FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 3, 2017
Contact: James Hallinan (505) 660-2216
Office of the Attorney General Accepting Grant Applications through July 31, 2017
Santa Fe, NM – Today, Attorney General Hector Balderas announced the opening of a grant application period for the distribution of technology grants to New Mexico schools, colleges, universities, and local government agencies. These entities can apply for funds to support innovative technology projects, including equipment purchase, via the DRAM Settlement Fund, a result of a computer industry lawsuit settled by the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General, in which the state was awarded approximately $294,000. These funds will be awarded to public agencies, in one-time grants for 1-2 years in duration.
“This is a perfect example of how my office’s civil enforcement efforts hold companies that have harmed New Mexicans accountable and directly put resources back into our communities,” said Attorney General Balderas. “We will continue to aggressively hold bad actors responsible for these harms and litigate against them to bring money back to our State.”
Projects that should submit will utilize innovative technology or software to improve and modernize the operational capabilities of colleges, universities, or government entities. Examples of viable projects include (but are not limited to) strengthening access to computers and electronic content in rural libraries; increasing access to and use of broadband by local businesses or the local workforce; creating community mapping products and services; or implementing an online citizen forum to engage local populations in infrastructure improvements or crime prevention.
The DRAM Settlement Fund is the result of a settlement obtained by Attorney General Hector Balderas in In re Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) Antitrust Litigation Master File No. M-02-1486-PJH. The lawsuit alleged price-fixing of DRAM chips manufactured by the settling defendants during the period of January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2002. The purpose of this technology grant program is to provide New Mexicans with indirect (cy pres) benefits.
More information regarding the application process can be found on the Attorney General’s website www.nmag.gov.
Proposals may be submitted to dramcypres@nmag.gov and are due by 5:00 PM, July 31, 2017.
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