Informing the IBM Community

IBM i user groups urged to apply for cash grants

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Maxava iFoundation

International HA specialist Maxava is once again giving $50,000 away to IBM i-related user groups.

The firm’s Maxava iFoundation announced the new funding pool today to help user groups to “grow and strengthen within the IBM i community”. Now in its fifth year, its latest round of funding follows a record year of cash granted in 2014.

The Maxava iFoundation offers money to interest groups for the general promotion and free exchange of knowledge, ideas, and skills related to IBM i. Applications for grants are welcomed from any not-for-profit organisation that is helping to enhance the broader IBM i community in any part of the world.

The iFoundation offers grants of up to a maximum of $2,000 (U.S.) for each qualifying organisation.

Last year saw a significant increase in grants to European groups. This enabled a number of them to host November’s iBelieve Common Europe Tour. The tour across six countries was put together by looksoftware and Maxava and featured Dr Frank Soltis, Steve Will and Trevor Perry.

Maxava iFoundation grants can be used to support activities such as educational conferences and workshops, speaker expenses, marketing and educational collaboration with local colleges and universities, and other similar initiatives.

Over in the States, the Vermont Midrange User Group (VTMUG) is keen to point out the benefits of the funding.

VTMUG’s Skip Marchesani says: “Our key goal is to provide our members with current, quality education for the IBM i. We host a one-day technical conference in the fall of each year. The Maxava iFoundation grant allows us to take the conference to the next level by bringing in top, nationally known, speakers who are the experts in their respective fields.

“This lets us offer quality education at a very reasonable price, with the result that many IBM i professionals who can’t necessarily attend the larger IBM i events can still access this kind of expertise locally. Basically, the reason they can take advantage of the VTMUG conference is because of the iFoundation grant.”

Allan Campbell, Maxava’s CEO, says: “Maxava has supported the IBM i community for a number of years. It has been great to see the recently reported improvement in IBM i sales and we hope this might signal a sustained upturn in fortunes. As well as being a peerless platform for business applications generally, IBM i provides a superb platform for cloud-based solutions, offering great scope for the future.

“We are delighted to help ensure that a professional and engaged IBM i community has the necessary support to take advantage of new opportunities and flourish into the future. Maxava would like to acknowledge all of the volunteers that give generously of their time, and work incredibly hard in the community on an ongoing basis. We are delighted to renew support and lend a hand through the Maxava iFoundation for another year.”

Interested organisations should visit maxavaifoundation.com to view application criteria and download the application form. Submissions should be received by June 30.

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