Digital Inclusion Leadership Awards

Who is Not Connected?

According to Pew Internet & American Life, these communities are less likely to be online:

○ African Americans○ Hispanics○ Seniors○ Low educational

attainment○ Low income

◻

Why are they Not Connected?

● Cost ● Relevancy● Skill● Lack access to a device● Lack access to a

connection

◻

What is Digital Inclusion?

● Digital Inclusion Programs include:○ Access ○ Training ○ Device

● Cities with interesting digital inclusion projects:○ Boston, MA and

Chattanooga, TN○ Chicago, IL○ Austin, TX

◻

Why Digital Inclusion Matters

● Education● Economic Development● Public Safety● Transportation● Health Care● Participatory

Democracy, E-government

Why Cities Should Care

● While a city’s average broadband adoption might look better or comparable to national averages, there can be high variance in connectivity across neighborhoods and census tracts.

● Underserved and marginalized communities are less likely to be online

Digital Inclusion Best Practices

● Designate a point of authority

● Partner with and deliver services through trusted institutions

● Tackle multiple barriers to broadband adoption at once

City Models for Digital Inclusion Ownership

1. Partnering with a nonprofit: Boston, MA & Chattanooga, TN

2. Using a Collaborative Model: Chicago, IL

3. Creating an Office in City Hall: Austin, TX

Partner with a Nonprofit: Tech Goes Home in Boston & Chattanooga

Live, Learn, Earn, Work, Play

◻ 15 hours of relevance training◻ New Chromebook◻ Help to obtain access

www.TechGoesHome.orghttp://techgoeshomecha.org/

http://www.nationaltechgoeshome.org/

Live, Learn, Earn, Work, Play online!◻ save money◻ stay connected to

friends and families◻ apply for jobs◻ connect with school◻ find relevant cultural

activities◻ develop relationships

with community partners

Partner with a Nonprofit: Tech Goes Home in Boston & Chattanooga

Lessons Learned:● Engage● Collaborate● Empower● Inform

Outcomes:● 50% helped in current job or

helped them get a job● Increased adoption rate from

66% to 90%● 85% of students use the

Chromebook for homework● Chattanooga - increased

funding 20X for upcoming year

“I realize that it’s not about learning everything on the internet; it’s just about learning enough to not be scared to try.” TGH - Senior

“I support digital inclusion because it is so empowering. The skills taught open so many doors…”TGH - Volunteer

Consider a Collaborative Model: Chicago, IL

Lessons Learned:● Leverage existing city strengths &

relationships● Engage with the civic tech

community● Build a community amoungst

trainers and advocates ● Research

The Model● The city, the MacArthur

Foundation, and the Chicago Community Trust co-founded and steer the Smart Chicago Collaborative, where much of this work rests.

● Smart Chicago partners with many others - EX: Chicago Public Libraries, LISC Chicago

See Smart Chicago website: http://www.smartchicagocollaborative.org See Chicago Smart Communities study:

https://copp-community.asu.edu/sites/default/files/REVChicagoSmartCommunitiesCHANGE042514-final%20%282%29.pdf

Create a Grant Program and an Office in City Hall: Austin, TX

Lessons Learned:● Consistent public funding is

powerful and creates sustainable programs

● Understand the local digital divide● Partner across sectors

The Model● There is staff in Austin’s city

government that specifically work on digital inclusion issues.

● GTOP is a $200K annual grant program for nonprofits and community work run by the city

See digital inclusion work out of Austin’s City government: http://www.austintexas.gov/digitalinclusionSee recent survey of residents to understand the digital divide:

See partnership between Austin Free-Net, Public Housing, and Google Fiber: http://austinfree.net/bringing-internet-access-to-public-housing-residents/

About the Award

Award Categories● Leader in Digital Inclusion Best Practices (2)

○ Established digital inclusion efforts (have been operative at least a year)● Most Promising New Plan (2)

○ Efforts that have not yet launched or are in early stages● Uniquely Innovative Approach

○ One for each category

Criteria● Demographics● Impact● Sustainability● Innovation

Due date● Submissions due by September 23, 2015

Announcement● During the National League of Cities Congress of Cities, Nashville, November 4-7

About the Award

For more information and link to enter:http://nextcenturycities.org/digital-inclusion-awards/

Resources

Recommended Actions for City Governments: http://nextcenturycities.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/OnePagerforCityGovernmentsNCC.pdf

Data-Driven Digital Inclusion Study Results & Recommendations:http://nextcenturycities.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Digital-Inclusion-Summary.pdf

The White House’s Recent Infographic on the Digital Divide:https://www.whitehouse.gov/share/heres-what-digital-divide-looks-united-states

Building Digital Communities: A Framework for Actionhttp://www.imls.gov/assets/1/AssetManager/BuildingDigitalCommunities_Framework.pdf

Questions?