Digital Equity/Digital Inclusion

Wilmington (NC) City Council unanimously approved spending $2.5 million from federal COVID recovery funds on an employment program to connect residents to tech and digital industry jobs. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds will help provide digital skills training and job placement services, focusing on what the city calls “high opportunity, high need” census tracts around the city. Wilmington expects that over 17,000 jobs added in the region between 2020 and 2023 will require 'digital skills.' The program, called Digital Bridge Wilmington, is expected to launch early in 2023.

Fort Worth, Texas, is partnering with Cisco Systems to offer free Wi-Fi within five of the city's underserved neighborhoods, potentially providing Internet access to as many as 40,000 residents this fall. The outbreak of COVID-19 exposed connectivity challenges in Fort Worth, illustrating the importance of residents having access to a reliable Internet connection at home to participate in education, healthcare and employment opportunities.

Two new programs will help leaders and local government officials address their community’s needs in practical, efficient, clear-eyed ways, with sensitivity to all the things that make their community unique: the "Urban Digital Equity Bootcamp," (UDEB) and the "Let's Get Going Broadband Program" (LGGB).

Community specialists with Washington State University (WSU) Extension are partnering with the Washington State Broadband Office (WSBO) to enhance the capacity of Washington communities, especially those in rural and remote areas, to provide better and more equitable access to reliable, high-speed internet.