National Digital Inclusion Alliance
The End of the Affordable Connectivity Program: How Communities Are Coping and What Comes Next
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) was a crucial resource that made the internet more affordable for the 23 million households previously enrolled. ACP—which offered $30 per month for internet bills, $75 per month on Tribal lands, and a one-time discount for devices—was a safety net for eligible households, particularly those living in rural and underserved areas.
Seven Star Communities: Recognizing Native Entities for Their Excellence in Digital Inclusion
The National Digital Inclusion Alliance is proud to recognize the inaugural awardees of the Seven Star Communities program! This program is the first time Native nations and entities are being honored and recognized for their excellence in providing sustainable digital inclusion solutions that address their community and nation’s connectivity, digital skills, and device access. Digital inclusion and equity are essential to a Native nation’s educational, health, economic, cultural, and social needs.
The Importance of Digital Inclusion in Disaster Recovery: A Response to Climate Change
From communities in Appalachia and Florida to the Hawaiian Islands, no part of the US is untouched by the increased climate-related disasters we’ve seen in the past few years. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is updating and publishing a disaster response framework, and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance submitted comments to advocate for stronger integration of digital inclusion activities into post-disaster efforts. NDIA's key recommendations fall under five main categories:
Building Connections: How Cherokee Nation’s Digital Navigator is Bringing Digital Skills to Every Corner of the Reservation
For Cherokee citizens living on and off the reservation, staying connected is more than just having access to the internet. It’s about staying close to their Tribe and culture and feeling part of the digital world. The Cherokee Nation is making strides toward improving broadband access on their reservation, which spans an incredible 7,000 square miles in rural northeastern Oklahoma.
Practical Advice and Lessons Learned from the National Digital Navigator Corps
In the last two years, members from our National Digital Navigator Corps have learned a lot from working on the ground in their communities, and we’re excited to share their insights, stories, and lessons with you! This is the first in a series of blogs about their experiences and what we can all learn from them, and in 2025, we’ll publish an updated digital navigator toolkit full of practical guidance. Here’s a sample of the things we’ve learned about digital navigators in rural and Native communities in particular:
The Digital Inclusion Startup Manual
The National Digital Inclusion Alliance's (NDIA) Digital Inclusion Start-Up Manual is intended to provide guidance to organizations looking to increase access and use of technology in disadvantaged communities through digital literacy training, affordable home broadband, affordable devices and tech support. These efforts might take place within a community-based organization, a library, a housing authority, a local government or other community locations.
Seven Star Communities: Calling for Applications for a New Initiative to Recognize Native Entities
Seven Star Communities is a new initiative to honor and celebrate Native nations accomplishing digital inclusion work. The Seven Star Communities program hopes to highlight outstanding work, and also provide an opportunity for Native nations to learn from each other. The application for Seven Star Communities 2024 will open towards the end of August. Seven Star Communities are Tribal governments, Native entities and organizations that are working toward digitally inclusive communities.
It’s time to prepare your Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program applications!
On July 24, 2024, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration published the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Competitive Grant Program. The Competitive Grant Program is the third (and final) set of funds available from the
NDIA Announces Grading Internet for Good
To help millions of households navigate and evaluate low-cost internet plans, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) created a new rating system to evaluate a plan’s affordability and quality. NDIA GIG (Grading Internet for Good) reflects lessons from the Affordable Connectivity Program that contributed to the program’s success and evaluates plans on cost, transparency, speed, performance, and eligibility criteria. We’ve also updated our Honor Roll of Low