Working Group Interest Form

Thank you for your interest in your organization participating on a working group, coordinated by Travis County and the City of Austin, to convene community conversations related to the internet, technology, and digital access and co-interpret the results of a survey.

Though completing this form is not a formal commitment by your organization, by submitting this form, you are confirming that your organization is both interested and has the resources and availability to fully commit to the working group activities outlined below.

 

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT INTEREST FORM: Wednesday, May 24, 2023

If you are interested but cannot commit by that deadline, please email chloe.mun@traviscountytx.gov and we can work with you to make accommodations.

*There is a limited budget available to pay organizations to participate. If more organizations apply to participate on a working group than we can accommodate or if all prioritized populations are not represented by committed organizations, then Travis County and the City of Austin will implement a selection process and will request additional information from your organization. If a selection process is implemented, those selection requirements will be transparently communicated to your organization and the start of the working groups may be postponed. We anticipate the start of the working groups will occur mid-to-late June.

If you have any questions, please contact Chloe Mun (Travis County Program Manager) at chloe.mun@traviscountytx.gov.

In the summer and fall of 2023, Travis County, the City of Austin, and the Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission plan to convene multiple community conversations to (1) identify needs and assets related to the internet, technology, and digital access and (2) co-interpret the results of a large digital equity community survey conducted in early 2023. These conversations will directly inform a final report and strategic recommendations to Travis County and the City of Austin to improve digital access for all.

To help design and conduct outreach for these different conversations, we are organizing working groups with community-based organizations, specifically organizations serving low-income communities, communities of color, and other communities historically and systemically marginalized or often disproportionately impacted by digital inequities.

Limited funding is available to help support community organizations who participate in these working groups. To receive full compensation ($2000), organizations must be able to fully participate in the working group activities. Please see the organization committment requirements below.

Travis County will be the primary coordinator of the working group meetings and working group activities (e.g. scheduling meetings, sending communications, organizing community conversations, creating materials, providing translations, note taking, report writing.) 

Working groups and community conversations are anticipated to be convened during the summer and fall of 2023. The following commitment is expected of working group organizations to receive compensation:

• Working Group Participation: Attend working group sessions (estimated 4-6 sessions, approximately 1-1.5 hours each session) to help plan and design community conversations. It is currently anticipated the working groups will begin in mid to late June.
• Feedback and Input: Provide asynchronous feedback and input to project documents (e.g. outreach communications materials, protocols, discussion guides, reports).
• Outreach: Conduct outreach for community conversations.
• Conversation Participation: Attend community conversations, and, if needed, help facilitate or host community conversations.
• Debrief: Attend working group debrief meeting.

To receive compensation, organizations must be or able to become a vendor of Travis County. Organizations will be required to submit a quote for the above activities at the beginning of the working groups. Upon completion of the working group activities, organizations will be required to submit an invoice. Payments from Travis County will be made at the conclusion of the working group activities (estimated fall 2023).

To receive payment, organizations must be:

• a non-profit organization
• directly serve at least one of the project-prioritized populations or communities (low income, black, indigenous and people of color or people of the global majority, immigrants and refugees, elders 65+, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, unhoused, unemployed, lower educational attainment, rural, justice impacted, veterans, youth)
• have a locally-based team or office
• participate in community engagement locally
• must be able to attend community conversations in person
• must be able to be or become a Travis County vendor