Community-Based Solutions for Digital Advancement: 2022 Digital Integrators Pilot Program

To promote digital advancement (that is, a new mindset to leverage investments in digital access and adoption to promote economic justice in the digital economy), the Digital Integrators Pilot Program recommends the following actions for stakeholders:

• Community-Based Organizations: Apply the Community Development Framework for Digital Advancement to local digital equity and inclusion efforts. Community groups can use the tool to guide program design, implementation, and evaluation; partnership development and pursuit of common goals; and resident engagement that centers the “entire person.”
• Intermediary Organizations: Provide strategic support for community organizations to design and adapt programs toward digital advancement. Intermediaries, such as regional planning councils and national organizations, can leverage resources, knowledge, and networks to strengthen local capacity, facilitate collaboration and peer exchange, and foster innovation.
• Philanthropy: Support the development of digital equity ecosystems to enable effective collaboration and community engagement. Funders can invest in local solutions for digital access and programs for devices, tools, and skills. They can also fund digital equity planning and help communities meet federal matching requirements. Funders can seed program innovation, support local coordination, and invest in digital equity leaders.
• Government: Leaders who are engaged in digital equity planning for federal investment opportunities, such as the Digital Equity Act, can begin by embracing digital advancement as a mindset for social impact. Local, state, and federal policymakers can collaborate with communities to identify barriers to equitable broadband access and adoption and co-design long-term strategies for promoting digital advancement.