Democracies Online
Promoting the development and sustainability
of online civic participation and democracy efforts around the world through
experience, outreach, and education.
Project Proposal
Introduction and Welcome
The Democracies Online proposal has been evolving over time. Phase
one, now underway, is focused on online and in-person outreach and networking.
The Democracy Notes newsletter and the Democracies Online Newswire Service
have received the basic technical support required to begin operations.
They will provide an important foundation for future activities, involvement,
and organizational growth.
The full proposal below will be revised into a multi-year, one million
dollar plus proposal. Through consultation with a number of foundations
and key individuals it is clear that a comprehensive package is required
to engage serious consideration from the foundation community.
I am in this "for the cause" and volunteering my time to the e-mail
list services and the "Director" position on a part-time basis. I
offer professional online strategies consulting and public presentations
and trainings on democracy online and related topics. Details about
those services will be available on another site in the near future.
Sincerely,
Steven Clift
Democracies Online
Original Project Proposal as last updated in October 1997
Project Summary
The goal of Democracies Online is to build a strong foundation for improving
democracy as democracies around the world converge with information networks.
The project's secretariat will be housed by the Center for Democracy
and Citizenship at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs,
University of Minnesota. Grant seeking and general fundraising efforts
are now underway. Once the base level of funding for first year of
core activities is obtained the following services are planned:
-
Democracy Notes - A twice monthly electronic newsletter will be
distributed globally via e-mail, news groups, and the WWW. The newsletter
will objectively cover trends, issues, and efforts related to the convergence
of democracy and information networks. Distribution to 10,000 direct
subscribers is envisioned within six months. To place yourself on
the e-mail list for the future newsletter, send an e-mail message
to: listserv@tc.umn.edu
- In the text area write: subscribe do-notes Your Name - Or register
via the WWW:
-
Democracies Online Newswire Service - A "best of" moderated e-mail
list service will forward useful announcements and postings about democracy
online and related topics. This service will become a primary channel
or newswire for broad information exchange.
-
Democracies Online Peer Networks - Neutral peer-to-peer global online
communication spaces for "sectors" of diverse democracy online "builders"
will be established. These trusted and targeted forums will use a mix of
e-mail and the WWW for conferencing and information sharing. These peer
development sectors may include civic non-partisan online democracy efforts,
online media and news, general civic education, government online, advocacy,
campaigns and parties, journalists, commercial online and standards developers,
among others. A key interest of participants will be an interest
in using information networks to help improve their contribution to their
own democracies.
A set of basic
diagrams are available. They helps place the core services in context
and illustrate what the "builders" are able to do in their communities.
The following additional activities will be explored and funded separately
once the project is officially established:
-
Democracy Online World Virtual Summit - A multi-track international
virtual conference with major sponsors is proposed for October 1998.
Pre-conference in-person and online events will likely be held around the
world by conference co-sponsors. The 187 country International Telecommunications
Union will hold their four year Plenipotentiary meeting in Minneapolis
from October 12 to November 6, 1998. A special event gathering a
handful of "democracy online leaders" for a presentation to interested
ITU delegates, country staff, NGOs, and global media will be seriously
explored and coordinated with appropriate groups. This does not signify
current ITU involvement with the conference.
-
Democracies Online Foundation - Democracies Online will explore
with a number of global partners the establishment of a major five year,
multi-million dollar funding effort to help seed civic online democracy
efforts around the world. Details of such a multi-partner/donor effort
will need to be carefully developed and implemented to attract significant
resources within the context of the unique requirements of diverse democracies.
The foundation effort would be announced during the Democracy Online World
Summit with a goal of approving the the first sets of grants starting in
1999 for use after the year 2000.
Detailed Project Proposal
A somewhat more detailed project description is available to potential
funding organizations, those interested in helping Democracies Online become
established, and potential project partners and participants. Please
send an e-mail message that describes your interest to Steven
Clift, the Democracies Online Director at: clift@freenet.msp.mn.us
A letter on the current
project development priorities from the Director is available. Your
assistance and suggestions are appreciated.
Additional background information and selected links will soon be made
available. For now you are encouraged to review the following articles
and presentations.
Project Contact Information
Steven Clift, Director
Democracies Online, 3454 Fremont Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55408,
USA
WWW: http://www.e-democracy.org/do/
E-mail: clift@freenet.msp.mn.us
Telephone: +1-612-824-3747
Last updated - October 14, 1997
Special thanks to Minnesota
E-Democracy and the Minnesota Regional
Network for this WWW space.