The CSOs of Northwestern Pennsylvania and Southeastern Ohio were funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission in a partnership with Kellogg.

As a MIRA CSO, it was the goal of the Northwest Eminent Community Institute to work towards narrowing the digital divide that exists in its community. The team members were interested in finding a way to bring new state-of-the-art communication technologies to their area. To do this, the Institute team members cooperated with team members from Edinboro University in order to offer digital storytelling skills to private nonprofit organizations in their community. Edinboro and the Institute consolidated their efforts into one main goal so that the two CSOs would be able to accomplish more with fewer resources.

The Institute first introduced the idea of digital storytelling to members of local non-profits and showed them how it worked as an effective tool. Once interest was created, the Institute provided the non-profits with hands-on experience in creating their own digital stories. This information was conveyed during three workshops hosted by the Institute. One of these workshops was held in partnership with Edinboro University at the university's multimedia lab.

As a result of their MIRA project, the Institute as created contact with many non-profits in the area. Furthermore, the workshops helped many people who were not technologically proficient to create their own digital stories. These digital stories act as effective marketing tools. Non-profits can use these stories at fundraisers or they can use them to create interest in their organization. Since the workshop, the concept of digital storytelling has become widely accepted among the non-profits involved. Each workshop has seen more participants than the one before.