Gigabit Community Fund Adds New Cities: Eugene, OR and Lafayette, LA

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA — Mozilla, the parent company of the open-source Firefox web browser, along with the National Science Foundation and U.S. Ignite announced $300,000 in grants for gigabit Internet projects in Eugene, Ore., and Lafayette, La., through its Gigabit Community Fund initiative.

Gigabit Community Fund
Beginning in May 2017, Mozilla is providing a total of $300,000 in grants to projects in both Eugene, Ore., and Lafayette, La. Applications for grants will open in early summer 2017; applicants can be individuals, nonprofits and for-profits.

Supporting Educators, Technologists and Community Activists
Mozilla will support educators, technologists and community activists in Eugene and Lafayette who are building and beta-testing the emerging technologies that are shaping the web. According to Lawrence, "We’ll fuel projects that leverage gigabit networks to make learning more inclusive and engaging through VR field trips, ultra-high definition classroom collaboration, and real-time cross-city robot battles. (These are all real examples from the existing Mozilla gigabit cities of Austin, Chattanooga and Kansas City.)

"We’re also investing in the local communities on the ground in Eugene and Lafayette — and in the makers, technologists, and educators who are passionate about local innovation. Mozilla will bring its Mozilla Network approach to both cities, hosting local events and strengthening connections between individuals, schools, nonprofits, museums, and other organizations."

Mozilla Community Gigabit Fund cities are selected based on a range of criteria, including a widely deployed high-speed fiber network; a developing conversation about digital literacy, access, and innovation; a critical mass of community anchor organizations, including arts and educational organizations; an evolving entrepreneurial community; and opportunities to engage K-12 school systems.