Community statements provide a way for groups to see possible projects for common community goals. The statements and suggested projects are grouped by Infrastructure and Access, Applications and Education, and Community Content.

Purpose: To help groups decide which goals and projects they will undertake. The checklist limits the number of project possibilities so groups can move quickly through the selection process.

Time required: This suggested time for this activity is one hour.

Directions: To use the checklist in a community meeting, divide the group into 3 groups and give each group a different set of statements. Instruct each group to circle each numbered statement they agree with and check off any projects they would like to consider undertaking. After 30 minutes, get back together as a large group. Have each group present their statements and suggested projects. Discuss the feasibility of the number and types of projects. Prioritize them and ask for volunteers for each project.

1. We're not sure what broadband infrastructure we have here.

   __ Learn about broadband.

   __ Conduct an in-depth infrastructure assessment for each type of broadband.

   __ Create Internet-based maps to provide information.

   __ Ask the broadband vendors for coverage maps of your community.

2. We want broadband available within town or outside town limits, wireless access or fiber optic broadband.

   __ Discuss broadband options and costs with broadband vendors.

   __ Develop a public/private partnership with vendors

   __ Develop a municipal-owned infrastructure.

   __ Find out what grant funds or loans are available for infrastructure, hardware/software or community technology projects.

3. We want more choices of broadband vendors or types of broadband.

   __ Learn about broadband.

   __ Invite current and potential vendors to propose what they can bring to the community.

4. We want more affordable broadband for consumers and businesses.

   __ Invite current and potential vendors to propose what they can bring to the community.

   __ Develop a public/private partnership with vendors

   __ Develop a municipal-owned infrastructure.

5. We want help financing broadband projects.

   __ Discuss broadband options and costs with broadband vendors.

   __ Find out what grant funds or loans are available for infrastructure, hardware/software or community technology projects.

6. We want locations where businesses, government and organizations can access state-of-the-art technologies.

   __ Discuss broadband options and costs with broadband vendors.

   __ Find out what grant funds or loans are available for infrastructure, hardware/software or community technology projects.

   __ Develop and support local community technology, business or development centers.

   __ Develop a videoconferencing center.

7. We want public locations where residents can use computers and access the Internet.

   __ Discuss broadband options and costs with broadband vendors.

   __ Find out what grant funds or loans are available for infrastructure, hardware/software or community technology projects.

   __ Work with a local retailer to create a cyber café that offers internet access and a place where people can meet.

   __ Create public access sites to the Internet at libraries or locations within easy access of all homes.

   __ Create a mobile lab equipped with computers and internet access.

   __ Train volunteers who will staff public access sites to assist users in using the Internet, author articles on Internet basics, or provide classes.

   __ Create a digital audio / video / imaging studio for developing projects.

   __ Provide opportunities for people to experience the Internet over a high speed connection. Arrange open access times at places that already have broadband, e.g. schools.

1. We don't know enough about this to get started.

   __ Provide community presentations on what broadband is and how it works.

   __ Provide presentations that show examples of communities that are digitally connected.

   __ Hold a technology fair where vendors demonstrate technology, hardware, or applications that aren't currently available or used in the community.

   __ Hold live or online events where local businesses share how they use the Internet with each other.

   __ Provide opportunities for people to experience the Internet over a high speed connection. Arrange open access times at places that already have broadband, e.g. schools.

2. We want to help our businesses benefit from the Internet.

   __ Hold live or online events where local businesses share how they use the Internet with each other.

   __ Hold a technology fair where vendors demonstrate technology, hardware, or applications that aren't currently available or used in the community.

   __ Develop and support local community technology, business or development centers.

   __ Develop a videoconferencing center.

   __ Offer classes to help owners of small businesses develop a web presence or buy or sell online.

   __ Provide opportunities for people to experience the Internet over a high speed connection. Arrange open access times at places that already have broadband, e.g. schools.

   __ Create a volunteer helpline where residents can call upon a technical team to deal with problems at home or in their office.

   __ Offer presentations on how businesses can save on long distance telephone with Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol (VOIP).

3. We want local government, organizations and agencies to provide information and services online.

   __ Offer classes to help local government agencies determine content for their websites.

   __ Conduct online debates and voting on local issues.

   __ Offer classes to help non-profit organizations maximize their use of the Internet.

4. We want to be able to get help locally for computer, Internet, and technology questions.

   __ Train volunteers who will staff public access sites to assist users in using the Internet, author articles on Internet basics, or provide classes.

   __ Create a volunteer helpline where residents can call upon a technical team to deal with problems at home or in their office.

   __ Help technology-savvy youth start a local computer support business.

   __ Sponsor online computer training for interested residents to acquire technology skills and certification.

   __ Offer classes to help individuals learn to design websites.

5. We want our residents to be smart users of the Internet.

   __ Offer classes on how to shop online and avoid possible problems.

   __ Offer classes for youth to learn to protect themselves from Internet predators.

   __ Offer classes to help people learn to efficiently search the Internet.

   __ Periodically offer presentations on "What's New on the Internet."

6. We want our residents know how to use computers.

   __ Offer classes on computer basics, operating systems, email, word processing, connecting to the internet.

   __ Offer classes for residents to learn how to reduce the size of their digital photos for e-mail.

   __ Offer classes on how to create music and video CDs and DVDs.

7. We want our residents to further their education or employment through the Internet.

   __ Offer classes to job seekers to get help searching for opportunities on the Internet and advice on resumes and applications.

   __ Provide presentations that highlight distance learning opportunities that community members may be interested in.

   __ Encourage local colleges to provide course material online.

8. We want all sectors of our community to use the Internet.

   __ Offer classes about the Internet for a specific population in the community.

   __ Offer classes to residents to learn how to trace their family history through online resources.

   __ Generations learn together through projects where they have shared interests.

   __ Offer Youth Cyber Camps.

1. We want to use the Internet to tell everyone about our community.

   __ Create Internet-based maps to provide information.

   __ Create webpages, blogs, audio or video podcasts about the community.

   __ Research and publish the local history of the community on the Internet.

   __ Offer classes for local government, chambers of commerce, tourism groups or nonprofit agencies to help them place local content on their websites.

   __ Offer classes on how to tell a great story.

2. We want to use the Internet to share information with each other in our community.

   __ Hold live or online events where local businesses share how they use the Internet with each other.

   __ Create audio, video, web pages or blogs to raise issues of personal and community interest.

   __ Develop an online local volunteer matching system.

   __ Local neighborhood watch volunteers use email, web and webcams to support their work.

   __ Conduct online debates and voting on local issues.

   __ Create online discussion lists/forums where people can add ideas for improving their community.

   __ Develop a website of local information with links to all key local projects.

   __ Create Internet-based maps to provide information.

3. We want to help our local organizations, groups or clubs to put their information on the Internet.

   __ Offer local web hosting

   __ Offer classes on developing websites, blogs or podcasts.

   __ Create a digital audio / video / imaging studio for developing projects.

   __ Offer classes on how to tell a great story.

   __ Offer classes about privacy on the Internet.

   __ Offer classes on working with digital photos or video.

4. We want to showcase content developed by the youth in our community.

   __ Host a local website where youth can display artistic content they've created.

   __ Have youth teach classes on how to remix content found online.

   __ Provide opportunities for entrepreneurial youths to develop online businesses.

5. We want to create content for mobile devices.

   __ Offer classes on how to create audio and video material for iPods and PDAs.

   __ Host a local website where residents can share downloadable content they've created.