TOP Announces FY2004 Grant Round; Technical Assistance Workshops; TOP Seeks Reviewers

Approximately $12.9 million is available for grants through TOP for
Fiscal Year 2004.

TOP’s Federal Funding Opportunity Announcement was released on February
17, 2004. The deadline for applications is April 27, 2004. The
Application Kit (the Federal Funding Opportunity Announcement and
Guidelines for Preparing Applications) provides information on the
program, rules for applying, suggestions for preparing an application,
and the standard forms you need to prepare a TOP application.

The FY 2004 Application Kit is available on TOP’s website
(http://www.ntia.doc.gov/top) in HTML format. A PDF version is also
available. We strongly encourage potential applicants to read the
Application Kit carefully.

This year, there are six review criteria, which are the basis for
reviewing and ranking applications submitted in 2004: Project Purpose;
Innovation; Community Involvement; Evaluation; Project Feasibility; and
Project Budget.

Online Tools:

TOP’s website features a set of online tools to help applicants
complete their Standard Form 424, Standard Form 424A, and executive
summary.

Reviewers Wanted:

If you do not plan to submit a FY2004 TOP application, you may be
interested in reviewing applications for TOP. In which case, you can
use the online tools to register in the TOP reviewer pool.

Workshops:

For this year’s grant round, TOP will hold two Technical Assistance
Workshops in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles, CA. The purpose of the
Technical Assistance Workshops is to give potential applicants an
opportunity to find out more about TOP, its goals and objectives, and
the particulars involved in applying for this year’s grant funds.

The Washington, DC, Workshop will be held on Tuesday, March 23, 2004,
at the Omni Shoreham Hotel (two blocks from Woodley Park/Zoo Metro
stop), 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For hotel reservations, call the Omni
Shoreham Hotel at (202) 234-0700 and mention "Department of Commerce
Workshop" for the special rate of $150 plus taxes (single or double) per
night. The special rate is in effect Monday and Tuesday nights, March 22
and 23.

The Los Angeles, CA, Workshop will be held on Friday, March 26, 2004,
at the Renaissance Hotel at the Los Angeles International Airport, 9:00
a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For hotel reservations, call the Renaissance Hotel at
(310) 337-2800 and mention "Department of Commerce Workshop" for the
special rate of $106 plus taxes (single or double) per night. The
special rate is in effect Thursday and Friday nights, March 25 and 26.

Online registration for both workshops will be available shortly.