth are provided with Computer Science in the form of coding and video production, and this grant will support the establishment of a game development program.
The CAP & GOWN Project – 2024 STEM Summer Institute
The 2024 STEM Summer Institute will provide two weeks of free, rigorous, in-person ACT and college prep, and hands-on STEM learning, and four weeks of programming virtually via Google Classrooms. Students will learn digital literacy and utilize laptops to access resources to prepare for college.
Thank you to the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville, and congratulations to this year’s recipients of the Digital Inclusion Fund. We can’t wait to see what you do next!
Posted by Ryun Jackson, Government & Community Affairs Manager
Posted by Ryun Jackson, Government & Community Affairs Manager