This Massachusetts program is giving free digital equity advice

In Massachusetts a consulting program is helping local municipalities navigate digital equity planning. There is no flow of money to municipalities under said program. Instead, the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program, spearheaded by the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI), pairs towns and cities with consultants to develop strategic plans for digital equity within their communities. Among other things, the program is meant to inform a municipality of provider market conditions, challenges/barriers to internet adoption analysis and the strategies a municipality can take to increase adoption of broadband. Michael Baldino, director of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute, said municipalities are well positioned to understand and address the needs of their residents, take local ownership of digital inclusion activities and encourage stakeholder buy-in of strategies to address those needs. By offering technical assistance to local governments, he said, MBI is closing “a critical data and documentation gap.”