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Round-Up for the Week of Jan 1-5, 2024

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania strives to achieve universal and equitable connectivity to support the state's social, economic, and quality of life outcomes. The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) has released Connected and Empowered: A Digital Equity Plan for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to work towards digital inclusion for every resident of the Commonwealth. PBDA's draft plan is available for public comment until January 8, 2024.

Pennsylvania's Vision for Digital Equity

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania strives to achieve universal and equitable connectivity to support the state's social, economic, and quality of life outcomes. Internet access and skills have been embedded into state goals and investments across multiple agencies. Moving forward, the PBDA is positioned to lead and coordinate statewide investments to connect residents meaningfully to digital opportunities.

Digital equity's importance can also be described through the lens of “digital dignity,” a phrase coined by Sharon Strover in 2019. As our society increasingly relies on online services, platforms, and communication means, those lacking reliable access or limited exposure miss out on opportunities.

Students with computers at home can complete homework assignments. At the same time, those without access need to catch up in school or spend their evenings seeking out public Wi-Fi connections to achieve the same work. Aging residents can stay comfortably in their homes longer with online access to telehealth appointments, delivery services to the door, and social connections. New job and educational opportunities that support upward economic mobility are available to residents with reliable broadband access and a level of comfort with computer use. Residents can learn new skills and apply for jobs easily from their homes: in the evenings around work schedules, while caring for children, without requiring commute time or the expenses related to car ownership and public transit.

Digital dignity reflects the American value of opportunity for all: every person should have the same access to participate in the digital world. In a 2022 study by Matthews and Ali, researchers described how frequently internet use is taken for granted by those with strong computer skills and reliable broadband. Meanwhile, those without spend extra time and effort trying to locate the same information or access the same services through other means. Whether due to a poor connection or low comfort level with computers or software, individuals are silenced without the ability to contribute equally to virtual calls for work, with friends, and in public forums.

To support a healthy and economically strong Commonwealth, every resident deserves to have digital dignity and confidently participate in our increasingly connected society.

Covered Populations and Barriers to Digital Equity

To best serve the needs of the Commonwealth, the PBDA used census data to create an online Digital Equity Atlas which allows users to research computer usage and broadband access availability as well as how different populations are impacted, down to census tract level. The Digital Equity Atlas also provides an analysis of this data and assigns a Digital Equity Need Index to each census tract and county. A higher index score indicates that the area has many individuals who fall within the eight covered populations enumerated within the Digital Equity Act.

PBDA compiled a number of barriers that each covered population faces for its draft Digital Equity Plan.

Aging Individuals

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) considers Americans aged 60 and older “aging individuals,” or older adults. Presently ranked as the 9th oldest state in terms of residents’ age, almost 26 percent of Pennsylvania’s population is aged 60 or older. Thirty-six percent of older adults (60+) live in rural areas. Of these residents in Pennsylvania, 31 percent live in census tracts with high Digital Divide Index scores. Additionally, 29 percent have a disability, 16 percent live below the federal poverty level, and 14 percent are veterans.

The age question on the PBDA’s statewide survey included options of ages 55-64 and ages 65+ due to the varying definitions of older adults or ‘senior’. Initial survey findings show:

• 10 percent don’t have home internet access.
• High costs (29%), unreliability (23%), and security/privacy concerns (18%) are the most frequently cited challenges to access.
• 56 percent are very comfortable with searching for and finding information on the internet, but only 24% are very comfortable seeking medical care or telehealth consultations.
• 51 percent of respondents said they had no difficulty paying their monthly internet bills; 43 percent reported some difficulty; 5 percent reported great difficulty.

Justice-Impacted Individuals

PBDA defines justice-impacted individuals as those who are or have been placed in federal, state, or county confinement through formal sentencing. Justice-impacted individuals identified in the covered population are individuals who were formally incarcerated and confined within secured facilities outside of the federal incarceration levels, which includes county and state incarceration. Incarceration and the accompanying stigmas that can be imposed upon individuals last far beyond the period of sentencing. Upon release, reentry into society can be a challenging process as individuals must navigate changes in social structures, loss of connections, employment and housing gaps, access issues, and more. Internet access is a crucial support in connecting people as they reestablish their lives post-incarceration.

