All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are currently working on digital equity plans. As they release draft plans seeking public feedback, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is sharing summaries focused on how states define their digital divides and their vision for reaching digital equity.

The Purdue University Center for Regional Development (PCRD), part of the university’s Office of Engagement, in partnership with the Indiana Broadband Office (IBO) and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA), led the planning of the draft Indiana Digital Equity Plan. The planning process included significant community engagement and multi-layered data analysis to untangle the nuances of Indiana’s digital equity landscape. Public comments on the draft plan can be submitted through today, February 7, 2024.

State's Vision of Digital Equity

The vision for Indiana’s digital equity plan is based on the data gathered and analyzed through community engagement in multiple industry clusters throughout the state. The vision is as follows:

Covered Populations and Barriers to Digital Equity

Indiana’s digital equity landscape is a variegated typography that changes county by county. With 6.6 percent of the state being rural and 78.4 percent being urban, and 14.9 percent being micropolitan (small towns), it’s important to consider the individual needs of each of these communities and their unique digital equity barriers (and that of their requisite constituencies and covered populations).

Access

An important barrier documented was lack of internet access, mostly in rural areas of the state. Secondary data, survey responses, key informant interviews, and regional solutions sessions confirmed that lack of affordable access to internet service is an issue, particularly in rural areas. Lack of competition and options was also mentioned as an issue.

Devices

Survey respondents and key informant interviews confirmed that the number one barrier to digital equity in the state is the affordability of devices (e.g., laptop, desktop). A close second reason was the cost of internet service. For those ages 60 or older, disabled, rural, low-income, less-educated, and white, the primary reason for not paying for a home internet subscription was the cost of service.

Use

Paid home internet subscriptions across groups varied with the educational attainment category having the largest difference. Minorities said their smartphone lets them do everything online and thus a home subscription is not needed. Regarding internet use, security concerns, lack of internet, not feeling comfortable, and low literacy were barriers for not using the internet more frequently, as was the lack of a laptop/desktop. Personal life situations such as transportation, income, and rurality affected individual digital equity as well.

Mindset and Trust

Some key informants, as well as roundtable discussions during the regional solution sessions held in the development of the draft plan, identified that a lack of trust on the internet contributes to digital inequity. In addition, not understanding how the internet can personally benefit individuals was also documented, hinting at a mindset and cultural issue. Lastly, lack of awareness on resources and community support were also issues for folks to subscribe to home internet and/or use the technology more frequently.

Context

Barriers can compound and create additional hurdles people need to overcome to leverage additional technologies. It's important to be aware of the context in which digital equity services are provided and support auxiliary services that reduce these barriers.

Goals, Strategy and Objectives

 Indiana's vision of digital equity is not attainable without clear and measurable goals, strategies, and objectives.

Goal 1: Provide Indiana residents with universal connectivity that is affordable, accessible, reliable, equitable and available in public and private spaces to ensure maximum adoption.

Strategy 1.1: Assess and educate interested parties in a community to help provide full coverage of the state with high-speed internet access.

Objectives:

• Develop a program to inventory assets in the community critical for full connectivity (e.g., grain silos, towers) and identify partnerships for creating equitable access.
• Develop a toolkit for municipal and county governments to streamline broadband deployment (e.g., Broadband Ready certification) with a strong emphasis on equity.
• Collaborate with trusted community partners to develop and market accessible home internet subsidy programs, specifically targeting areas with an above-average share of covered populations.
• Ensure community anchor institutions—especially in areas with an above-average share of covered populations—have access to ultra-fast and reliable connectivity that meets their needs.
• Collect best practices for operating public Wi-Fi access points and publish as part of the Indiana Digital Asset Map available through community anchor institutions with special recognition of public access sites that are safe and secure.
• Pursue and promote programs that result in data on Indiana’s connectivity landscape empowering leaders to make data-driven decisions on broadband infrastructure investments.
• Launch and/or support existing hotspot lending programs. Collect best practices for hotspot lending programs and publish as part of the Indiana Digital Asset Map and facilitate a network of practitioners for program growth and improvement.
• Support innovative ways to provide connectivity to specific audiences such as:
  • Students outside of schools for class work
  • Adult learners to access supplemental education and training
  • Post-release justice-involved individuals to advance economic prosperity
• Objective 1.1.9: Establish an awards program to recognize organizations that work to create equitable access.

