Internet grants doled out to communities throughout Colorado

The Statewide Internet Portal Authority yesterday announced eGovernment Services Grants for 24 communities. The grants, totaling about $100,000 are to help local communities increase their use of the internet in delivering services.

“These grants allow local governments to migrate services and information online to save businesses and residents time, money and resources,” Gov. John Hickenlooper said in a press release. “As we push for government to be effective and efficient, leveraging online services is one of the easiest ways for people to access the information they need, when they need it and efficiently.”

The Statewide Internet Portal Authority (SIPA) created the grant program to encourage local governments to put more services and information online. The grant winners are:

Aspen-Pitkin County Communications – $2,976 for Google Apps for Government licenses and consulting hours

Town of Breckenridge – $3,800 for online town code services

Town of Castle Rock – $6,400 for the development of an open data initiative

City of Centennial – $4,000 for the development of a GIS portal

Costilla County – $6,500 for the migration to new website

Fountain Sanitation District – $2,000 for a server to assist with online mapping

Town of Frisco – $5,000 for the development of an online job application system and database

City of Greenwood Village – $1,350 for the development of an online recreation registration and park permitting system

Headwaters Metro District (Granby) – $5,000 for the migration to a new website

Health District of Northern Larimer County (Fort Collins) – $4,133 to update current website and create a client records database

Health District of Northern Larimer County (Fort Collins) – $2,565 for the development of a lottery system application for low-income clinical dental care

Town of Ignacio – $2,500 to update website and online codes, permits and forms

Logan County Assessor (Sterling) – $6,500 for the purchase of a server for E911 dispatch services

City of Longmont – $6,000 for Google Apps for Government Licenses for the fire department and remote staff

City of Manitou Springs – $2,000 for a list serve to inform the public

Montrose Recreation District – $6,500 to develop an online recreation registration system

North Table Mountain Water & Sanitation District (Golden) – $2,800 for the development of a website and purchase of server firewall hardware

San Miguel County – $2,000 for website mobile optimization

San Miguel County – $6,000 for the purchase of a GIS server and staff assistance

Upper Pine Fire Protection District (Bayfield) – $6,800 for the analysis and survey of properties, and development of fire mitigation and response plans

City of Wheat Ridge – $5,000 for upgrades to building permit software

Will-O-Wisp Metropolitan District (Bailey) – $549 for online financial services

Town of Winter Park – $1,393 for online job search and application submissions

Yuma District Hospital – $8,000 for the purchase of telehealth equipment.

“SIPA understands how important it is to give people access to more information and services,” said state Sen. Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs, chairman of the SIPA board of directors. “These grants will allow local governments to use technology to deliver services directly to the homes of those they serve, which will make it easier to register for recreation classes, apply for jobs and receive medical consultations.”

The grant program was open to all Colorado governments including cities, counties and special districts.

SIPA was created in 2004 by the Colorado General Assembly and has a mission to provide efficient and effective services for citizens through the use of modern business practices and innovative technology solutions.