U.S. Community Networking Initiative
BCN Home Page | Search | What's New | Help | Contribute
Last Updated on 9/30/96 by Madeline Gonzalez
Note: this is a placeholder for an upcoming Community Networking
Initiatives Site
On September 23, 1996, I was nominated to lead this effort in the US.
I will be creating a project and business plan
that reflects what the primary participants listed below feel this organization should be about, and exploring organizational/economic models that would best lend themselves to sustainable, long-term funding for this organization.
I will be updating this page on an ongoing basis to reflect progress, and to
solicit input from those who wish to become involved.
In parallel, I would like to
try to initiate a more truly international discussion,
that could lead to the creation of an international association.
I will be providing up-to-date information on that effort, on the
the International Community Networking Initiatives page.
Participants
While many people have been involved in this process, the
the primary participants so far have been:
- Amy Borgstrom, Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet)
- Laura Breeden
- Steve Cisler, Apple Computer
- Richard Civille, Center for Civic Networking
- Joan Durrance, University of Michigan
- Patrick Finn, Taos LaPlaza Community Network
- Madeline Gonzalez ,
Co-founder and Coordinator/Designer of Boulder Community Network; Consultant and Co-designer of: Telluride InfoZone, Southern Ute's Tribal Web Presence, Igancio Community Network, Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Web Presence
- Frank Odasz, Big Sky Telegraph
- Doug Schuler , Co-founder of Seattle Community Network and Author
-
Steve Snow , Charlotte's Web
- Lisa Kimball, Metasystems Design Group, Inc.
- David Wilcox, UK Communities Online
- Others on the cnet-international mailing list
Purpose
The purpose of the envisioned U.S. Association for Community Networking is to promote and support community networking in the United States, and to participate in the International Association for Community Networking initiative.
Target Audience
While wishing to support community networking in general, we are planning to focus on the following constituencies:
- those involved in creating and maintaining community networking projects
- funders and investors in community networking projects
Funding
We will be exploring various scenarios for sustainable long-term funding, including some or all of the following:
- Membership dues
- Fee-based services and products
- Forprofit subsidiary
- Collaboration with forprofit and nonprofit entities
- Grants, particularly for seed funding
Services & Products
To serve our target audiences, we are envisioning providing the following kinds of services:
- Create and maintain an information clearinghouse
- Maintain a referral service
- Organize conferences
- Publish print and online set of guidelines
- Establish and maintain a directory of consultants & technology experts
- Collaborate in the evaluation of community networking projects, identify what is working best, what is not working, etc.
- Collaborate in the creation of "toolkits" that can be used to empower communities in creating and maintaining online presences
- Create a Web presence with Community Networking Resources, collaborating as much as possible with the International Association
Community Networking Resources
It is hoped that International & National efforts will collaborate to provide the following resources:
- Awareness Materials
- Guidelines
- Sustainability & Long-term Funding
- Training Materials
- Products
- Consulting Services
- Directory of Directories
- Big Sky Telegraph
- University of Michigan
- etc.
I will be updating this page to reflect progress.
In the meantime, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments.