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Round-Up for the Week of Dec 11-15, 2023

The Oregon Broadband Office (OBO) released the state's draft Digital Equity Plan for public comment. Through this plan, OBO continues its work to ensure that all people in Oregon have access to reliable, affordable home broadband internet, an affordable, quality, internet-enabled computing device, digital skills, quality technical support in culturally and linguistically diverse in-community spaces, access to cybersecurity tools and the knowledge needed to stay safe online, and inclusive online content designed to enable and encourage self-sufficiency, participation, and collaboration. The draft plan is open for public comment until December 16, 2023.

Oregon's Vision for Digital Equity

It is the vision of the State of Oregon that all people in Oregon will have access to affordable and reliable high-speed broadband internet to attain positive economic, educational, and health outcomes and to participate in social and civic life. The state’s commitment arises from Oregon’s recognition of the criticality of digital equity to the well-being of the many diverse people of Oregon. Meaningful access to the internet is essential to thriving in the 21st century. Digital equity enables economic opportunity as well as supports educational, healthcare, and civic participation goals.

Digital equity allows all people to fully participate in the economy of innovation and creativity, which helps to foster the goal of economic opportunity. Civic participation goals can be achieved because digital equity allows all people to have the tools to register to vote, engage in meaningful online discourse, and be better connected to the communities in which they live. The goal of healthcare access for all people is fostered by digital equity because of the knowledge and confidence that is gained from learning new digital skillsets that can be applied to telemedicine and to enable easier access to personal healthcare information. Digital equity inherently supports educational goals, bringing learning to the home and on the go for all people of Oregon.

In the state’s vision, all people in Oregon will have access to the following five critical elements of digital equity:

1. Universal access to affordable and reliable high-speed home internet. Consistent with the Oregon Five-Year Action Plan and considerable efforts of recent years, OBO seeks to ensure that all people in Oregon have access to a robust fixed broadband connection at their home. As addressed in the Five-Year Action Plan, OBO will seek to maximize the reach and impact of various funding sources, including the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program allocation, to extend broadband infrastructure throughout the state. OBO furthermore seeks to work with partners on strategies that can improve affordability, particularly for the covered populations for whom this is a significant barrier. This effort will involve coordination with entities dedicated to enabling eligible households to access federal support programs such as the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and Lifeline, as well as mandating affordability into the scoring and requirements for all broadband grant programs.
2. Universal access to an affordable, quality, internet-enabled computing device that meets the person’s needs. OBO seeks to work with nonprofit and public partners to expand ownership of computing devices, as well as the ability to support, maintain, and repair those devices. Among other approaches, OBO will work with partners to support eligible households in their purchase of computing devices under the ACP during the life of the program, and any subsequent or similar initiatives should they be funded.
3. Universal access to digital literacy skills and quality technical support in culturally and linguistically diverse in-community spaces. OBO seeks to expand access to digital literacy skills training, recognizing that covered populations face significant challenges in this area. OBO will work through experienced stakeholders who have established skills training courses and to support and expand existing efforts to serve more people in Oregon.
4. Universal access to the tools and information necessary to protect one’s online safety and privacy. OBO recognizes that some people in Oregon, particularly those who are lower-income or older adults, report greater challenges and more discomfort regarding their ability to protect themselves online. OBO seeks to work through experienced stakeholders who have established training courses in this space, leveraging existing capabilities and expanding outcome-driven programs to reach more communities.
5. Universal access to inclusive state resources and online content for essential services and programs. Oregon seeks to ensure inclusive design of online content by collaborating with state agencies that serve people with disabilities and people who speak a language other than English so that these community members have full access to needed digital tools and content.

To achieve this vision for digital equity, OBO will adopt the following four framework principles for its digital equity efforts:

