The Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC), in partnership with CSREES/USDA and the Regional Rural Development Centers, has closed this round of funding for its e-commerce competitive grants program. Recipients will be notified by July 31. The intent of this program is to support the development or expansion of innovative educational resources focusing on key e-commerce topics.

The SRDC considered proposals up to $25,000 to fund the development of new e-commerce curricula that are designed to help fill important gaps in the e-commerce educational programs of Extension.  The topics detailed in the request for proposals represent the key educational resources that the National e-Commerce Extension Advisory Committee has identified as being of “high priority” in this year’s competitive grants program.  Applicants were urged to submit proposals that relate to one or more of the following topics:

1. Expanding Youth Engagement in Broadband and/or e-Commerce Activities
2. Social Networking Strategies for Small Businesses
3. Expanding Adoption of Broadband in Underserved Rural Areas
4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Strategies
5. Small Communities and/or Local Governments: Having a Presence on the Web
6. Learn More about Your Visitors: How to Use Web site Analytic Tools
7. Web site Development 101: Learning How to Create a Web site for My Business

Download the full 2009 Request for Proposals [PDF]
View previous grant recipients
View current curricula

For questions, contact Shannon Lane Turner, SRDC e-Commerce Extension Initiative Coordinator at shannont@srdc.msstate.edu.