Verizon Foundation Offers $50,000 in Grants To Delaware Nonprofit Groups

WILMINGTON, Del. -- Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, is seeking grant proposals for innovative literacy projects in Delaware that incorporate the use of technology.

Nonprofit organizations and educational institutions in the state are invited to apply for competitive grants totaling $50,000.

"Economic vitality is dependent on a skilled workforce, and high literacy rates have been proven to be an integral factor in creating the skilled workforce of the future," said Joshua W. Martin III, president, Verizon Delaware. "Verizon is committed to improving the quality of education in Delaware. Helping to develop effective literacy programs is critical to achieving this goal."

Verizon Foundation will give strong preference to literacy proposals that:

• Emphasize the benefits of innovative use of technology

• Have a widespread impact in the community

• Demonstrate partnerships and collaborations to help improve organizational efficiency

• Define measurable results

Proposals must be submitted through Verizon Foundation's Web site, www.verizon.com/foundation no later than July 15 at midnight. The foundation will not accept mailed or faxed proposals. Individual grants will be made up to $25,000.

To qualify for funding, applicants must be public or private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with a valid Internal Revenue Service tax ID. Schools must have a current National Center for Education Statistics school and district registration to qualify.

Verizon Foundation last year awarded 22,000 grants totaling more than $70 million to nonprofit agencies that focus on improving basic and computer literacy, enriching communities through technology, and creating a skilled work force. The foundation uses its resources in the U.S. and abroad to develop partnerships in technology and connect them with organizations serving the needs of diverse communities, people with disabilities, victims of domestic violence and the economically and socially disadvantaged. The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, an incentive program that last year encouraged Verizon employees to volunteer more than 600,000 hours in their communities and provided more than $28 million in matching gifts to nonprofit organizations. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.

A Fortune 10 company, Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with 136.6 million access line equivalents and
33.3 million Verizon Wireless customers. Verizon is the third-largest long-distance carrier for U.S. consumers, with 13.2 million long-distance lines, and the company is also the largest directory publisher in the world, as measured by directory titles and circulation. With approximately $67 billion in annual revenues and 227,000 employees, Verizon's global presence extends to the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

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