1. Prioritize data and rigorous information gathering that helps drive decision-making on the prioritization of limited resources. As it has done in awarding broadband infrastructure grants, Oregon will adopt a data-driven approach to grantmaking for digital equity. Data will similarly be the basis for measuring both needs and achievements over time and OBO will continue to lead in data collection. This will enable progress toward digital equity to be measured on an ongoing basis using data on access, usage, skills, and outcomes. Regular evaluations will ensure that programs are effective, adaptable, and responsive to evolving needs.
2. Engage and collaborate with a broad spectrum of diverse and representative stakeholders through processes that are inclusive and reach underserved and marginalized communities. Digital equity work requires collaboration and partnerships. OBO will continue to engage with its local government, ISP, organized labor, and CAI stakeholders to solicit ideas, insights, priorities, and lessons learned. OBO also recognizes the layered complexities that members of covered populations may experience and as such will seek to be intentional and proactive in its engagement. OBO will similarly continue its efforts to collaborate with tribal nations, another important and critical constituency in Oregon.
3. Build on existing achievements and collaboration by acknowledging and incorporating the work and best practices that have been accomplished statewide. The State of Oregon will leverage and benefit from the efforts of other entities that have spent years developing expertise and capabilities with proven success in digital inclusion programming. Rather than attempt to replicate or recreate those capabilities, OBO will provide data, support, and resources to entities that already have developed, and proven the efficacy and efficiency of, existing programs to address digital equity. In this way, the State of Oregon will respect local and community experience and know-how, working to support its stakeholders that have proven capabilities in digital inclusion work. This collaboration is particularly important with respect to utilizing proven best practices on inclusivity with members of covered populations.
4. Respect and incorporate culturally and linguistically diverse communities as partners of the process towards reaching established and agreed upon goals and outcomes. Respecting and incorporating the cultural and linguistic diversity of communities is essential for creating inclusive and effective programs that serve the needs of all people in Oregon. OBO will be thoughtful and inclusive when conducting outreach on affordable internet and digital literacy programs, ensuring alignment with existing efforts to improve outcomes.

Barriers to Digital Equity and Covered Populations in Oregon

Analysis by OBO and the State of Oregon show:

• Oregon is in line with the rest of the nation in most meaningful indicators of broadband availability.
• Individuals living in rural areas face the most urgent needs for broadband availability.
• Oregon outpaces the national averages in internet and wireline internet adoption and subscription rates.
• Covered populations in Oregon are uniformly adopting the internet less frequently than individuals that do not belong to a covered population. This gap is largest when compared across incomes.
• Oregon outperforms the national average for the percentage of eligible households enrolled in the ACP subsidy program, but Oregon still has a large opportunity for enrollment growth.

OBO describes the digital divide in Oregon through five critical barriers, as well as covered population-specific challenges.

Critical barrier 1: Lack of broadband availability.

Of all Oregon households that do not use internet at home, an estimated four percent claim that the main reason for their lack of internet use is a lack of available internet service. A significant barrier to digital equity is inadequate broadband infrastructure in rural areas of Oregon. Within rural areas of the state, infrastructure is not as ubiquitous as it is in urban areas with greater population density. Some people who reside in rural areas do not have the opportunity to use the internet at home or, in some cases, at their places of work or even at the community anchor institutions (CAI) that serve them.

Critical barrier 2: Low-income households struggle to consistently afford broadband internet services, internet-enabled computing devices, and technical support.

The second barrier to digital equity in Oregon is that many people struggle to consistently afford access to the internet, a modern, fully capable, internet-enabled computing device, and the technical services to support those devices and internet use. For this reason, this Plan recognizes internet and computing device affordability as a key priority for digital equity efforts in Oregon.

Critical barrier 3: Individuals who are members of covered populations require support to develop digital literacy skills.

A third critical barrier to attaining digital equity in Oregon is that some people who are members of covered populations (including older adults, individuals who live in low-income households, individuals with disabilities, veterans, incarcerated individuals, individuals who are English-language learners or have low levels of literacy, individuals who are members of racial and ethnic minority groups, and people living in rural areas) do not yet have updated digital literacy skills to navigate the modern internet and to do so without risk to their personal privacy and security. Given these challenges, OBO's plan prioritizes skills training as a key area of Oregon’s digital equity effort.

Critical barrier 4: Local communities require resources and expertise for digital equity efforts.

Local communities require resources and expertise for digital equity efforts. Oregon’s commitment to digital equity means a significant commitment of resources to sustain the initiatives contemplated in OBO's plan and to support local communities, nonprofits, and CAIs to develop local capacity.

Covered Populations

In Oregon, 76.1 percent of the state belongs to a covered population. Within Oregon, most individuals belonging to covered populations live in rural areas, are racial or ethnic minorities, have a relatively low income, or are 60 years of age or older. These covered populations are much larger in the state than those defined by incarceration status, English language proficiency, and veteran status. Perhaps most notable is the size of Oregon’s rural population: An estimated 32.6 percent of the state lives in a rural area (as opposed to only 28.5 percent nationally).

The percentages of each covered population out of Oregon's total population are as follows:

• Individuals who live in low-income households: 18.8 percent
• Aging individuals: 24.7 percent
• Incarcerated individuals: 0.5 percent
• Veterans: 6.3 percent
• Individuals with disabilities: 15.1 percent
• Individuals with a language barrier: 15.7 percent
• Individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group: 25.1 percent
• Individuals who primarily reside in a rural area: 32.6 percent

OBO outlines the greatest barriers faced by each covered population in Oregon.

Individuals who live in low-income households show a need for digital literacy programs and barriers relating to the unaffordable cost of service for speeds and at the data capacity necessary to meet critical needs such as education and working from home. Additionally, knowledge of or access to discount internet subsidy programs is a challenge. Individuals who live in covered households are often living in public housing, rural or low-income communities with outdated, unreliable, and slow service, as well as buildings with inadequate wiring. Many covered households are also multigenerational households.

For aging individuals, not having the digital literacy skills and comfort levels to use online tools to access public service or social and civic opportunities or entertainment is a major barrier. The affordability of services and devices, inadequate services to receive remote healthcare in appropriate/private places, and a lack of device loan or PC refurbishment programs are also common struggles for aging individuals. This covered population has a need to access documents online necessary for proving eligibility for other programs and also for digital literacy and online safety programs.

Incarcerated individuals face a lack of adequate funding for digital literacy and higher education opportunities. This includes workforce training inside correctional institutions and opportunities for digital literacy and job training for formerly incarcerated to expand job/educational opportunities.

For individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group, not having access to digital technologies further exacerbate and compound historical and existing inequities in health, education, and economic opportunities.

Oregon’s veterans face challenges that intersect with those of aging individuals (older adults), individuals from racial and ethnic minoritized groups, individuals with disabilities, individuals living in rural areas, and individuals from covered households. These challenges are compounded in rural areas where lack of terrestrial and cellular broadband access is coupled with the inherent limitations of smartphones as inadequate to complete complex online benefits forms, participate in video hearings, or access other online veterans’ services. There is a need to improve veterans’ access to broadband internet discount programs such as the ACP and Lifeline, and workforce training and digital literacy skills improvement that could expand employment opportunities beyond skills developed in the military.

Individuals with disabilities in Oregon struggle to attain equitable access to inclusive technology; many times, this technology is cost-prohibitive or the available assistive technology device (hardware/software) is ill-suited to the user. Inclusive online content is needed, as well as adequate services to allow work, education, and telehealth at home.

For individuals with a language barrier, limited or lack of language-accessible online content including plain language principles is a major barrier obstacle to internet use. More barriers include the knowledge of or access to language accessibility tools to support online activity, the need for digital literacy skills, and online safety training in languages other than English.

Individuals who primarily reside in a rural area face a lack of access to affordable and reliable broadband internet that, in turn, creates barriers to developing digital literacy skills. They also show a lack of access to public computing spaces and support for digital literacy and workforce development skill programming.

Strategies and Objectives

OBO has developed the following potential strategies, initiatives, and timelines tied to the digital equity barriers described.

Critical barrier 1: Lack of broadband availability

Strategy: Increase access to residential broadband internet

• Execute Capital Projects Fund Program
  • Extend last-mile broadband infrastructure throughout Oregon.
  • Timeline: 2023 to 2026 (consistent with American Rescue Plan Act requirements)
• Execute the BEAD Program
  • Extend last-mile broadband infrastructure throughout Oregon.
  • Timeline: 2023 to 2030 (consistent with BEAD requirements)

Measurable objectives and key performance indicators

• Every location in Oregon can access 100/20 Megabits per second (Mbps) at home, with a baseline of 89 percent, a short-term goal of 95 percent and a long-term goal of 98 percent

• Every covered population can access 100/20 Megabits per second (Mbps) at home, with a short-term goal of 95 percent and a long-term goal of 98 percent

Critical barrier 2: Low-income households struggle to consistently afford home broadband internet services, devices, and technical support

Strategy: Increase Affordable Connectivity Program and ISP low-cost program enrollment among eligible households

• Develop educational materials
  • Provide content and support for educational campaigns among organizations that focus on ACP and ISPs’ low-cost programs as well as for localities, CAIs, and nonprofits that have not previously worked to extend ACP and ISP-offered discount program enrollment.
  • Timeline: 2023 and thereafter
• Encourage ISP partnerships for ACP enrollment drives
  • Encourage ISPs to partner with localities, CAIs, and nonprofits to develop ACP and low-cost ISP program enrollment drives and initiatives (and alternatives if ACP is not reauthorized).
  • Timeline: 2023 and thereafter
• Fund library-based ACP enrollment drives
  • Provide funding for libraries to offer ACP/ISP low-cost program enrollment drives for eligible households.
  • 2024 to 2029, based on availability/allocation of Digital Equity Capacity Grant

Strategy: Increase low-cost service offerings

• Require grantee low-cost offerings
  • Build requirements and enhanced scoring for affordable service offerings into BEAD grant program.
  • Timeline: 2023 to 2025, with monitoring and enforcement consistent with BEAD Final Proposal
• Encourage ISP low-cost offerings
  • Work with ISPs throughout the state to encourage adoption and expansion of low-cost broadband internet service and modern computing device (i.e., laptop or desktop) offerings for lower-income households.
  • Timeline: 2023 and thereafter

Strategy: Expand access to affordable computing devices and technical support

• Provide information
  • Provide guidance regarding best practices, expertise, and partnership opportunities to localities and nonprofits to develop and expand existing programs that provide free or low-cost devices to lower-income households.
  • Timeline: 2024 and thereafter
• Support ACP enrollment
  • Work with partners to support eligible households to purchase computing devices under ACP.
  • Timeline: Ongoing
• Fund community anchor-based tech support
  • Provide funding for libraries, K-12 schools (particularly Title I schools), and institutions of higher education to offer language-inclusive technical support.
  • Timeline: 2024 to 2029, based on the availability of the Digital Equity Capacity Grant

Strategy: Develop data and informational resources to enable the application of a digital equity lens to infrastructure and program decisions

• Provide asset information
  • Update OBO’s Digital Equity Asset Inventory periodically so that communities have access to resources for identifying partners and best practices.
  • Timeline: 2023 and thereafter
• Develop education and informational resources
  • Work with collaborators to design and share data and informational resources promoting internet safety, ACP awareness, and device donation and refurbishment (including basic software with all devices) and develop online resources on digital equity best practices for reference by stakeholders statewide.
  • Timeline: 2023 and thereafter

Measurable objectives and key performance indicators

• Increase enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program (and any subsequent or similarly funded program) and ISPs’ low-cost programs, with a baseline of 28 percent of eligible households participating in ACP, a short-term goal of 50 percent, and a long-term goal of 95 percent
• Increase the percentage of ISPs that offer low-cost products (including a computing device) for lower-income households, with a baseline of 64 percent of ISPs that offer low-cost products (including a computing device) for lower-income households, a short-term goal of 75 percent and a long-term goal of 95 percent
• All people in Oregon have access to an affordable, workable, internet-enabled computing device, with a baseline of 77 percent of all survey respondents who report they can get a broken or lost computing device fixed or replaced within a week, a short-term goal of 93 percent, and a long-term goal of 95 percent
• Members of covered populations have access to an affordable, workable computing device, with a baseline of 76 percent of all covered population survey respondents who report they can get a broken or lost computing device fixed or replaced within a week, a short-term goal of 93 percent, and a long-term goal of 95 percent

Critical barrier 3: Members of covered populations need support to develop digital skills

Strategy: Enable digital literacy skills development through training courses

• Enable partnerships
  • Connect communities with expert partners that have established training courses, working with a full range of stakeholders that are engaged in digital equity efforts to enable partners to benefit from each other’s expertise and lessons learned.
  • Timeline: 2023 and thereafter
• Fund nonprofit and agency skills centers
  • Provide funding for organizations that bring expertise and employing best practices in offering digital skills training, based on standardized and tested curricula that reflect cultural appropriateness.
  • Timeline: 2024 to 2029, based on the availability of the Digital Equity Capacity Grant
• Provide informational resources and guidance
  • Distribute relevant materials to share expertise and guidance so that communities have access to resources for identifying partners and best practices.
  • Timeline: 2023 and thereafter

Strategy: Expand opportunity to learn digital literacy skills for persons with disabilities and persons with English as a second language

• Enable partnerships
  • Use OBO’s convening capabilities to connect communities with expert partners that have established training courses, to enable stakeholders to benefit from each other’s expertise and lessons learned.
  • Timeline: 2023 and thereafter
• Provide informational resources and expert data and guidance
  • Develop and distribute relevant materials to share expertise and guidance so that communities have access to resources for identifying cost-effective strategies and best practices.
  • Timeline: 2023 and thereafter
• Fund library-based training
  • Provide funding for libraries to offer training at the local level regarding online safety and privacy, based on standardized and tested curricula that reflect cultural appropriateness.
  • Timeline: Timeline: 2024 to 2029, based on the availability of the Digital Equity Capacity Grant

Strategy: Promote information about the availability of digital literacy programming

• Promote and encourage the development and distribution of accessibility guidance
  • Promote the development and distribution of best practices and guidance materials regarding website design that aligns with accessibility standards.
  • Timeline: 2023 and thereafter

Strategy: Promote information about online safety and privacy to covered populations.

• Promote and encourage the development and distribution of online safety and privacy guidance for all covered populations, including older adults.
  • Promote the development and distribution of best practices and guidance materials regarding online safety and privacy, especially focused on older adults.
  • Timeline: 2023 and thereafter

Measurable objectives and key performance indicators

• All people in Oregon are able to use the internet if they so choose, with a baseline of 11.5 key digital skills performed (out of 14 factors measured), a short-term goal of 12/14, and a long-term goal of 13/14
• Members of covered populations are able to use the internet if they so choose, with a baseline of 11.1 key digital skills performed by members of covered populations (out of 14 factors measured), a short-term goal of 12/14, and a long-term goal of 13/14
• All people in Oregon can access information or training to learn how to protect their personal security online, with a baseline of 85 percent of all survey
  respondents who say they are confident they can protect their personal security online, a short-term goal of 85 percent and a long-term goal of 90 percent
• Members of covered populations can access information or training to learn how to protect their personal security online, with a baseline of 83 percent of all covered population survey respondents who say they are confident they can protect their personal security online, a short-term goal of 85 percent and a long-term goal of 90 percent
• All people in Oregon can access information or training to learn how to protect their privacy online, with a baseline of 80 percent of all survey respondents who say they are confident they can protect their privacy online, a short-term goal of 85 percent and a long-term goal of 90 percent
• Members of covered populations can access information or training to learn how to protect their privacy online, with a baseline of 75 percent of all covered
  population survey respondents who say they are confident they can protect their privacy online, a short-term goal of 85 percent and a long-term goal of 90 percent
• All people in Oregon can access government services online, with a baseline of 83 percent of all survey respondents who say they are very confident using the internet to access government services online, a short-term goal of 85 percent and a long-term goal of 90 percent
• Members of covered populations can access government services online, with a baseline of 78 percent of all covered population survey respondents who say they are very confident accessing government services online, a short-term goal of 85 percent and a long-term goal of 90 percent

Critical barrier 4: Local communities require resources and expertise for digital equity efforts

Strategy: Build collaboration among state, local, and nonprofit entities

• Convene stakeholders
  • Build structures to enable stakeholders to work together across the state and across different demographics, to enable shared lessons and resources to support those who face the greatest barriers to digital equity, as well as to help organizations leverage others’ capabilities and help stakeholders serving specific covered populations to share best practices and digital equity expertise.
  • Timeline: 2024 and thereafter
• Enable funders to connect with program experts
  • Convene stakeholders to enable organizations that run digital equity programs to request resources from private sector partners, ISPs, philanthropic entities, and other potential funding organizations.
  • Timeline: 2024 and thereafter

Strategy: Support and develop local capacity

• Convene funders
  • Use OBO’s convening capabilities to connect local communities and organizations with philanthropy and other potential digital equity funding sources.
  • Timeline: 2024 and thereafter
• Promote technical assistance
  • Promote technical assistance to localities, nonprofits, and Anchors that seek to compete for NTIA’s Digital Equity Competitive Grant funds in 2025.
  • Timeline: 2025

Strategy: Sustain and grow the state’s efforts in digital equity

• Infuse digital equity considerations into related areas
  • Develop materials to enable understanding by the state on how to use digital equity as a lens when making program decisions and prioritizing investments.
  • Timeline: 2024
• Convene nonprofit and philanthropy partners
  • Use OBO’s convening ability and outreach capabilities to encourage collaboration and communications among organizations that operate digital equity programs and philanthropic funders.
  • Timeline: 2024 and thereafter
• Collect, analyze, and publish relevant data to demonstrate changes in digital equity metrics and outcomes
  • Publish relevant data analytics to guide nonprofits, ISPs, and philanthropy regarding potential impactful investments.
  • Timeline: 2023 and thereafter (this effort is already underway)
• Promote technical assistance
  • Promote technical assistance to localities, nonprofits, and CAIs that will compete for NTIA’s Digital Equity Competitive Grant funds in 2025.
  • Timeline: 2025

