Bits: Internet Philanthropy Conference, Tool for Donors, and the Digital Divide

By NICOLE WALLACE

• A conference to discuss the role of technology in philanthropy, “Expanding Philanthropy through the Internet,” will be held in San Jose, Calif., September 25-26. The meeting is a follow-up to a forum, “E-Philanthropy: Technology and the Nonprofit Community,” held last October as part of the White House Conference on Philanthropy. For more information: Go to http://www.independentsector.org/e_philanthropy/ephilanthropy.htm.

• On September 7, a Web-based calculator to help people decide how much money they can afford to donate to charity is scheduled to go online. The tool was created by the Newtithing Group, a charity in San Francisco that encourages donors to increase their giving. The calculator will appear on a Web site designed for Minnesota Public Radio’s “Sharing the Wealth” conference. To get there: Go to http://access.mpr.org/civic_j/giving.

• The Public Interest Advocacy Centre, a public-policy research organization in Ottawa, has published a report on the digital divide in Canada, “The Dual Digital Divide: The Information Highway in Canada.” The study found that while cost was the primary obstacle to Internet use among poor people, lack of technical skills, low literacy levels, lack of interest, and a dearth of local, regional, and national content presented barriers to Internet usage for members of various income groups in Canada. For more information: Go to http://olt-bta.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/download/oltdualdivideen.pdf.