Every year, the Blandin on Broadband blog does County Broadband Profiles (and will do again when the new maps come out) but given federal opportunities are making it possible to get funding for access and adoption, I thought I’d try to present information for counties to assess their digital equity standing (see table below) and give options for who to contact locally for more information.
Summary
Mille Lacs County ranks 81 out of 87 counties for digital equity. Mille Lacs is clearly near the bottom ranking. But they are evenly at the bottom so they are in a position where they need to work on the three pillars of digital equity: affordable access to broadband, device ownership and the skills to use them. The good news is that they have worked on digital equity in the past and will have local experts and some community engagement.
Scroll down for details and suggested resources for more information.
Blandin Foundation is using the Microsoft Digital Equity Tool to determine needs by county and make high level recommendations for next steps to consider based on the data. (With special thanks to Carter Grupp, Broadband Coordinator Broadband Coordinator at American Connection Project for Otter Tail County.) Visit the tool if you want to look up more statistics on your community.
Demographic Data and Ranking (out of 87)
| Mille Lacs County | Ranking |
| Access to 100/20 | 62 |
| No bachelors | 83 |
| No HS degree | 76 |
| Below 150% poverty (last 12 months) | 65 |
| Below poverty (last 12 months) | 70 |
| Disability | 82 |
| No computer | 80 |
| No broadband access | 64 |
| No subscription | 54 |
| Overall average | 81 |
The map below shows digital inequity by census tract. The bluer the better; yellow and orange colors indicate more inequity. This map can be helpful in figuring out which parts of your county need the most help.
So where do you go to talk to people in the county about digit equity plans? Good places to start include:
Libraries
Schools
- Isle Public School District (ISD #473)
Superintendent Mr. Dean Kapsner
dkapsner@isle.k12.mn.us
(320) 676-3146
http://www.isle.k12.mn.us - Milaca School District (ISD #912)
Superintendent Dr. David Wedin
wedin@milaca.k12.mn.us
(320) 982-7210
http://www.milaca.k12.mn.us/ - Onamia School District (ISD #480)
Superintendent Jason Vold
jvold@onamia.k12.mn.us
(320) 532-4174
http://www.onamia.k12.mn.us - Princeton School District (ISD #477)
Superintendent Ben Barton
barton@isd477.org
(763) 389-6184
http://www.isd477.org
Regional Development Commission
- East Central Regional Development Commission
320-679-4065
There’s a lot to take in but sometimes it’s also helpful to see what a community has done in the past, so we’ve gathered specific projects funded through the Blandin Foundation
| Project Owner | Project Name | Description |
| East Central Regional Library | Digital Literacy Computer Training | Project support to provide no-cost technology training in communities of Mille Lacs County in rural Minnesota as part of the Broadband Program |
| Mille Lacs County | Community Portal Website | Project support to create and maintain a website to provide citizens with a comprehensive source of information, promote area businesses, governments and nonprofits and increase web presence in rural Minnesota as part of the Broadband Program |
| Mille Lacs County | Public Hot Spots / WiFi | Project support to develop and market wi-fi hot spots in Mille Lacs County as part of the Broadband Program |
| Mille Lacs County | Business and Organization Technology Training | Provide a series of technology training workshops throughout Mille Lacs County, to include businesses, nonprofits, chambers and local units of governments to help them improve their online presence and in social media as part of the Broadband Program |
| ISD 912 Milaca Public Schools | Wi-Fi on Buses | Project support to Increase rural student access to the Internet by installing wifi-equipment on a select number of school buses in the Milaca School District in rural Minnesota as part of the Broadband Program |
| Mille Lacs County | WiFi Hot Spots | Project support to create five new public wi-fi hotspots within the county as part of the Broadband Program in rural Minnesota |
| Mille Lacs County | Computer Distribution to Low-Income Families | Capital support to distribute 100 computers to low-income families in Mille Lacs County as part of the Broadband Program in rural Minnesota |
| Mille Lacs County | GIS Connect MN and Affordability Layer | Project support to conduct analysis around broadband availability and affordability using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) as part of the Broadband Program in rural Minnesota |
| Mille Lacs County | MLC WiFi Computer Lab | Project support to create a public access computer lab at the Courthouse with computers placed at two additional locations as part of the Broadband Program in rural Minnesota |
| Mille Lacs County | Interactive Online Meetings | Capital support to create two video conference centers through which citizens can participate in public meetings held at the courthouse as part of the Broadband Program in rural Minnesota |
| ISD 912 Milaca Public Schools | Wi-Fi on Buses | Capital support for the purchase and operation of 12 wi-fi routers for school buses across four districts so students can use travel time for homework and increase their chances of succeeding in school as part of the Broadband Program in rural Minnesota |
| Mille Lacs County | BCBP Marketing materials to raise awareness of broadband | Project support to develop marketing materials to raise awareness of the importance of broadband in rural Minnesota as part of the Broadband Program |
There’s a lot to take in but sometimes it’s also helpful to see what a community has done in the past, so we’ve gathered specific projects funded through the Blandin Foundation (Mille Lacs was involved in multiple Blandin community cohorts):
| Project Owner | Project Name | Description |
| Aitkin County | Web Diagnostics for Small Businesses | Project support to increase the knowledge and use of e-commerce and social media tools for small businesses in Aitkin County |
| Aitkin County | Web Diagnostics for Small Businesses, Part II | Project support to provide technical assistance to businesses to market their products through online presence and social media |
| Audubon Center of the North Woods | Online Public Access to Energy Data | Project support to connect various alternative energy facilities into a unified network for data collection and analysis for integration into curricula and energy management systems |
| Depot Studios | Expanding Access and Learning Opportunities | Project support to provide computer access with a Wi-Fi hotspot at an artist, craft and entrepreneurial center in Isle |
| East Central RDC | Broadband Inventory and Assessment | Project support to conduct an analysis of the region’s existing broadband assets and services to inform community leaders about potential gaps and opportunities |
| East Central RDC | Township Broadband Enhancements | Project support to work with up to five rural townships to identify and implement broadband solutions providing public access in areas with little to no existing broadband access |
| Isle Recreation and Education Center | Expanding Technology and Educational Opportunities | Project support to provide computer classes and a Wi-Fi public access site in the Mille Lacs lakes area |
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