Frequently Asked Questions

The Association for Community Networking maintains a running list of how CNs have benefited their communities.  Benefits include:

• the summarizing of information in a central location, making it easier for community members to find what they need
• internet access and training for people who would not have been able to afford it otherwise
• the internet presence of small local businesses, helping them compete with larger businesses
• educating visitors and future residents about the community

The Center for Civic Networking compiles case studies and stories, including how one CN  helped reduce automobile use through a telecommuting program.

Gary Chapman and Lodis Rhodes, in their 1997 article  Nurturing Neighborhood Nets, show the impact of the Austin Free-Net in the low-income neighborhoods of East Austin, Texas, including one story of how a homeless person's webpage landed her a job with Time-Warner.

Clifton Chow, Jan Ellis, June Mark, and Bart Wise, in their 1998 survey  Impact of CTCNet Affiliates: Findings from a National Survey of Users of Community Technology Centers, found that women and people of color make up the majority of centers' users (62% of repondents were female, two-thirds were non-white). 65% of respondents took centers' classes to improve their job skills; 30% used the centers' internet access to look for jobs. A majority of users said an important reason for coming to the center was learning about local events, local government, or state/federal government.  Read the  report for more examples of how community technology centers have benefited their users.

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