Do you know someone with an IT background who could use a break, is passionate about technology and wants to make a difference in the community? This is an opportunity for 24 deserving individuals to build skills and career credentials while giving back. Maybe it’s you or maybe it’s someone you know. Applicants propose a software project for a non-profit organization and submit a proposal to the deciding committee. Awardees will receive a wealth of software, licensing, training, books and certification exam vouchers – upon which to help build a new career.
A group of Microsoft MVPs; led by my friend and founder of the Oregon SQL Developer’s Association, Arnie Rowland; have pooled our resources and negotiated with Microsoft and other vendors to offer materials and services, valued at several thousand dollars, to support the development of a community project and the a person’s career development. The awardee is free to keep and use the software and all the materials for their own use within the license terms.
Applicants must be unemployed or underemployed and have a background or aptitude in software development or information technology. The project recipient must be a qualifying non-profit or charity. Awardees will receive multiple licensed activations for literally hundreds of Microsoft & partner products (nearly all of the desktop & server operating systems, development products, tools and business applications) including the following and some additional materials:
The program details and application form are here on Arnie Rowland’s blog
Microsoft and other companies make these resources available to MVPs to share at our disgression. Through this program, we hope to make a difference in the lives of people in our communities; both the developers and benefactors of these projects.
