When I first started the Rural Technology Fund in 2008 the goal was to provide a few small scholarships every year to students from rural areas pursing an education in a computer-related discipline. Coming from a very rural area myself, I know how hard it is to pursue a passion in an area where no industry exists to support it and where public schools can barely afford basic classroom supplies. As time progressed, the reach of the RTF expanded by repurposing used technical books to public school libraries, supporting high school and university computer science clubs, and donating educational equipment to classrooms. In our short existence, we’ve managed to make a tremendous impact through the efforts of a few volunteers and very few donations. You can learn more about on our impact page here.

As we look to 2016, I believe it’s time that the RTF continues to evolve and grow to impact more students in more places. We are going to continue doing everything we’ve been doing up to this point, but we are also going to challenge ourselves to commit to building 10 makerspace labs in public schools in 2016. This is a huge commitment that will positively impact a great number of students, helping to ensure that students from rural and low income areas have every chance to succeed in high demand computer-related fields.

Please watch the short video below that explains why the RTF exists, and how we are using the MARA project to address a great need.

If you are interested in contributing, you can learn more about the MARA project by visiting http://www.ruraltechfund.org/mara. Technology jobs have the power to change lives and restore communities. With your help, we can empower young people to accomplish these feats!