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Colorado Statewide Internet Portal Authority Partners with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs Broadband ProgramThe Colorado Statewide Internet Portal Authority (SIPA) partnered with the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) to support local governments in their efforts to improve broadband service. SIPA's annual micro-grant program has awarded three grants in each of the last two years to DOLA broadband communities. In 2015, grants were awarded to Otero County, the Town of Silver Cliff and the Town of Red Cliff, and in 2016 grants were awarded to the Town of Estes Park, the Town of Westcliffe and Red Feather Lakes Library District. A large portion of the grant funding is made possible by the self-funded contract between SIPA and its private partner, Colorado Interactive. "We are excited to work with DOLA to promote inter-jurisdictional communication, support better access to services and learning opportunities, and provide last mile infrastructure in our rural communities," said Jack Arrowsmith, SIPA Executive Director. The Town of Silver Cliff installed a second WiFi (News - Alert) access point in the town park for the many community activities and greater use from locals and tourists. "The Town of Silver Cliff is extremely appreciative to SIPA and DOLA for the grant. The access point extends coverage to portions of the park that are heavily used but have not benefited from WiFi coverage in the past," stated Mayor Steve Lasswell. DOLA Executive Director Irv Halter stated he believes "the micro-grants will help level the playing field in terms of economic development in the underserved areas of our state with limited access to broadband internet." He added, "We appreciate SIPA's partnership to help expand broadband opportunities in our state." Executive Director Halter will be the keynote speaker at SIPA's 7th annual User Conference on April 18, 2017. Director Halter will talk about local government opportunities and challenges in the context of the conference themes: cybersecurity and compliance, citizen engagement and digital transformation. About SIPA Established in 2004 by the Colorado General Assembly, the Statewide Internet Portal Authority is a self-funded government organization created to be Colorado's single most comprehensive delivery channel for electronic government (eGovernment) services. SIPA strives to accelerate the adoption of efficient, effective electronic government services by placing more government information and services online to benefit the citizens of Colorado. In addition to free websites, payment processing setup and event registration software, SIPA provides technology solutions including: Google (News - Alert) Apps, security assessments, video streaming/archiving, online learning portal, eSignature, CRM, CMS and more. For more information about SIPA, please visit www.colorado.gov/sipa. About DOLA The Department of Local Affairs is responsible for strengthening Colorado's local communities. DOLA works in partnership with local governments and organizations statewide to provide funding for projects, affordable housing, and disaster recovery relief, as well as expertise to communities through robust technical assistance programs to help with community planning, property taxation, and tax appeals. http://www.colorado.gov/dola. About Colorado Interactive Colorado Interactive is the team behind the official website of the state of Colorado (http://www.colorado.gov) and is overseen by the Statewide Internet Portal Authority. The portal operates through a public-private partnership between the State and Colorado Interactive to help Colorado government entities web-enable their services. Colorado Interactive builds, operates, maintains, and markets Colorado.gov and is part of eGovernment firm NIC's (NASDAQ: EGOV) family of companies. Founded in 1992, NIC (NASDAQ: EGOV) is the nation's leading provider of official government websites, online services, and secure payment processing solutions. The Company's innovative eGovernment services help make government more accessible to everyone through technology. The family of NIC companies provides eGovernment solutions for more than 4,500 federal, state, and local agencies in the United States. Forbes has named NIC as one of the "100 Best Small Companies in America" six times, and the Company has been included four times on the Barron's 400 Index. Additional information is available at https://www.egov.com.
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