Bridging the Digital Divide

Digital Equity and Community Education

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Planning Process Purpose is to:

• Provide digital equity to residents of 5 towns, esp. those in 8 underserved populations*

• Increase access and skills with new fast internet provided by WBC’s $15 million grant with Direct Communications/Unitel

• Provide locally delivered education, support using digital navigators and town volunteers

• Provide devices to residents who needs them to include financial support for devices to access the internet, especially to people who are losing ACP subsidy

Process:

• Digital Equity committee of residents representing each of the 5 towns and populations will meet to discuss needs, develop plans & timelines for activities

• We have digital navigators to conduct programs and provide help to individuals so committee members would not have to present programs

• Meetings are on ZOOM, once monthly, subgroups w/ projects may communicate more often

• Susan Corbett, NDEC, will coordinate meetings, collect data, & write the final plan. She has written 50 of these plans and coordinated Maine’s digital equity planning process

*In its Digital Equity Act statue, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration names 8 Covered Populations as key beneficiaries of Digital Equity planning and implementation:

• Low-income households (up to 150% of federal poverty threshold).

• Aging individuals (60 and up).

• Incarcerated Individuals, other than those incarcerated in a federal facility.

• Veterans.

• Individuals with disabilities.

• Individuals with language barriers, including English learners and those with low levels of literacy.

• Racial and ethnic minorities; and

• Individuals who primarily reside in a rural area