Ten at the Top Receives Grant to Launch Regional Information Hub
October 12, 2011
UPSTATE, SC – October 12, 2011 – Ten at the Top (TATT), a regional collaboration and visioning organization focused on the 10-county Upstate Region, has received a $20,000 grant from the Graham Foundation to develop a website/portal that will serve as a “Regional Information Hub” for Upstate residents. The web portal will be designed to connect residents looking for information on anything from who to contact when wanting to start a business to a list of local public services and a regional calendar of what festivals and activities are happening across the region with the web sites across the region that provide that information.
“When we started our task force meetings, one of the first topics in each subject area had to do with how residents often struggle to locate local information, especially through the internet,” said TATT Executive Director Dean Hybl. “While there is an abundance of local information to be found on the internet regarding just about anything people within the region are looking for, the difficulty is in finding and accessing that information.
“Creating a regional information hub will provide residents within the 10-county Upstate region with what we believe can be a valuable tool whether looking for general or specific information on a wide range of topics. Now, instead of spending significant time on Google and other sites trying to find Upstate information, residents will be able to access that information directly from a regional information hub.”
The “Regional Information Hub”, which will be known as www.OurUpstateSC.Info, will include a regional calendar of events, feature stories on individuals, communities, organizations and businesses that are doing special things within the Upstate, and easily searchable links to many web sites across the region. The links will be categorized around the five driver areas of the Our Upstate Vision (Human Potential, Economic & Entrepreneurial Vitality, Sustainable Growth, Natural Beauty & Resources and Community Vibrancy.)
The information pieces that could be categorized on www.OurUpstateSC.Info include:
– Events and activities (community festivals, sporting events, special programs, concerts, etc.)
– City and county information (hours of operation and locations for public services, etc.)
– Parks and recreational facilities
– Museums and cultural venues
– Historic sites and Natural places
– Entrepreneur and small business information
– Information about sustainable growth opportunities and initiatives
– Activities for specific age groups or other segments of the population
– Active community organizations
– Places of worship
– Healthcare facilities
– Schools
The projected first-year cost for the site, including development, maintenance and marketing is $70,000. The initial grant from the Graham Foundation provides for the initial development of the site, which is currently being built by Mediasation, a web development company located in Greenville. Additional funding support is currently being sought to cover the remaining costs. The site will include advertising, but there will be no charge for posting calendar events or information links.
Organizations, communities and businesses will be able to upload calendar events and provide site links in December 2011 and the site is expected to launch in early January 2012.
Anyone interested in more information about the www.OurUpstateSC.Info site can contact Dean Hybl, TATT Executive Director, at 864.283.2315.
About Ten at the Top
Comprised of public, private and civic leaders across the ten-county Upstate South Carolina Region, Ten at the Top was created to build regional trust and consensus through data-driven research and regular convening of leaders and citizens to address key issues facing the region. Ten at the Top works with regional partners to encourage quality growth and enhance the economic vitality, natural and cultural resources and quality of life for Upstate residents both today and as the region continues to grow. For additional information, visit www.tenatthetop.org.
About the Graham Foundation
The Graham Foundation has been funded through the generosity of the late Allen J. Graham and his daughter, Frances G. MacIlwinen. They have been extraordinarily generous to Greenville and the surrounding region both personally and through the Graham Foundation. The foundation awards grants quarterly to organizations that focus on making a difference for the betterment of Greenville and Upstate South Carolina.
