Seniors/Aging Individuals

Verizon announced a $100,000 award to the Detroit Branch NAACP for the Digital Education, Training, and Access (E.T.A.) program. The partnership is part of the Verizon Forward Community Enhancement Award, a $1 million national initiative equipping communities with the tools to navigate an increasingly technological world. The Detroit Branch NAACP will partner with local organizations to provide technology-focused training to seniors and formerly incarcerated community members.

This report presents the main findings from the 2023 Statewide Survey on Broadband Adoption Survey.

Growth, equity, education, workforce opportunities, access to government services, and sustainability. Each of these values—and many of the actions that can be taken to achieve them—can be enhanced by equitable access to high-speed internet, and a population equipped with the digital skills to productively use computers and the internet.

The Oregon Broadband Office (OBO) released the state's draft Digital Equity Plan for public comment.

Massachusetts is at a pivotal moment to drive transformative change in digital equity. Through a once-in-a-generation federal funding investment, the Commonwealth has an unprecedented opportunity to achieve its strategic goals and unlock meaningful economic potential for all residents. In November 2023, the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) shared its Massachusetts State Digital Equity Plan for public comment. Public input is welcome through Friday, December 15, 2023. 

The Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) at MassTech announced $20 million in new grants through the state’s Digital Equity Partnerships Program, which supports high-impact and scalable initiatives that reach residents most affected by the digital divide.

An extraordinary, first-ever, nationwide effort in digital equity and opportunity is currently underway. Thanks to funding provided under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), all 50 states and six territories are in the final stages of developing first-of-their-kind statewide digital equity and digital opportunity plans (Plans). Only a year ago, not a single state or territory had developed a comprehensive statewide Plan of this scale focused on the full spectrum of internet adoption issues.

laska’s residents know what adversity looks like when it comes to accessing high-speed internet. The scale of unserved and underserved communities across Alaska is an obstacle to community and economic development, particularly for Tribal and rural communities. With federal resources and strong collaboration with Tribal partners, the nonprofit sector serving Alaska’s most vulnerable communities, and cities and boroughs, the State of Alaska is working toward changing this landscape.

In November 2023, the Empire State Development’s ConnectALL Office released the draft New York State Digital Equity Plan and sought public comment on how New York will bridge the digital divide in the state.

For the better part of a generation, low-income and minority US communities have struggled to gain access to affordable broadband.