Digital Equity

A recent U.S. Census survey shows that a significant amount of people struggle with Internet access across the country. Factors like race and income highlight a striking picture of the haves and the have-nots.

Clay Garner began working with San Jose in 2019 as a tech policy analyst. He replaces Jordan Sun as the city’s chief innovation officer and comes to the position with a commitment to digital inclusion.

Plus, Missouri names a new director for the state's Office of Broadband Development, a grant in the San Francisco area aims to expand digital skills training for incarcerated individuals, and more.

The Affordable Connectivity Program, created by the federal infrastructure bill, covers up to $30 a month of participants’ home broadband service and provides up to $100 to help purchase a device.

Plus, the public comment period is now open for the broadband programs within the new infrastructure bill; Maine has named the first leader for its broadband authority; and a New Jersey city works on digital inclusion.

A partnership between the city, local school district and local nonprofit EnFocus will expand its Citywide Classroom program with a five-year extension for students and coverage for all district employees.

The New York City Department of Correction has increased the use of tablets since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to help offer information and resources to the individuals in custody within its facilities.

Plus, Iowa awards more than $200 million in federal broadband grant funding to rural communities; New York City puts out the call for Open Data Week civic tech programming proposals; and more.

Thanks to Kinetic by Windstream, approximately 8,980 residents in London and East Bernstadt will have access to Internet services through a $2 billion initiative to expand gigabit Internet service.

The Triangle Lake area and Triangle Lake Charter School will benefit from Lane County’s slice of the $5.2 billion the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced will be spent on rural infrastructure.

As technology becomes increasingly essential for everyday tasks, a county in Wisconsin has a new Digital Literacy Coaches & Navigator Program for residents to receive one-on-one training from volunteer college students.

The Federal Communications Commission's Affordable Connectivity Program provides a $30 credit to low-income households for Internet services and replaces the Emergency Broadband Benefit.

The recently released 2021 Invest in What Works State Standard of Excellence analysis highlights the way states are using data to protect residents, speed economic recovery and improve equity.

Problems with construction permits have slowed progress on an $84 million, three-year project to reach 570 schools and administrative buildings with high-speed Internet, expected to be finished by 2023.

The Erie County Legislature recently approved plans to establish a new, county-controlled corporation to oversee and manage the creation of ErieNet, an ambitious county-sponsored fiber-optic network.

Plus, USDA invests in rural infrastructure, the Massachusetts Broadband Institute extends digital equity programs, and appointments are made to the Texas Broadband Development Office Board of Advisors.

Federal and state officials are embarking on an ambitious partnership to bring broadband Internet access to all corners of the state, drawing from part of a $65 billion fund passed by Congress this fall.

The San Antonio Food Bank has teamed up with the San Antonio Public Library, nonprofit Feeding Texas and ISP Google Fiber to spearhead "Get Connected!," an effort to bolster digital literacy rates.