Strategy 1.2: Strengthen existing incentives and/or develop new programs for Internet Service Providers (ISP).

Objectives:

• Provide incentives to ISPs that complement existing programs aimed at upgrading existing networks and reaching cost-prohibitive and unserved areas.
• Expand eligibility of state programs to ensure affordable connectivity access that meets the needs of the consumer.
• Waive state fees for broadband highway easement access, especially those in areas with an above-average share of covered populations.
• Streamline pole attachments and make-ready regulations, especially those in areas with an above-average share of covered populations.
• Facilitate collaboration between interested parties and internet service providers (ISPs) to help Hoosiers take full advantage of ISP assistance programs.
• Develop and deploy resources for starting an ISP and/or supporting small ISPs.
• Work with Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) and other funding programs to establish reporting and evaluation expectations to increase accountability and transparency.
• Incentivize community reinvestment for ISPs by prioritizing funding for ISPs that report investments in service areas with an above-average share of covered populations.
• Facilitate opportunities for ISPs and interested parties to discuss community needs and strategize solutions.

Strategy 1.3: Create and equip informed consumers to increase demand and encourage adoption.

Objectives:

• Cultivate broadband-informed consumers through supporting partnerships that educate and build awareness about broadband.
• Incorporate a database of available broadband into the Indiana Digital Asset map to inform availability for current and future residents.
• Develop a system for consumers to report concerns regarding home internet service to create accountability and transparency.
• Encourage and support partnerships and programs providing technical assistance with home internet set-up.

Goal 2: Ensure all Indiana residents have access to affordable devices needed to live, work, and thrive along with the education to utilize that technology safely and successfully.

Strategy 2.1: Expand the availability of quality and reliable devices in the community relying on local device-related assets to educate and repurpose.

Objectives:

• Launch and/or support existing device loan or giveaway programs, prioritizing programs that already serve covered populations and provide continual tech support. Include peripheral devices (such as printers and assistive devices, microphones, etc.) necessary for full participation in the digital economy.
• Collect and publish best practices for operating device giveaway or device loan programs and facilitate a network of practitioners to share experiences and innovations.
• Find ways to sustain and subsidize device giveaway programs and/or offset the costs of device recycling/refurbishing programs.
• Build capacity to support one-to-one devices in schools and beyond (e.g., churches).
• Establish community “tech hub” designation and/or facilities to provide devices, technical support, and space for digital literacy workshops. Prioritize tech hubs serving covered populations and filling specific needs within those communities. Collect and publish best practices through creating a community of practice to share experiences.
• Develop device refurbishing skills through programs where participants can refurbish and keep a computer.
• Incentivize businesses, organizations, and individuals to donate retired devices to refurbishing programs.
• Create and market a directory of computer labs/tech hubs, device lending programs, and device giveaway programs in the state of Indiana.
• Ensure assistive technology is readily available and affordable, making these devices (for the disabled community and other covered populations) available via lending programs.

Strategy 2.2: Develop educational and trusted technical assistance programs to maximize device adoption and use.

Objectives:

• Encourage, fund, and support partnerships that educate the public how to safely use devices.
• In collaboration with lending programs, schools and libraries, develop digital literacy programs that supply devices upon successful completion and are invested in maintaining and updating them.
• Engage with schools for the deaf and blind to connect individuals in those communities to help them access non-standard devices. Build capacity in schools to access assistive technology and leverage resources to keep them affordable.
• Support educational resources and programs that equip consumers to make educated device purchases and build awareness about the importance of quality device ownership.
• Leverage existing tech hubs/computer labs for digital skills classes and support existing educational programs.

Goal 3: Build digitally resilient and equitable communities by supporting new and existing ecosystems for local prosperity.

Strategy 3.1: Expand digital equity-focused capacity at the local level.

Objectives:

• Fund and support local digital equity coalitions responsible for making digital equity a priority in the community and for coordinating related efforts.
• Invest in storytelling to secure community buy-in and increase awareness of what a fully connected community can achieve.
• Invest in and recognize partners conducting innovative digital equity programs.
• Facilitate opportunities for coalitions across the state to exchange best practices and resources to ensure statewide progress towards digital equity.
• Expand funding sources through engaging community partners that generate savings/benefits from widespread device use.
• Develop a digital equity boot camp for local leaders and provide recognition for those who complete the program.
• Support and fund coalitions or other organizations in creating local or regional digital equity plans that support the statewide plan and address local barriers for covered populations.
• Partner with organizations that work with covered populations to fund initiatives or elevate voices to ensure that community solutions are meeting their unique needs.

