9.19.2006 - 09:05am ET

(CSRwire) ROUND ROCK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 19, 2006--The Dell Foundation (NASDAQ:DELL) has awarded "Connected Community" grants to 25 organizations in four states -- Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma and North Carolina -- where significant numbers of Dell employees live and work.

The two-year, $50,000 grants support basic technology access for Dell's neighbors, with emphasis on helping underserved children become competitive in the digital economy.

For example, some grants provide Internet access and computers for pre-school and after-school programs. Others include a mobile computer lab to enable children to use Internet resources for their homework, and a Web-based musical education program and chat rooms for schools to enhance learning opportunities.

"By supporting local organizations that are committed to helping people succeed in the digital economy, the Dell Foundation's Connected Communities grants can enhance the quality of life in communities where the majority of Dell families live and work," said Lisa Huddleson, manager of the foundation.

The National Center for Education Statistics' 2003 national survey of households found that two out of three white students use the Internet, but less than half of blacks and Hispanics do. The survey also noted that while most schools use the Internet, the gaps in Internet usage between whites and minorities at home is significant.

This year's grants were awarded to organizations whose applications addressed improved grade-level success and literacy, as well as programs that contribute to interest and knowledge of math, science, economics and technology. A complete list of grants is attached and also available at http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/corp/foundation/en/connected_comm?c=us&l=en&s=corp (Due to certain characters contained in this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste this hyperlink into your Internet browser's URL address field).

The Dell Foundation solicits competitive applications every two years from 501 (c)(3) non-profit organizations. The next cycle for Connected Community grant application submissions will be announced in 2008.

About Dell

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services they trust and value. Uniquely enabled by its direct business model, Dell sells more systems globally than any computer company, placing it No. 25 on the Fortune 500. Company revenue for the past four quarters was $57.4 billion. For more information, visit http://www.dell.com. To get Dell news direct, visit http://www.dell.com/RSS.



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