NTEN and Mobile Citizen did their first digital adoption survey (Making Connections) to find out what how lack of access or adoption impacts the public/nonprofit services that people can access OR how that lack of access and adoption impact how public/nonprofit services can be delivered.
The news is as I see it is that 60 percent of the nonprofits surveyed provided some services online, which clearly means you need to have access to take advantage of those services. Also about half of the nonprofits surveyed provide or support digital inclusion efforts in their programming. Affordability was mentioned as a roadblock to adoption – both of broadband service and equipment.
To do a slightly deeper dive into it…
They are succinct in their definition of digital adoption…
Digital adoption, whether for organization or individuals, includes three requirements:
-
Access to the Internet where and when we want or need to go online;
-
Affordable equipment to use; and,
-
Training, or digital literacy skills enabling us and our constituents to use the Internet to support our work and lives.
I think one of the most compelling findings is that 60 percent of the nonprofits they served said that constituents needed to have access to the internet to partake of services…
Do your constituents need Internet access to benefit or participate in your organization’s services or programs?
Nearly 60% of respondents indicate that constituents need Internet access to participate in their services. They highlight four main service areas in which this is true:
-
Communication and Information: Including completion of forms and applications, identified by 61% of respondents who indicated service areas;
-
Access to content, mostly unique to the organization but including some links to additional resources (45%);
-
Fundamental access issues, including delivery of basic services (27%); and
-
Training, including delivery and registration (18%).
Nonprofits are doing what they can to get folks online. I highlight this fact for communities who are looking at broadband expansion. It would make sense to start your digital inclusion efforts with a local survey of who is doing what in your area. You rarely need to build from scratch – start with what’s already working and happening in your area.