Grants for networking

4 December 1999

Two Ballarat organisations will receive funding under the Networking the Nation program. The Chamber of Electronic Commerce - Western Victoria's MainStreet.au.com project and the Regional Connectivity project - which were both incubated through the University of Ballarat - will receive funding of $274,000 and $257,000 respectively. The projects aim to enhance telecommunications and internet use in regional Victoria and share in $3.5 million of funding allocated to rural and regional Victoria.

MainStreet.au.com is the first major initiative of the Chamber of Electronic Commerce - Western Victoria and provides a regional internet presence focused on economic growth through enhanced business success over the internet.

The Regional Connectivity project is a joint Federal Government, State Government and community initiative being piloted in six community enterprise centres. The project aims to provide growth in business skills, greater uptake of IT business, enhanced learning opportunities and interlinking of rural communities.