Board of Directors statement
delivered by Bill Pollock, Chair

January 16, 2023

Committee Members

Marten Mickos, Co-Chair
Derek Bernsen
Zachary Peterson
Laran Rastelli

Greetings to all and happy New Year!

Thank you Marten for allowing me this time to share my thoughts for the 2023 grant cycle. And thank you Programming Committee. Each one of you.

Your committee did an outstanding job for the 2022 grant cycle. Grant making is the heart of Hacker Initiative and our work cannot move forward without your volunteerism. You are key to our success.

The 2022 grants went to timely, innovative projects. But more importantly, to ones that will have a measurable and broad impact on the global community.

The 2023 grant cycle is set to open March 1, 2023 and close August 15, 2023. The focus of the 2023 grant goals will be decided by your committee.

Examples gathered from previous grants might be:

  • All aspects of quantum computing
  • Clean technology, from software to hardware
  • Projects designed to make the Internet more accessible and bridge the digital divide
  • Novel tech teaching methodologies that can be shared with others so that they too can teach

Consider examples like these as your committee works to:

  • Market. Please begin as soon as possible
  • Reach out to the global community to solicit applicants
  • Use social media, personal and direct communication
  • Work directly with universities and other non profits that provide platforms for grant seekers

The types of applicants in our applicant pool will be determined by your outreach.

As you know, we often get repeat applicants. This offers your committee a chance to develop their projects further, and assist in helping them to get their applications to fit our goals.

I encourage you to personally speak to your short listed applicants. Look at their website, their history, the work they intend to do. Ask them these questions and consider their responses carefully.

  • How can this work make a difference?
  • Who will this make a difference to?
  • How many will this make a difference to?
  • How can we measure what is improved by their work?
  • How does our grant enable their project to achieve their work targets?

Ask yourselves whether we can improve on their work targets to better meet our impact goals. Your efforts and support are invaluable.

In closing, thank you for your time today and throughout the grant process.

Good luck. I look forward to another amazing grant cycle!

—————–

Bill Pollock
Chair, Board of Directors
Hacker Initiative