Strategy 3.2: Ensure digital equity goals contribute to the community’s quality of life.

Objectives:

• Create a recommended whitelist of appropriate college and employment websites–and other community resources–for use in device lending/giveaway programs.
• Develop guidelines and provide technical assistance to ensure government and civic online services and information are accessible to all.
• Recognize Indiana-based websites/web services going above and beyond to be accessible to all.
• Encourage and support programs connecting residents with local digital services, such as telehealth, online banking, or government/civic services, to cultivate prosperous online communities.
• Collaborate with partners to explore programs and policies protecting children in the digital age.
• Develop digital equity recommendations for incorporation and consideration in local Continuity of Operations (CoOp) plans and encourage coalition involvement in CoOp development.
• Support programs that leverage telehealth to address healthcare deserts and meet the unique needs of covered populations.
• Encourage, support and fund programs and resources according to best practices for digital civic engagement between local residents and leaders.

Strategy 3.3: Integrate digital equity into economic development strategies.

Objectives:

• Educate leaders on the implications of artificial intelligence.
• Leverage existing and future broadband infrastructure for workforce attraction.
• Develop and support Digital Agriculture programs and resources that allow Indiana farmers to stay competitive.
• Invest in skilling up the workforce by identifying workers that would benefit from re-skilling, identifying companies willing to shift their culture to support the integration of digital skills through adult education programs.
• Collaborate with local employers to incentivize digital skill programs by hosting on-site learning opportunities and investing in the offline training of their workers.
• Provide incentives to employers who provide remote work opportunities and incentivize employees who work remotely to attract new residents.
• Collaborate with local employers to develop and support high school classes that teach employable digital skills.
• Incentivize employers to provide home internet access or home devices to their workforce.
• Support and fund programs/resources that provide the assistance necessary to include the Amish community in the digital economy.
• Develop a toolkit for LEDOs/ Economic Development Corporations on strategies to and benefits of incorporating digital equity into economic development plans.
• Invest in a revolving loan fund that owners of home businesses, micro businesses, and start-up entrepreneurs can benefit from to scale up their digital capacity.
• Support and fund the development and delivery of programs and resources that build digital skills among small businesses and cultivate unique digital communities for Indiana towns/cities/counties.

Strategy 3.4: Equip residents to participate in the digital world safely and prosperously.

Objectives:

• Support and fund digital skills programs for parenting in the digital age, as well as a digital citizenship training program for adults to build their online social interaction skills.
• Support and fund digital skills programs on online safety and privacy, specifically for covered populations.
• Provide Digital Citizenship Training for adults and build skills to socialize virtually and increase media literacy.
• Continue to develop trainings around emerging technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), and relevant safety and ethical concerns.
• Support and fund digital skills classes to maximize the benefit of online activities in daily life (such as completing paperwork online, shopping, banking, locating information).
• Address the learning curve for justice-involved individuals as they come out of incarceration.
• Collaborate with and support programs and resources that offset the hidden costs of digital skills training by providing wrap-around services and incentives.
• Sustainably fund, hire, and deploy digital navigators or other similar human capital in the community to personally assist with overcoming obstacles to digital inclusion. Prioritize building on existing programs, particularly ones that have trusted relationships with individuals from covered populations.
• Support integrating digital skills in adult education programs.
• Collect and publish best practices for conducting digital skills training; recognize programs that excel in such training; and provide opportunities to learn and grow from one another statewide.

Strategy 3.5: Build a central location for digital equity resources and programs.

Objectives:

• Develop an online repository of the information and resources to support this plan’s objectives including the Indiana Digital Asset Map.
• Market the repository and distribute the materials to community resource centers and libraries so they are equipped with digital equity resources.
• Publish digital equity metrics and plan evaluation summaries as part of the repository.

Implementation

The Indiana Broadband Office will be the key facilitator when implementing the draft plan and conducting stakeholder engagement, as well as responsible for monitoring measurable objectives. The following are implementation strategies planned by the IBO for its work going forward.

