There’s a new competition coming to town. Not just Santa Cruz but to any town in America. The Knight Foundation and the FCC have teamed up to help improve the lives of communities with technology. They are offering up to $100,000 in prizes for software applications that deliver personalized, actionable information to people least likely to be online.

The Knight Foundation and the FCC challenge you to develop a software application (app) that delivers personalized, actionable information to people that are least likely to be online. Using hyper-local government and other public data you should develop an app that enables Americans to benefit from broadband communications — regardless of geography, race, economic status, disability, residence on Tribal land, or degree of digital or English literacy –by providing easy access to relevant content.

What would this app look like in Santa Cruz? Who could benefit from information online that isn’t currently being served? The Techraising event offers a great opportunity to apply your talents in a collaborative environment and build an application to submit to the challenge.

Learn more and apply by July 11 at http://appsforcommunities.challenge.gov/

What are you waiting for? The community needs your ideas today. Come build it!