Earlier this week I attended a webinar from the Office of Broadband Development on Creating Minnesota’s Digital Equity Plan. They are looking for input from folks across the state and the more views they hear, the better the plan will be. And if you want the plan to reflect your needs, you should think about getting involved.

For communities who have worked with Blandin Foundation in the past, this is your time to shine. You’ve done the work and you can help your community and all of Minnesota be smart with the money that’s coming in. The onus does not sound too onerous – especially for the Blandin cohorts who know the language and understand the questions –  and there is an opportunity to get grants to help defray costs.

Here are the materials from the webinar…

You are receiving this message because you registered for the webinar “Your Role in Creating Minnesota’s Digital Equity Plan” hosted by the Office of Broadband Development on Tuesday, 2/21. Included in this email message are the following post-webinar souvenirs, all of which may be shared within your networks:

1. The webinar recording
2. Attached: the PowerPoint slides shared during the webinar. Notes have been added to each slide for context
3. Attached: a handout answering common questions about the mini-grants
4. Attached: a handout answering common questions about the Digital Connection Committees
5. A reminder: I am available to answer any questions about this initiative, to provide guidance on completing grant applications, to clarify all the little details – please just ask!

To find all of the information about our Digital Equity Act planning initiative in one place — including the mini-grant application (due March 3!), the Digital Connection Committee registration form (due March 15!), and a handy timeline – please visit the Office of Broadband Development’s digital inclusion webpage. We are so appreciative of and excited by the widespread interest this planning effort is receiving, and I look forward to working with you in the months ahead as we shape Minnesota’s digital equity plan together.