Implementation Strategy 1: Develop, support, and coordinate state, regional, and local digital equity coalitions

To ensure this plan is effective, efficient, and sustainable, a key component that will also incorporate critical community partners, is the creation of digital equity coalitions. These coalitions will serve as the mechanism through which digital equity will be customized, partners will be engaged, priorities will be identified, and resources will be leveraged. These coalitions will also diversify digital equity’s stakeholders and partners from “traditional” ones to include additional key community groups and partners also working on other community issues (e.g. health, housing, economic development).

IBO and other partners will work to transform the existing digital equity task force into a statewide digital equity coalition. This statewide coalition will broaden the type and number of digital equity stakeholders and in turn, will support and augment regional and/or county-level digital equity coalitions. These coalitions will be critical to not only implement the plan but also ensure sustainability and community buy-in and connect researchers and practitioners.

Given the importance of addressing this issue as well as the complex barriers and digital equity landscape in general, these coalitions may include but not be limited to libraries, educators, schools, faith-based groups, local workforce development offices, economic development entities, chambers of commerce, community foundations, Indiana recovery network, community health workers, healthcare providers, American Legion chapters, Purdue Extension, and others.

Implementation Strategy 2: Collaborate with existing organizations to achieve objectives

The IBO will work with organizations in Indiana who have a history of successfully working with covered populations or addressing digital equity to carry out the plan objectives. This includes supporting existing programs or resources, as well as the creation of new programs or resources. Through the planning process, the IBO has already worked with the state digital equity taskforce and PCRD to identify existing digital equity programs and or resources. Building on existing assets and relationships will not only stretch the funding, but be essential to successful intervention. While the funding guidelines will determine the exact nature of the collaboration between IBO and partner organizations, collaboration will be key to plan success.

Implementation Strategy 3: Coordinate with BEAD implementation and other state digital equity or broadband initiatives

Moving forward, IBO intends to continue the coordination between the Digital Equity and BEAD plans as IBO works to implement the plans concurrently. In addition, Indiana has a history of broadband and digital equity-related initiatives. For example, the state of Indiana has two large broadband programs as well as multiple city, county, and regional digital equity plans in place. It will be important to coordinate between these initiatives and the implementation of this plan to avoid duplication and increase the impact of the invested funds.

Implementation Strategy 4: Develop necessary programmatic infrastructure for evaluation

IBO will continue to establish the infrastructure needed to ensure this plan has the intended impact and is sustainable. First, IBO will develop a sound project and impact evaluation strategy and ensure that any projects that are implemented as part of this plan include project and impact evaluation requirements. These metrics may change based on the project and what is reasonable or available to collect. The next step is developing a collection system that is compatible with the funding guidelines. Second, IBO will develop a digital equity dashboard for evaluation and accountability purposes. This dashboard will rely primarily on secondary data and will be updated at least annually. This dashboard will complement project-specific metrics, as mentioned above.

Implementation Strategy 5: Continue to document Digital Equity needs and update the plan

Digital Equity is a constantly evolving issue due to the nature of technology. Already, IBO has worked to cultivate relationships with practitioners in Indiana, from internet service providers to non-profit organizations. These relationships will be important for gaining insight into the evolving digital equity context in Indiana that will inform plan priority activities and necessary plan updates. To gain these insights, the IBO will continue to build a network within Indiana as well host stakeholder engagement events as allowed by the forthcoming digital equity capacity grant funding guidelines.

Send Indiana Your Feedback

The deadline for public comments on Indiana's draft State Digital Equity Plan is February 7, 2024. Comments can be submitted via email at IBOPublicComment@iot.in.gov. More information on digital equity in the state can be found on the Indiana Broadband Office website.

More in this series:

• Equitable Participation in Today's Digital World: New Hampshire's Plan
• Digital Skills and Accessibility in Mississippi
• Addressing Digital Equity Needs in Iowa
• Centering Communities in Arizona's Digital Equity Plan
• The Plan for a Connected Illinois
• Developing Digital Skills and Opportunity in Arkansas
• A New Chapter of Digital Equity Work in California
• New Mexico's Plan for an Inclusive and Prosperous Society
• Everyone Connected: Connecticut's Digital Equity Plan
• Coloradans at the Heart of State's Digital Access Plan
• Connected and Empowered: A Digital Equity Plan for Pennsylvania
• 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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