Measurable objectives and key performance indicators

• Data are available to all local communities regarding the status of broadband and digital equity in their communities, with a baseline of 50 percent availability of
  federal and state broadband data, including phone survey results, a short-term goal of 75 percent and a long-term goal of 100 percent
• Partnership opportunities are available for localities, nonprofits, and CAIs, with a baseline of 4 convening events per year, a short-term goal of 12, and a long-term goal of 12
• Localities have access to grant writing guidance and expertise for accessing federal digital equity funds, with a short-term goal of 50 percent of localities that
  participate in OBO seminars regarding applying for federal digital equity funds by 2025

Oregon Wants to Hear From You

OBO's draft Digital Equity Plan is open for public comment until December 16, 2023. Members of the public can submit their feedback using OBO's form. More information about broadband efforts in Oregon can be found on the OBO website.

Quick Bits

• FCC Announces Over $450,000 in Emergency Connectivity Funding
• Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $20 Million to Boost Digital Equity
• FCC Reaffirms Rejection of Nearly $900 Million Subsidy to Starlink
• US Debates Data Policy to Avoid a Fragmented Global Internet
• 92% of U.S. Households Get an Internet Service at Home

Weekend Reads (resist tl;dr)

• FCC Commissioner Gomez First Major Speech Describing Priorities at CHCI Celebrating Latina Excellence Series
• Baltimore City’s Digital Inclusion Strategy
• Economists’ Comments on State BEAD Proposals
• FCC Renews Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States
• Artificial Intelligence: Agencies Have Begun Implementation but Need to Complete Key Requirements

ICYMI from Benton

• Breaking News: Louisiana Continues to Lead the Nation on Federal Broadband Funding
• Massachusetts' Unified Vision of Digital Equity
• Emerging Best Practices for Developing Effective, Measurable State Digital Equity Metrics
• Paying It Forward in Washtenaw County
• Ensuring Bids for ALL Eligible Locations in BEAD: The Challenge Ahead
• Broadband Planning Tools for Rural Farming Communities

Upcoming Events

Dec 19––Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee Meeting (NTIA)

Jan 16––Hearing on “Click to Cancel” Rulemaking (FTC)

Feb 12—State of the Net 2024 (Internet Education Foundation)

Mar 25––The Right Connection (CENIC)

More in this series:

• Massachusetts' Unified Vision of Digital Equity
• Alaska's Plan to Address Broadband Adversity
• Georgia's Plan for Digital Connectivity
• In a New York State of Digital Equity
• A Plan for Digital Equity in Delaware
• Equity for the Digital Age: Maryland's Plan
• North Dakota's Collective Approach to Digital Equity
• A Plan for Connecting New Jersey
• Achieving a Digitally Inclusive Ohio
• A Digital Access Plan for All Idahoans
• Envisioning a Connected, Interconnected Alabama
• Missouri Pursues Sustainable Digital Opportunity Initiatives
• A Digital Equity Plan to Connect All Kansans
• South Dakota's Plan to Leverage Digital Equity to Reach Economic Goals
• Aloha Spirit Inspires Hawai'i Digital Equity Plan
• The Plan for Closing Nevada’s Digital Divide
• Wisconsin's Digital Equity Values
• ¡Su opinión cuenta! Puerto Rico Releases Initial Draft of Digital Equity Plan | ¡Su Opinión Cuenta! Puerto Rico Pública el Borrador Inicial del Plan de Equidad Digital
• Kentucky Pursues Full and Equitable Digital Access for All
• Tennessee Drafts a Digital Opportunity Plan
• Washington State Sets Digital Equity Goals
• West Virginia's Plan to Conquer the Digital Divide
• Rhode Island Works to Bring Broadband to All Residents
• Wyoming Seeks Feedback on Digital Access Plan
• Communities Know Communities Best: Michigan's Digital Equity Plan
• Montana's Digital Opportunity Plan
• Achieving Digital Independence in Utah
• Maine's Vision of Digital Equity
• A Look at Louisiana's Draft Digital Equity Plan

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people in the U.S. have access to competitive, High-Performance Broadband regardless of where they live or who they are. We believe communication policy - rooted in the values of access, equity, and diversity - has the power to deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities.

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