The Centers of Excellence in Rural America (CERA) program is focused on demonstrating that modern telecommunications and information technology can provide and increase lifestyle excellence in rural communities.

CERA denotes "wired" homes, organizations, and businesses within a "smart" community rural America. These information-age communities are designated as CERA HOME-Towns.

The CERA mission is to research, identify, and pilot information age technology applications for rural communities in the areas of:

• Earning a Living
• E-Commerce
• Citizen Participation
• Wellness
• Education
• Recreation & Leisure

With a CTCNet grant, CERA will conduct surveys in two rural communities. A survey in Powell, Wyoming would assess the current use of and future demand for high-speed telecommunications bandwidth as well as opportunities for sharing high-speed telecommunications bandwidth among users. A survey in Mayville, North Dakota would identify information technology training needs of citizens and business to help target development of training courses for the community's new technology center.

The broader goals of the CERA initiative are to demonstrate that: technology enhanced rural communities can provide better jobs, enhanced health-care access, education and government services; rural communities can maintain their heritage and quality of life, yet be viable competitors in the international marketplace; and a virtual community model that may be replicated in other communities in rural America. Wyoming Governor Jim Geringer and North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer are lead governors for the CERA initiative.