Pennsylvania currently houses 37,658 incarcerated inmates within State Institutions. Of these Pennsylvania residents, 34 percent live in census tracts with high Digital Divide Index scores. There is a 7.7 to 1 Black-to-White imprisonment ratio, and a 2.3 to 1 Latinx-to-White ratio in Pennsylvania. Additionally, there is a 129 per 100,000 youths rate of incarceration for residents under 18 years of age. More than 10,600 inmates (28%) are also considered elderly. The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections defines “elderly” inmates as those who are 50 years of age and older.

Security concerns regulate access to books, educational materials, printed documents, software, and digital security. This imposes extreme disadvantages for those
either enrolled in programming within facilities or for those seeking ways to increase professional skill-building and educational training. Barriers like facility lockdowns, for example, are unique to inmates and can significantly disrupt the continuity of services. Opportunities available to the public, including digital skills, training, and workforce development, are largely unavailable to justice-impacted individuals.

Rural Residents

2020 Census data show Pennsylvania is one of the most rural states in the country and has a population density of 291 people per square mile. For the NTIA’s purposes, a rural area is any area other than a municipality that has more than 50,000 inhabitants; any urbanized area next to a municipality with more than 50,000 inhabitants; and in the case of a grant or direct loan, a municipality or incorporated area that has more than 20,000 inhabitants.

Within Pennsylvania, 3.4 million residents call rural counties home. The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 Census shows there are 48 rural counties and 19 urban counties in Pennsylvania. Rural residents represent 26 percent of the population in Pennsylvania and 29 percent of the population nationally. Thirty-nine percent live in census tracts
with high Digital Divide Index scores, 27 percent are older adults, 20 percent are low-income. Additionally, five percent are racial and ethnic minorities and 17 percent have a disability.

In the statewide survey, 3,322 respondents self-identified as a rural resident. Initial survey findings show:

• 11 percentdon’t have internet access.
• High costs (39%), unreliability (44%), and dislike for available ISPs (26%) are the most frequently cited challenges.
• 66 percent are very comfortable with searching for and finding information on the internet, but only 44 percent are very comfortable seeking medical care or telehealth consultations.
• 48 percent of respondents said they had no difficulty paying their monthly internet bills; 46 percent reported some difficulty; nearly 6 percent reported great difficulty.

Low-Income Households

Low-income households represent 19 percent of the population in Pennsylvania and 21 percent of the population nationally. Of these Pennsylvania residents, 45 percent live in census tracts with high Digital Divide Index scores, and 19 percent of low-income households do not exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty level. Additionally, 12 percent of low-income households do not exceed 100 percent of the federal poverty level, ten percent are households with older adults, and 17 percent are households with residents aged 18 or younger.

Within Pennsylvania, households with higher incomes are more likely to have a broadband internet subscription. Of those with income below $20,000 per year, only 73.5 percent have a broadband internet subscription. Nearly 1 in 3 renter households pay more than 30 percent of the Area Median Average (AMI) on rent,
making them “rent burdened”. Over 15,000 individuals are estimated to be homeless in Pennsylvania. These individuals may have a mobile device, but no home internet without a home address.

Initial survey findings show:

• 17 percent of respondents reporting incomes under $25,000 do not have home internet access.
• 81 percent of respondents reporting incomes under $25,000 use smartphones as their primary devices at home.
• High costs were cited as the number one challenge across all low-income categories (54%), followed by unreliable service (36%) and dislike for available ISPs (22%).
• 30 percent of respondents reporting incomes between $25,000-$50,000 have limited or no comfort with seeking medical care or telehealth consultations.
• 65 percent of respondents across all low-income categories reported that it is either somewhat or very difficult to pay their monthly internet bill.

Individuals with Language Barriers

Language barriers are barriers to communication between people who don’t share a common language. This is especially an issue when an individual doesn’t understand the native or the socially dominant language, because those who speak the dominant language are not equally at a disadvantage and can fail to recognize the comprehension difficulties faced by others. Language barriers include semantics, coding and decoding verbal or written messages, the inability to comprehend dialogue, and the inability to properly interpret information in one’s respective native language.

Within Pennsylvania, census data shows that 11 percent of Pennsylvania residents speak a language other than English. Pennsylvania's average literacy and numeracy scale scores are statistically in line with the national average. Individuals with a language barrier represent 16 percent of the population in Pennsylvania and 21 percent of the population nationally. After English, Spanish and Chinese are the languages most spoken by Pennsylvanians. Of individuals with a language barrier in the Commonwealth, 35 percent live in census tracts with high Digital Divide Index scores, 4 percent are older adults, and 71 percent live in non-rural areas.

Racial and Ethnic Minorities

Racial and ethnic minorities include individuals who identify as one or multiple races other than White. Within the United States, this is further defined by race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or physical disabilities. Racial and ethnic minorities typically exist within a collective space set apart from the societal dominant group, often on the lower end of the hierarchal power structure, with a shared sense of identity and common burdens.

Racial and ethnic minorities represent 24 percent of the population in Pennsylvania and 34 percent of the population nationally. Of these Pennsylvania residents, 44 percent are in low-income households, 42 percent live in non-rural areas, and 36 percent live in census tracts with high Digital Divide Index scores. Median household income in Pennsylvania was $42,431 for Black or African American households, well below the $67,587 statewide median. Hispanic households have a $49,287 median income. The multiracial population of the Commonwealth has grown 226 percent since 2010, reflecting movement towards an increasingly diverse population. Notably, the Hispanic or Latinx population has grown over 45 percent since 2010.

Survey findings show:

• 4 percent of respondents don’t have their own internet subscription.
• 3 percent of respondents said they don’t have a computer or device to access the internet.
• High costs (53%) unreliability (27%), and security/privacy concerns (23%) are the most frequently cited challenges.
• 60 percent are very comfortable with searching for and finding information on the internet, but only 45 percent are very comfortable with both filing official documents and seeking medical care or telehealth consultations.
• 57 percent of respondents said paying for monthly internet service is somewhat difficult, while 7 percent said it’s very difficult.

The Federal Communications Commission has acknowledged that internet service providers (ISPs) have, intentionally or unintentionally, developed infrastructure and pricing patterns that provide fewer and lower quality services in many minority communities, a trend known as digital redlining. A Task Force to Prevent Digital Discrimination has been established to study and seek solutions to counter this effect. Black and Hispanic adults are almost twice as likely to lack broadband access. This digital inequity can increase already existing racial disparities in the development of professional development and further the systemic inequities that exist in education and employment.
According to the Pew Research Center, 80 percent of White adults report owning a desktop or laptop computer, compared with 69 percent of Black adults and 67 percent of Hispanic adults.

Veterans

NTIA defines Veteran as a person who served in the active military, naval, air, or space service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable. Veterans represent 5.5 percent of the population of Pennsylvania and 5.8 percent of the population nationally. Of these Pennsylvania residents, 31 percent live in census tracts with high Digital Divide Index scores, 56 percent are older adults, and seven percent live below the federal poverty level. Additionally, 12 percent are racial or ethnic minorities and 30 percent have a disability. 700,000 Veterans are served by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA). Of these, 18 percent have a service-related disability. 24 percent of Veterans live in census tracts with low vehicle ownership.

Nearly half of all Veterans nationally found it somewhat or very difficult to readjust to civilian life after their time in service due to reasons like lack of social connection and
support network and difficulty affording daily necessities. About one third of all Veterans say they had trouble paying their bills in the first few years after leaving the military.

Many Veterans in Pennsylvania are retired or not in the labor force and are living on a fixed income. Further, it is difficult to seek employment or continuing education that could bolster one’s income without access to broadband and devices. Over 40 percent of Pennsylvania Veterans live in rural areas, leaving many residents without adequate internet to accomplish daily tasks. Veterans can feel cut off from the rest of society without this connection to services, news and friends. Some Veterans also struggle to find stable housing where a broadband subscription could be linked. Homeless Veterans in particular rely on phones to make calls over Wi-Fi and often get kicked out of free Wi-Fi spots such as at malls or cafes. They then miss appointments and fall through the cracks.

Survey findings show:

• 89 percent of respondents report having internet access at home.
• High costs (8%), unreliability (7%), and security/privacy concerns (5%) are the most frequently cited challenges.
• 41 percent of respondents indicated they have limited comfort or are not comfortable with social media, while 34 percent said they have limited or no comfort with filing official documents, and 32 percent reported little or no comfort with seeking medical care or telehealth consultations.
• 40 percent of respondents reported having a somewhat difficult time paying their monthly internet bill, and 5 percent said they have a very difficult time paying.

Individuals with Disabilities

Individuals with disabilities are a diverse population, and they experience many types of challenges based on the specifics of their condition. Disabilities are categorized into six types: Hearing, vision, cognitive, ambulatory (mobility and movement), self-care, and independent living. Many individuals may fall into two or more of these categories. For these residents, access to services online can be a critical way to connect to resources and assistance, if the right tools and training are provided.

Individuals with disabilities represent 14.8 percent of Pennsylvania's population and 13.8 percent of the national population. Of Pennsylvania residents with disabilities, 39 percent live in census tracts with high Digital Divide Index scores, 42 percent are adults aged 65 or older, and 32 percent are in low-income households. Additionally, 25 percent are racial and ethnic minorities and 8 percent are under 18 years of age. Over 3.8 million unique Pennsylvanians are served by DHS benefit programs. 324,000 students receive special education instruction. Thirty-six percent reside in areas with low vehicle ownership rates. If individuals with disabilities don’t drive, accessing services and resources is limited without home internet.

Some types of disability impact larger numbers of Pennsylvanians:

• 26.7 percent experience hearing difficulty;
• 16.6 percent experience vision difficulty;
• 41.8 percent experience cognitive difficulty;
• 46.2 percent experience ambulatory difficulty;
• 17.6 percent experience self-care difficulty; and
• 25.8 percent experience independent living difficulty.

Initial survey findings show:

• 9 percent don’t have service at their residence.
• 2 percent don’t have a computer or device to get online.
• High costs (58%), unreliability (41%), and security/privacy concerns (32%) are the most frequently cited challenges.
• 44 percent are very comfortable with searching for and finding information on the internet, but only 31 percent are very comfortable seeking medical care or telehealth consultations.
• 16 percent of respondents have difficulty paying their monthly internet bill.

Implementation Strategy and Key Activities

To create an actionable Digital Equity Plan for Pennsylvania, the PBDA has focused its implementation strategies on leveraging partnerships, developing minimum standards and requirements for Digital Equity Act grant funding, weaving digital equity considerations through all PBDA grant programs, and advancing outreach and engagement strategies to better equip residents to engage in our digital society. PBDA has structured its strategies around five primary goals, with their own action steps and key performance indicators (KPIs).

Goal 1: Get People Online

Strategy 1.1: Support participation in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)​ through Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) and Capital Projects Fund (CPF) infrastructure funding and increase awareness of ACP through partnerships, outreach, and education.

• Action: All PBDA broadband infrastructure-funded projects require participation in ACP or similar or other low-cost programs.
  • KPI: Award and oversee $1.4 billion dollars for deployment of infrastructure projects that increase broadband access by 2030.
  • KPI: Establish the baseline of ACP and low-cost adoption in a funded project area before deployment of service. Once the baseline is established, increase ACP and low-cost adoption by 5 percent of qualified households in project areas.
• Action: Create an affordability resource page on the PBDA website including details on available resources statewide for broadband affordability.
  • KPI: Work with sister agencies to link and promote the affordability page for Pennsylvanians seeking state resources.
• Action: Require subgrantees receiving CPF funds for Community Anchor Institution facilities program and device program to promote the PBDA’s affordability page and alternative ACP resources. Promotion sources may include, but are not limited to, their website home page or bulletin boards.
  • KPI: Deploy $20 million in dedicated funding for device access by 2026.
  • KPI: Deploy $45 million in dedicated funding for facilities improvements for Community Anchor Institutions by 2026.
• Action: The PBDA will continue awareness activities and promotions of ACP resources and enrollment assistance programs.
  • KPI: The PBDA will highlight the ACP on the affordable resource page with educational materials in multiple language to include a digital toolkit and information to support the development of coalitions and digital navigation programs.

Strategy 1.2: Encourage reliable, low-cost broadband subscriptions that are a minimum of 100/20 Mbps for download/upload speeds.

• Action: Incentivize BEAD-funded projects to have a middle-class affordability plan. Further guidelines for this are provided in the PBDA’s BEAD Initial Proposal to be submitted in December 2023.
  • KPI: Distribute $1.16 billion in funding for BEAD projects within five years with adherence to affordability metrics being 25 percent of scoring.
• Action: Encourage the adoption of the middle-class affordability plan through state advocacy.
  • KPI: Develop an interactive map on the PBDA website that provides the affordability and price averages across Pennsylvania. Data will be collected through annual BEAD & CPF grant reporting by ISPs. The PBDA will update this website quarterly.
• Action: Increase transparency of federal funding for broadband and digital equity work.
  • KPI: List available federal funding grant opportunities for broadband or digital equity work on the PBDA website and update monthly.

Strategy 1.3: Develop additional connectivity considerations for Community Anchor Institutions.

• Action: Create and deploy a CPF program aimed at capital improvements to Community Anchor Institutions.
  • KPI: Invest $45 million by 2026 for projects funded for capital improvements to Community Anchor Institutions that increase access to telehealth, education, and work.

Goal 2: The Right Tools

Strategy 2.1: Strive for Universal Design whenever and wherever possible.

• Action: Provide guidance and resources for staff and subgrantees to educate them on best practices for Universal Design, which refers to programs and environments designed to be accessible to people of varying abilities and can be used to the greatest extent possible by many individuals.
  • KPI: Require all Digital Equity Act subgrantees to attend and complete a PBDA-approved training on Universal Design and Accessibility in accordance with federal and state laws.
  • KPI: Require all PBDA staff to complete a Commonwealth-approved training on Universal Design and Accessibility in accordance with federal and state laws by the end of 2024.
  • KPI: Consult with the Chief Accessibility Office and other subject matter experts on accessibility and training needs.

Strategy 2.2: Bulk purchase devices to secure competitive pricing.

• Action: The PBDA will designate $20 million for device purchases through the CPF device program. CPF device subgrantees who apply will provide a narrative for how they will use the devices, what populations they will serve, and what device type they would like to procure. A mix of device types will be purchased to fit subgrantee needs. CPF device subgrantees will also have to detail a plan for technical support and sustainability of the devices.
  • KPI: Deploy $20 million in dedicated funding for device access by 2026.

Strategy 2.3: Build partnerships with industries that have high technology turnover.

• Action: Facilitate connections between industry partners with high technology turnover and community partners who need devices.
  • KPI: Continue PBDA participation across industries to promote and spur new opportunities. Host quarterly “lunch and learn” virtual events that aim to pair digital equity practitioners with high technology turnover industry representatives (e.g. financial services).
  • KPI: Prioritize these partnerships in the PBDA Outreach and Engagement sub-committee. Prioritize building partnerships with digital equity stakeholders and other industry subject matter experts who may have device turnover (e.g. banking, universities, local governments etc.) by placing this topic on at least two annual committee agendas.

Strategy 2.4: Increase awareness of access and device programs.

• Action: Maintain a website resource of device refurbishers in Pennsylvania.
  • KPI: Create a list of device refurbishing organizations and make it available on the PBDA website by the end of 2024. The PBDA will update this list quarterly.
• Action: Increase awareness of the ACP device credit benefit.
  • KPI: Highlight the ACP device credit benefit on the PBDA website by the end of 2024.
  • KPI: Encourage sister agencies to link to the PBDA website on agency websites to increase awareness and traffic.

Strategy 2.5: Provide robust technical assistance for devices and assistive software through a CPF device program in development, and forthcoming Digital Equity Act funding.

• Action: Require subgrantees to detail a plan for ongoing technical assistance related to their devices, whether given for ownership or available as a loan. Subgrantees must provide narrative details on fixes or replacements for broken devices, a plan for basic IT guidance for device recipients, and consider inclusion of limited warranties for refurbished devices.
  • KPI: Track progress through annual subgrantee reporting, including number of devices deployed and number of residents assisted with technical support.

Goal 3: Grow Skills

Strategy 3.1: Create a “blueprint”/standard for digital navigation in the Commonwealth.

• Action: Create a blueprint for digital navigation to serve as a standard for subgrantees seeking digital navigation program funding. Other programs that also meet this requirement and are not seeking funding can apply to be designated as “Digital Navigation Blueprint Compliant.”
  • KPI: Create the digital navigator blueprint to ensure a baseline standard of service for residents seeking digital navigation services. Increase the number of digital navigator compliant programs.

Strategy 3.2: Develop broad, inclusive grant parameters that meet Pennsylvanians where they are with digital skills.

• Action: Ensure grant parameters include foundational computer skills like typing and navigating the internet. Make parameters flexible enough to be inclusive of both entry level, like powering on devices, as well as more advanced skills. Require subgrantees to explain the need, the path chosen for skill level(s) to address, and plan for sustainability.
  • KPI: Require annual reporting from grant recipients. The PBDA will use this reporting to create a dashboard inclusive of tracked measurables like numbers of grant recipients, projects funded, and people served.

Strategy 3.3: Train and deploy additional digital navigators.

• Action: Create a grant scoring rubric that prioritizes paid digital navigators over unpaid digital navigator programs.
  • KPI: Develop a baseline and track the increase in programs that pay digital navigators.

Goal 4: Stay Safe and Secure

Strategy 4.1: Require cybersecurity and digital hygiene training standards in digital skills trainings funded by Digital Equity Act funds.

• Action: Partner with sister agencies and stakeholders to develop a minimum standard for cybersecurity and digital hygiene training to be included in digital skills training programs.
  • KPI: Convene a workgroup of relevant stakeholders by the end of 2024 to develop minimum standards for digital skills training programs centered around cybersecurity and digital hygiene practices.
• Action: Work with sister agencies to ensure cybersecurity is included in trainings, outreach, and programming that the state provides for residents.
  • KPI: Encourage the adoption of the developed cybersecurity and digital hygiene standards into state resources and routinely review for new information.

Strategy 4.2: Promote mental health awareness and resources to combat cyberbullying and improve understanding of the mental health impacts of being online.

• Action: Work with sister agencies and stakeholders to develop materials and promote safe mental health practices online
  • KPI: Amplify resources for safe online mental health practices by linking to relevant state resources on the PBDA website.
  • KPI: Create one-page handout highlighting safe practices and update annually. Translate the one-page handout into additional languages.

Strategy 4.3: Work with trusted partners to educate Pennsylvanians on how to stay safe online.

• Action: Promote PA Department of Banking & Securities (DoBS) financial security trainings to covered populations.
  • KPI: Partner with DoBS to increase the deployment of financial security trainings to covered population communities by 10 percent by 2025.

Goal 5: Strengthen the Foundation

Strategy 5.1: Fund and provide robust technical support for small non-profits/subgrantees.

• Action: Establish a separate bucket of funding using up to 10 percent of the total Digital Equity Act funds received by Pennsylvania to be set aside for small organizational subgrantees that have small budgets and limited staff; specific definition to be developed after the amount of funding is known.
  • KPI: Dedicate staff to providing enhanced technical support for applicants that lack staff capacity to make funds more equitably accessible.
  • KPI: Track grant applications and dollars requested and deployed through annual reporting requirements.

Strategy 5.2: Create a Digital Equity Readiness checklist.

• Action: Create a template for communities to equip them to apply for Digital Equity Act funds. The checklist will mirror the “broadband ready” checklist from the BEAD requirements.
  • KPI: Distribute the checklist to every county by the end of 2024. Post the checklist on the PBDA website and track how many times the checklist is downloaded quarterly.
  • KPI: Hold two webinars in 2024 focusing on the checklist and answering community questions.

Strategy 5.3: Encourage partnerships for a holistic approach.

• Action: Develop a capacity grant scoring rubric that prioritizes partnerships to meet multiple digital needs of Pennsylvanians.
  • KPI: Establish a list of digital equity practitioners that offer more than one digital equity service or support.
  • KPI: Develop a grant scoring rubric that prioritizes digital equity practitioners, partnerships, and coalitions serving multiple covered populations with multiple digital equity services.
• Action: Require digital equity subgrantees to show how they will prioritize a person-centered approach. For example, if a subgrantee requests digital skills training funding they must demonstrate how they will meet the device needs to deploy their training.
  • KPI: Require subgrantees to engage communities to prove community needs. Subgrantees will be permitted to spend a certain percentage of funding to host community outreach including meetings or surveys. Subgrantees will annually report on the progress of addressing the community needs.
  • KPI: Report annually to NTIA to show the performance of subgrantees addressing identified community needs.

Pennsylvania Wants to Hear From You

Use this form to submit public comment on the draft Digital Equity Plan released by the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority. PBDA also offers a phone-in public comment system; more information can be found on its website. The deadline for public comments is January 8, 2024.

Quick Bits

• Internet Service Provider Upgrades in Front of BEAD
• Colorado Announces Funding for Broadband through Advance Colorado Broadband Grant Program
• Missouri Awards More Than $7.9 Million in ARPA Funding to Expand Cellular Service Statewide
• Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program Comments Due January 29, 2024

Weekend Reads (resist tl;dr)

• Millions of Americans could lose internet aid months before the 2024 election
• NTIA Ex Parte Letter Regarding the FCC’s Section 706 Notice of Inquiry
• Uniform Guidance in the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program
• FCC Adopts 2018 Quadrennial Review of Broadcast Ownership Rules

ICYMI from Benton

• Guiding Texas' Digital Opportunity Investments
• Florida's Roadmap for Closing the Digital Divide
• A Vision and a Mission for Digital Equity in North Carolina
• Creating Digital Opportunities in Nebraska
• Developing Digital Equity Solutions in Vermont
• Setting the Extremely High Cost Per Location Threshold for BEAD

Upcoming Events

Jan 11––Digital Literacy: The Key to Getting Americans Online (ITIF)

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

Jan 18––Industry Listening Session on Kids’ Online Safety (NTIA)

Jan 25––January 2024 Open Federal Communications Commission Meeting (FCC)

Jan 30––Disability Advisory Committee (FCC)

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

Feb 15––February 2024 Open Federal Communications Commission Meeting (FCC)

Mar 14––March 2024 Open Federal Communications Commission Meeting (FCC)

Mar 25––The Right Connection (CENIC)

More in this series:

• Guiding Texas' Digital Opportunity Investments
• Florida's Roadmap for Closing the Digital Divide
• Creating Digital Opportunities in Nebraska
• Developing Digital Equity Solutions in Vermont
• Working Towards Digital Equity in DC
• Oregon's Plan for Meaningful Broadband Access
• 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
• 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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