2013 Grant Cycle - See what's new!

About the Community Access Capital Grant
For the past 15 years, the Community Access Capital Grant has provided funding throughout Multnomah County to nonprofits, educators, libraries and local governments to support use of community technology resources for a public benefit. Due to the successful renewal of the Comcast franchise agreement, which provides funds for the community grants, and to significant findings from the Your Vo!ce Our Communications Technology initiative, the Mt. Hood Cable Regulatory Commission launched a program redesign for the 2014 grant cycle.

In order to resource the transition to a new community grants program, the MHCRC updated its application and decision-making process for the 2013 grant cycle. While the MHCRC selection criteria for 2013 grant cycle did not change; the overall application process was altered.

2013 Transition Year Grant Cycle

Process
Applicants submited Pre-Applications by the December 18, 2012 Pre-Application deadline.
On January 28, 2013 the MHCRC decided, based on the Pre-Applications, which applicants to invite to apply for 2013 grant funding.
February - May: Invited applicants work with staff to clarify all elements of the proposed project and to finalize a grant application and contract.

Fund Availability
About $1.7 million was available for the 2013 grant cycle.

General Timeline
Pre-Application Due: December 18, 2012
MHCRC Selection of Invited Applicants: Late January 2013
Grant Applications/Contracts Finalized: May 2013
Project Start Date: After May 1, 2013

Eligibility
Proposed projects must fulfill all the following minimum requirements to be considered in the Pre-Application process:

• Applicant must be a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, school district*, college, university, public library or governmental unit located within Multnomah County, OR.
• Serve residents within Multnomah County, OR.
• Use the community access channels to distribute video programming on the cable system or use the Institutional Network in order to support project goals and objectives.
• Address at least one of the four public benefit areas identified for the grant program.
• Have only capital costs included for funding from grant funds.
• Commit to provide matching resources for at least 50 percent of the total project budget from resources other than this grant program.

* This is a change from past grant cycles. The MHCRC will not accept pre-applications from individual schools; only from school districts. The MHCRC will consider a school-based project; however the applicant must be the school district.