Nonprofit organizations that have survived this long without access to e-mail, online searches, electronic communications and virtual newsletters may soon be able to jump on board the Internet highway and reap the benefits of this technology.

The Verizon Foundation is offering to assist small organizations that have annual budgets of less than $500,000 with the cost of connecting to the World Wide Web.

Through its eGrants program, Verizon provides nonprofit groups with funds that they, in turn, put toward the cost of Internet access. Applicants select the Internet Service Provider (ISP) of their choice. Each recipient is eligible for $240 in assistance for a period of one year.

Organizations eligible for funding must focus their advocacy work on at least one of the following Verizon Foundation funding priorities:

• literacy;
• community technology development;
• workforce development; or
• domestic violence.

Requests for applications can be faxed to (212) 840-6988, or sent by e-mail to verizon.foundation@verizon.com. Applications also are available and can be submitted online at http://fundation.verizon.com/06003c.shtml.

The Verizon Foundation also provides other types of assistance to the nonprofit community.

Through its In-Kind donation program, the Verizon Foundation can provide nonprofit organizations with equipment and other noncash resources. The recipient organizations must pay shipping and handling fees for donations, which can include, but are not limited to, used computers.

The foundation also sponsors Verizon Volunteers, a program in which the company’s employees devote their time and talent to nonprofit organizations in need of technological expertise. Organizations can find out more about, and make a request for, volunteers at http://foundation.verizon.com/06005.shtml.

Through another program, the Verizon Wireless HopeLine, the company collects and refurbishes used wireless handsets and recycles or sells them. All proceeds support nonprofit domestic violence victim advocacy groups.

Applications for all of these funding opportunities must be submitted electronically at http://foundation.verizon.com/06007.shtml.

In 2003, the foundation received approximately 60,000 requests for funding and awarded about $75 million to half of the applicants. Awards typically range between $5,000 and $10,000.

Applications for all Verizon Foundation programs will be accepted through Nov. 30, 2004.

For more information on these opportunities, visit http://foundation.verizon.com.