$9 Million BTOP Award for SmartChicago

The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced a nearly $9 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act investment to help bridge the technological divide and increase economic opportunities in Illinois.

The investment will expand and upgrade public computer centers in locations throughout Chicago and provide technology and job assistance training to residents, with a focus on at-risk youth, senior citizens, people with disabilities, and the unemployed. The investment will allow the City of Chicago to add or upgrade over 3,300 computer workstations at more than 150 locations, including city libraries, workforce centers, public housing sites, and all seven city colleges, as well as expand hours of operation. As a result, the centers will be able to accommodate an estimated 200,000 additional weekly users and train up to 20,000 residents over the two-year life of the project.