Radford MIRA Websites:
In June 1998 a group of Radford citizens from diverse backgrounds, with varied interests met for the first time as the Radford MIRA Team. The team met one Saturday a month from June through November for training in community assessment and development, with additional meetings to construct a united purpose and project. Two members of the team attended additional training sessions in Battlecreek, Michigan.

Radford citizens have demonstrated interest in computer technology by their attendance at Internet classes, and requests for website training. Radford is a community with a wealth of natural, historical and cultural resources. Increased access to information about these resources would benefit many components of the community.

In February 1999 we submitted a proposal to the Kellogg Foundation for a Project titled "The Radford Access and Information Network". The goal of the project was to bring citizens, the city government, Radford University and the city schools together to establish a comprehensive technology plan. Goals included strategies to acquire hardware, facilitate training and promote community involvement.

The Kellogg MIRA Grant enabled Radford to establish a technology taskforce with membership, which includes representatives of the city, the library, the Chamber of Commerce, Radford University, a Kellogg team member and interested citizens. They are charged with setting rules for web inclusion and suggesting changes to the website and infrastructure. It is hoped that the diversity of the team will result in a technology plan that will benefit the city culturally, educationally, and economically. In addition to strengthening technology and communication within Radford, the Kellogg MIRA Project provided the opportunity for information sharing and networking with other communities in the New River Valley. This has been beneficial for efforts on other regional concerns such as the Heritage River Project.

The grant was used to enhance the current Radford website in several ways. A server was purchased and installed at the city library, which is a central location in Radford. A library employee who had previously volunteered to work on the Radford website was paid to install the server and upgrade the site. Funds were used to provide training on how to operate and maintain the server.

Download a copy of the Community Web Site Policy and Application.



This site was developed, in part, thanks to a grant to the New River Community Foundation and the City of Radford from the W.K. Kellogg Foundations's Managing Information in Rual America project.