The FCC and the Knight Foundation have partnered in launching a social-purpose ‘Apps for Inclusion‘ competition in support of the National Broadband Plan goal of expanding broadband access to 90% of U.S. households by 2020.
“Recent years have seen an explosion in content creation for handheld and desktop devices,” writes the FCC’s director of Omnibus Broadband Initiative director Elana Berkowitz on its blog. “Both at home and abroad, we have seen significant innovation in applications having social impact ranging from text message donations for Haiti to online civic engagement tools to mobile medical data collection. But there is still much room to innovate when it comes to social-purpose apps.”
With the Knight Foundation putting up $100,000 in prize money, the Apps for Inclusion competition “encourages technology innovators and tinkerers to collaborate with local organizations and individuals currently underserved by the digital revolution to rethink government and community services and create tools making it easier for citizens to receive those services through mobile and online applications,” according to the news release.
“This contest reflects on three beliefs that are key to our work at Knight Foundation,” president and CEO, Alberto Ibargüen stated. “First, our ideal of informed, engaged communities; second, our conviction that universal broadband is key to achieving this ideal; and third, our deep interest in using new approaches to connect with innovators.”
Those interested in joining the competition and keeping up with developments as they’re announced can do so by registering with the FCC .