Educational Resource Grant Opportunities for 2011

The Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC), in partnership with NIFA/USDA and the Regional Rural Development Centers, is pleased to announce a new round of funding for its e-commerce competitive grants program. The intent of this program is to support the development or expansion of innovative educational resources focusing on key e-commerce and broadband-related topics. The application deadline is April 29th. Click here for complete information and the full RFP.

The Initiative's Role in Rural Broadband Adoption Featured in Choices

Editor James Barnes

Choices: The Magazine of Food, Farm and Resource Issues releases a themed issue, with Guest Editor James Barnes, focusing on broadband expansion into rural areas. Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the United States will spend almost $12 billion dollars to develop infrastructure and provide education to encourage rural adoption of high-speed Internet or broadband. But will rural America finally get connected? Many National e-Commerce Extension Initiative contributors and colleagues collaborated on this rural broadband themed edition that discusses the potential role of land-grant university faculty. Continue here for this special themed edition.

The National e-Commerce Extension Initiative is Washington D.C. Bound

Shannon Lane, National e-Commerce Extension Initiative Coordinator has been selected as a speaker for the 2011 Public Issues Leadership Development Conference, April 4 – 6 in Alexandria VA. She will be presenting "A Case Study in e-Commerce Education: The National e-Commerce Extension Initiative." Selected from a competitive pool of Extension Professionals, Lane's presentation will focus on bringing further national exposure to the Initiative's many learning and training resources as well as funding opportunities. Click here for complete conference information.

The National e-Commerce Extension Initiative Receives NIFA News Coverage

NIFA Update, from the Office of the Director, is a biweekly newsletter for research, education, and extension partners at land-grant universities and other cooperating institutions. A spotlight on partnerships in the latest edition highlighted mini-grant funding for the first bilingual e-commerce workshop to be facilitated by Dr. Abelardo Rodriguez, a community and economic specialist with the University of Idaho. His focus is on a four county area of Idaho with a rapidly growing Hispanic population. Rodriguez will partner with The Latino Economic and Development Center, Inc. to deliver this learning opportunity. To read the entire article, click here.

Top 10 Ecommerce Strategies For 2011

Ecommerce changes rapidly each year, so consumers will be expecting more from online merchants in 2011. Embracing the latest techniques can invigorate your business and help increase sales. The 10 strategies below can help accelerate your ecommerce efforts throughout next year. Click here to read the complete list of strategies.

Adjusting Sales Strategies for E-Commerce 2011

by Shaun Ryan

If you haven't already, take the time to review the on-site technologies you currently have in your arsenal, and work to guarantee they are searchable and able to exchange data. Doing so will help you maximize the value of each of your technology investments and ensure they are working for you to drive business success in 2011. Go here for the complete article.

IRCE 2011: The E-Commerce Race is On

by Jack Love

As retailers assess the just-completed 2010 holiday shopping season, one thing is clear: without the web, many merchants would be crying in their eggnog. Overall retail sales in the make-or-break fourth quarter were up a welcome 3%, but online sales increased 13.5%, and mobile commerce more than doubled. Continue here for 2011 e-commerce growth information.

Ecommerce Jobs a plenty in 2011?

By Tim Parry

There's been steady improvement in the overall economy in recent months, and we're now starting to see that translate into some major hiring for digital and multichannel direct marketers. Click here to see the 2011 job forecast.

Gartner Identifies the Top 10 Strategic Technologies for 2011

Gartner, Inc. analysts presented their findings today, highlighting the top 10 technologies and trends that will be strategic for most organizations in 2011. Continue here to review the complete listing.

2011: The Social Side of the Internet

by Lee Rainie, Kristen Purcell, Aaron Smith

The internet is now deeply embedded in group and organizational life in America. A new national survey by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project has found that 75% of all American adults are active in some kind of voluntary group or organization and internet users are more likely than others to be active: 80% of internet users participate in groups, compared with 56% of non-internet users. Moreover, social media users are even more likely to be active: 82% of social network users and 85% of Twitter users are group participants. Go here for further survey information.

Women in Ecommerce

Since 2001 Women in Ecommerce™ (also known as the Women's eCommerce Association, International™) has been the "hub" for women and organizations looking for online opportunities to grow business, start a business and/or take your business to the "next" level. Representing the professional interests of millions of women around the globe, Women in Ecommerce™ is working daily to open the doors to networking, business development and leadership opportunities. Continue here for further details.

Dot Diva

Dot Diva launches new website to attract girls to computer sciences. Click here to learn more, join or refer a client.