About Our Project:

The SmartChicago Sustainable Broadband Adoption program intends to spur economic development in five disadvantaged neighborhoods in Chicago with a comprehensive broadband awareness and adoption program that will include providing computers and training opportunities to more than 11,000 residents and 500 small businesses and not-for-profits. The project intends to create public computer centers at six community centers for working families and expand workstation capacity at four Business Resource Centers, as well as provide 1,500 residents and small businesses who complete a multi-session training course with laptops and netbooks.

SmartChicago plans to conduct a citywide multilingual broadband awareness campaign that will reach an estimated 200,000 residents, including ads on radio, TV, print, and city buses; outreach by local community organizations in each neighborhood; and the creation of neighborhood-based Web portals.

This project is funded through a two-year grant of$7,074,369 from the U.S Department of Commerce’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program.

Our Mission:

The SmartChicago project also proposes to:

• Provide business technology training for more than 500 small businesses at local Business Resource Centers in neighborhoods with high unemployment and poverty rates.
• Provide on going support to participating families, including on-site technical assistance as necessary, to help facilitate long-term broadband adoption and use.
• Through its partner organizations, provide training and information on broadband subscription options, health and wellness resources, energy conservation, public safety, public transportation, and online education. 

 Project Partners:

• Chicago Police
• Chicago Public Libraries
• Chicago Public Schools
• Chicago Transit Authority
• Commonwealth Edison
• Department of Community Development
• Department of Family and Support Services
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation/Chicago
• MacArthur Foundation
• University of Chicago Medical Center

Contact: 

Danielle DuMerer

City of Chicago

50 W. Washington St., Suite 2700

Chicago, IL 6060

312-742-1221

danielle.dumerer@cityofchicago.org